Apple Releases tvOS 15.1 for Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K With SharePlay Support

Apple today released tvOS 15.1, the first major update to the tvOS operating system that launched in September 2021.

Apple TV tvOS 15
tvOS 15.1 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System > Software Update. ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates enabled will be upgraded to tvOS 15.1 automatically.

Apple's tvOS updates are typically minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes, performance updates, and small tweaks rather than major outward-facing changes, but today's update adds support for SharePlay.

With support for SharePlay, content from the ‌Apple TV‌ app can be watched over FaceTime with friends and family members. Content is synced across the devices of all participants so you can watch TV and movies right alongside others, discussing it as you go.

There are shared controls for playing content, pausing, rewinding, and fast forwarding, and there's a smart volume that automatically lowers the audio of a movie, TV show, or song when someone speaks.

Apple does not provide detailed release notes for its tvOS updates, but it does offer some tvOS details through its tvOS support document.

Popular Stories

Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Apple to Make More Foldable iPhones Than Expected [Updated]

Tuesday December 9, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports. In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
google pixel 10

Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration

Monday December 8, 2025 11:10 am PST by
Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta. Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android...
ipad blue prime day

iPad 12 Rumored to Get iPhone 17's A19 Chip, Breaking Apple Tradition

Wednesday December 10, 2025 12:22 pm PST by
The next-generation low-cost iPad will use Apple's A19 chip, according to a report from Macworld. Macworld claims to have seen an "internal Apple code document" with information about the 2026 iPad lineup. Prior documentation discovered by MacRumors suggested that the iPad 12 would be equipped with an A18 chip, not an A19 chip. The A19 chip was just released this year in the iPhone 17, and...

Top Rated Comments

Ghost31 Avatar
54 months ago
One of these days….or years…we’ll get an update with an actual list of improvements for the Apple TV. With new features! Can you imagine?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Velin Avatar
54 months ago
Eh, I love Apple TV. Just picked up the 64GB 2021 Apple TV 4k. It's amazing, remote is fantastic, images are stellar. Makes it so easy to stream. Light years better than the crap installed on television sets.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sjsharksfan12 Avatar
54 months ago

One of these days….or years…we’ll get an update with an actual list of improvements for the Apple TV. With new features! Can you imagine?
I look forward to that day. Of all the products from apple I have, I feel like Apple TV always get the short shrift and it could be a whole lot better. Just basic stuff like:

1. Making the app icons smaller so more can fit on top
2. Having a lists of apps you can update in the app store so they do not update automatically (Like on IOS)
3. Forcing apps (Big companies) to be specific on their app updates (I'm looking at you MLB)
4. Improving the app switcher when you have video. I still force close each app out of habit
5. This is a pipe dream, but the NHL allowing people to purchase their network so I can watch NHL Network Hockey games.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
54 months ago

120Hz mode? EH'HEM. HELLO? APPLE? My last piece of gear holding out "F'n up" my otherwise blissful home theater setup.
According to iFixit tear down of Apple TV 4K 2021 ('https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Apple+TV+4K+2021+Teardown/142845') (step 7 comments):


Incidentally, this device and the previous Apple TV 4K both use the Megachips MCDP2920 (not the MCDP2900). I’m not aware of any publicly available datasheets for the MCDP2920, but it is almost certainly a similar DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.0b protocol converter with HDCP 2.2 repeater. The DisplayPort output of the A12 is routed to the MCDP2920 and the Sil9437 sits on HDMI pins 14 and 19 to perform ARC/eARC duties.

The LC89091JA digital audio interface receiver is almost certainly part of the ARC/eARC chain as well. And if I had to guess, the iCE5LP4K FPGA is on IR receive/CEC duties.

The only stated differences in video playback capabilities between the 1st and 2nd generation Apple TV 4K models are explicit support for HLG and 60 fps HDR playback at up to 3840 x 2160 resolution, which are likely enabled by the improved video codecs present in the newer A12 SoC. However, the continued use of the MCDP2920 means 4:2:2 chroma subsampling is still required for 4K HDR output at 60 fps.
In layman's terms, while Apple TV 4K 2021 has an HDMI 2.1 port, one of the chips driving it are not. Specifically, audio is processed by new LC89091JA digital audio interface receiver and SiL9437CNUC audio return channel receiver/transmitter. They are probably responsible for the eARC feature.

But the video is still processed by the same MCDP2920A4 DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.0 converter from Apple TV 4K 2017. A12 is likely doing the extra duty to make 4:2:2 chroma sampling and HFR HDR.

It would fantastic if A12 can also minimally enable VRR and QMS, eliminating the frame rate switching lag (match frame rate) and for improving the gaming experience. But I am not sure whether that is possible.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)