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.
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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.
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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.
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Top Rated Comments
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!
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.