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

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...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
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

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
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...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
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 ...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...

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)