Apple Seeds Second tvOS 14.5 Beta to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 14.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta software coming two weeks after Apple released the first tvOS 14.5 beta.

apple tv 4k banner
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 14.5 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

tvOS 14.5 brings support for the latest PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers, which can be used to play games from the tvOS App Store and Apple Arcade.

play station dualsense controller
Support for the new controllers has also been included in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, so the latest gaming controller options from Sony and Microsoft are now compatible with Apple's product lineup.

We don't yet know if there's anything else included in tvOS 14.5 in terms of features because tvOS updates are often minor in scale, but the release of tvOS will see Apple begin enforcing its new App Tracking Transparency rules, with developers now required to ask for and receive a user's permission to access their random advertising identifier (known as the IDFA) to track user activity across apps and websites for ad customization purposes.

Going forward, when an app wants to access a person's advertising identifier on tvOS, users will have a prompt with options to "Allow Tracking" or "Ask App Not to Track." Selecting "Ask App Not to Track" will prevent the app's developer from accessing the user's IDFA, and developers will also have to respect the user's tracking preference and refrain from using other invasive cross-app tracking methods.

The main tvOS 14 update released in September brought expanded Picture in Picture support, new HomeKit integration with HomeKit Secure Video cameras, support for multiple ‌Apple Arcade‌ profiles, and more, with details available in our tvOS 14 roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Here's Which Vehicle Brands Will and Won't Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Friday June 27, 2025 9:52 am PDT by
Apple last month announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. There was news this week about which automakers will and won't offer CarPlay Ultra, and we have provided an updated list below. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

iPhone 17 Air Screen Protector Reveals a Potential Design Difference

Thursday June 26, 2025 11:05 am PDT by
A screen protector that is allegedly designed for Apple's rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air model has revealed a potential design difference. Based on an image shared today by a leaker known as Majin Bu, the iPhone 17 Air's front camera may be positioned to the left of the Dynamic Island, rather than to the right of it like on iPhone models released over the past few years. It is unclear...

Top Rated Comments

upandown Avatar
57 months ago
Macrumors. Please highlight the framerate issue and development.

Backstory: The Appletv hardware has never supported integer frame rates such as 24.000 FPS. Only fractional frame rates are supported such as 23.976 FPS. This is usually fine however there is more and more content, especially on Netflix that is produced at 24.000 FPS. So there is a skipped frame every 41 seconds or so. The viewer would see a stutter in the content. People like myself have been blasting on the forums and Apple feedback that their hardware doesn’t support a widely used FPS operation. (Side note, most if not all other streaming boxes that are much cheaper support both fractional and integer frame rates)

Two weeks ago: tvOS beta 14.5 beta 1 did something never seen before… it added support for 24fps!! However! They removed support for 23.976fps! With this configuration it presents a similar but opposite issue. Frame doubling when playing back 23.976fps material. It’s being forced to play it at 24fps.

Since beta 2 was released today we will see very shortly what steps Apple has taken to rectify the situation, but considering how our input has fallen on deaf ears for almost 4 years, I’m not too hopeful. So Macrumors please make a post about this in the likely event it’s not fixed today to support both fractional and integer frame rates. I can give links to other forums with better information if needed. Thank you.

EDIT: Well it appears in tvOS 14.5 beta 2 both fractional and integer frame rates are supported!!! Truly a day to celebrate!!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
upandown Avatar
57 months ago
Well it appears in tvOS 14.5 beta 2 both fractional and integer frame rates are supported!!! Truly a day to celebrate!!

Macrumors, I still think this is news worthy considering how long it’s been an issue. It would be a positive post that it’s finally fixed and hopefully it would pressure them to not do something stupid like remove the change. Lol
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
57 months ago
Note the Public Beta of this beta2 (tvOS 14.5) is available now that the Macrumors site is back up
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
upandown Avatar
57 months ago

I noticed with tvOS 14.5 beta 1 that the custom resolutions using DV got rid of 4K 24Hz and made it 30Hz, is that still the case with beta 2?
It is. Hopefully it gets added back with the next beta.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jairopena Avatar
57 months ago
Now that the frame rate is finally resolved I just hope for bitstream audio, or at least something that makes PCM louder. I’m using a Sony DH790 receiver and PCM outside Atmos is low compared to DD+
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IT Troll Avatar
57 months ago
Disappointing that MR haven’t updated the article with the frame rate support news. I would argue that this is more report worthy than support for new game controls.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)