Apple today seeded the ninth beta of a new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the eighth beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that's installed through the Xcode software. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.

apple tv tvos 12
tvOS 12 introduces support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple says that when tvOS 12 launches this fall, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies.

Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.

Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature will further simplify the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user's broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through their accompanying cable subscription.

Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.

Aerial screensavers now include location information and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station.

tvos12aerialscreensaver
Other improvements tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.

tvOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of a fall public launch.

Update: Apple has also made a new public beta of tvOS 12 available to public beta testers.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
69 months ago
The reality is that you are going to "get ATMOS" whether you upgrade the other hardware or not- you just won't be using it. Some iPhone is going to roll out with LTE5G hardware and many people will be waiting on LTE5G to be available in their areas. They'll simply be carrying around hardware capable of more than they can use at the moment.

Like you, I'm well set up with a NON-ATMOS setup. But I welcome progress to ATMOS. If and when I add a few more speakers to upgrade the system to an ATMOS system, some other hardware like :apple:TV will be ready for it.

One arguably weird thing we Apple people seem to do around here with this ONE Apple product is seem to almost wish Apple would cling to the past or present until everybody and everything else upgrades to the next big thing first. We tend NOT to do that in threads for just about anything else Apple makes... seemingly hungry for latest & greatest technologies ASAP. But with this one product, it's like we want Apple to wait out everyone else moving first.

Personally, I look forward to Apple rolling out an 8K :apple:TV already. I don't have an 8K set yet (and have no use or 8K source material at all today) but I'd rather Apple PUSH the envelope instead of cling to the past or present. Better hardware can always work just fine with lessor software or other lessor hardware. An 8K ATMOS++ future :apple:TV will work just fine with our 2018 televisions and media. AFAIC: bring it on. I can opt to keep up or not but I'd rather have the option than being out there somewhere and the center of the media-serving setup- the :apple:TV- is still stuck in the past.

Personally, I'd much rather see :apple:TV pulling the industry forward than waiting around until about everyone else has already moved forward and then playing "catch up." Apple was about last with 1080p and about last with 4K. I'm personally SHOCKED they are jumping from DD to ATMOS but heartily welcome a big step forward on the audio side. More, more, more!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nunyabinez Avatar
69 months ago
As exciting as Atmos may be, I'm not planning on replacing the 5.1 and 7.1 receivers that I'm using just to get Atmos. I suspect that it will be a long time before many people feel the need to replace their systems for ever diminishing returns in terms of added quality. And I consider myself somewhat of a snob when it comes to audio quality.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThatGuyInLa Avatar
69 months ago
As exciting as Atmos may be, I'm not planning on replacing the 5.1 and 7.1 receivers that I'm using just to get Atmos. I suspect that it will be a long time before many people feel the need to replace their systems for ever diminishing returns in terms of added quality. And I consider myself somewhat of a snob when it comes to audio quality.
If you have existing side channel speakers, at a minimum, you can set them as Atmos speakers. It is important that the Atmos speakers be above the front and surrounds though. (ear level)

I went full hog and bought and mounted two pairs of small Polk bookshelf speakers in a front height and side height config. While not ideal it’s still quite usable for Atmos. The sound steering is the most noticeable improvement to surround sound I’ve heard since originally setting up surround sound decades ago. Amazing.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
davidg4781 Avatar
69 months ago
Last time I did a “restore and update” and it got me back on track to official releases
Was that on this public beta or from tvOS 11?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 May Reuse Existing iPhone 14 Battery

Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:17 pm PST by
Recently, MacRumors has received details on the battery currently being tested on the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE, and the information corroborates previous findings in relation to the device. The iPhone SE 4, known by its device identifier D59, is expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14. Partially assembled prototypes of the next iPhone SE have been ...
best buy snowflakes

Best Buy's New Weekend Sale Has Record Low Prices on MacBook Pro and MacBook Air

Friday December 8, 2023 7:37 am PST by
Best Buy's month-long holiday sale continues this weekend with multiple all-time low prices on Apple's line of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers. In addition to Apple notebooks, Best Buy's event has discounts sitewide on home appliances, TVs, video games, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive...
beeper mini

Apple Puts a Stop to Beeper Mini's iMessage for Android Feature

Friday December 8, 2023 2:24 pm PST by
Apple appears to have closed the loophole that Beeper Mini used to bring iMessage to Android, putting a stop to blue bubbles from Android devices. Beeper Mini quit working earlier today, with users receiving "failed to lookup on server: lookup request timed out" error messages. Beeper said on Twitter that it is investigating the issue, but Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky told TechCrunch that "all ...
maxresdefault

Review: Two Months With the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Thursday December 7, 2023 12:04 pm PST by
Apple's iPhone 15 lineup came out in September, and while most reviews are done shortly after a new device launches, we like to follow up with a longer term review that gives us an opportunity to provide a deeper dive into what it's like using these phones on a day to day basis for months. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been...
anker new gold

Anker Begins Countdown to Christmas Sale With Up to 50% Off Popular Charging Accessories

Thursday December 7, 2023 7:55 am PST by
Anker has launched its newest holiday sale, this one offering a special deal every day in the lead-up to Christmas. These sales offer up to 50 percent off select products, and include discounts on USB-C chargers, portable batteries, and much more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which ...
12

Apple to Launch Two iPad Air and Two OLED iPad Pro Models Early Next Year

Wednesday December 6, 2023 9:53 am PST by
To boost falling iPad sales, Apple has a major refresh planned for the iPad lineup in early 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple plans to debut new iPad Air and iPad Pro models, both of which will feature notable changes. The iPad Air will come in two sizes like the iPad Pro for the first time. The smaller model will continue to measure in at 10.9 inches, but the larger version...