Apple Seeds Second Beta of tvOS 12.1 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available] - MacRumors
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Apple Seeds Second Beta of tvOS 12.1 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the first update and a little over two weeks after releasing the tvOS 12 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

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We're not yet sure what fixes and changes the tvOS 12.1 update might bring, but it's likely to focus on bugs that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 12. No new changes were discovered in the first tvOS 12.1 beta.

Apple's tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what's new. We'll update this post should anything be found in the second beta.

Update: Apple has also seeded the second beta of tvOS 12.1 to public beta testers.

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Top Rated Comments

busyscott Avatar
103 months ago
The lack of attention given to this platform is truly tragic. The new gen Apple TV is one of the best devices apple has come out with in a long time (along with the AirPods) but there’s so much low hanging fruit ready to be harvested on the platform.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solver Avatar
103 months ago
I wonder if there will ever be an Apple TV Remote app for the Watch. Either that, or add a Siri button and volume control to "Now Playing". I can't believe this hasn't happened yet. :eek:
Even my series 1 has a “Remote” app that controls both of my Apple TVs.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
103 months ago
The lack of attention given to this platform is truly tragic. The new gen Apple TV is one of the best devices apple has come out with in a long time (along with the AirPods) but there’s so much low hanging fruit ready to be harvested on the platform.
Curious as to what that low hanging fruit is in your view.

tvOS has really come into its own in the past few years. While I can see some polishes or smaller features here and there, I can’t really think of any significant improvements.

Perhaps we’ll see a further shift towards the TV app as the new home screen. It functions as an aggregator of content within apps. It works really well.

I see tvOS as following watchOS’s template. You might think they couldn’t be any more different but the underlying model is the same. On AppleWatch, the Watch Face is the main screen where information is present and app content is consumed. On AppleTV, the TV app is the “Watch Face” where information is present and app content is consumed. On both platforms, the app screen is a secondary way of accessing apps.

I can imagine Apple further solidifying that model in an upcoming tvOS.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
103 months ago
Even my series 1 has a “Remote” app that controls both of my Apple TVs.
Nope. Re-read my post. Siri. Volume control. Just like the Apple TV Remote app on iOS.
Not talking about that lame iTunes remote.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
103 months ago
I wonder if there will ever be an Apple TV Remote app for the Watch. Either that, or add a Siri button and volume control to "Now Playing". I can't believe this hasn't happened yet. :eek:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)