tvOS 18.2 Beta Adds Support for 21:9 Projector Aspect Ratio

Apple today provided developers with the first beta of tvOS 18.2, and the update adds support for the 21:9 aspect ratio that projectors use.

tvOS 18 Thumb 3
As noted by Sigmund Judge, the update includes a new option that lets the Apple TV automatically detect the best aspect ratio for a television or projector. Options include 16:9, 21:9, 2.37:1, 2.39:1, 2.40:1, DCI 4K, and 32:9.


Support for the 21:9 aspect ratio was announced as a tvOS 18 feature, but it was not in the initial tvOS 18 release. tvOS 18.2 includes an option to show or hide volume feedback from external devices like sound bars in addition to the aspect ratio change.

We are also waiting on new Snoopy screen savers, but those do not appear to be included in tvOS 18.2.

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

Popular Stories

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 ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
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...

Top Rated Comments

TruthAboveAllElse Avatar
14 months ago

Like be fr, Apple. How long does it take to make Snoopy screen savers?
In a way, it has taken billions of years.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JimmerJabber Avatar
14 months ago

We are also waiting on new Snoopy screen savers, but those do not appear to be included in tvOS 18.2.
** We are also waiting on higher audio sampling rates (ie 192kHz not 48kHz) and audio pass through (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA).
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
14 months ago

We are also waiting on new Snoopy screen savers, but those do not appear to be included in tvOS 18.2.


Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Powerbooky Avatar
14 months ago

With the M processors being so advanced, I don't understand why this is not a gaming machine already,
what a waste
Maybe a new AppleTV 4K could have a M4 CPU? If Apple does release such an AppleTV, I'll buy it immediately.

Or... the new Mac mini M4 could be transformed into an Apple TV. Anyone remember Front Row ('https://apple.fandom.com/wiki/Front_Row')?
I could imagine the option to install MacOS or tvOS on the same Mac mini M4.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zach-coleman Avatar
14 months ago

Why is it called 21:9 and not 7:3?
Easier to compare to 16:9 when the height is in the same terms.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Velli Avatar
14 months ago

So what’s up with 3:4?
4:3. That’s the original TV format. 16:9 is exactly one third wider, and I guess 16:9 is easier to market than 5.33:1.

Cinema formats are generally specified as x:1, and easier to compare. 4:3 is 1.33:1. 16:9 is 1.78 but rarely if ever used in cinema, they use the slightly wider 1.85:1, and various ultra wide formats but mostly between 2.35:1 and 2.40:1. There are all sorts of other variations in cinema, such as 2.20:1 (Lawrence of Arabia), and 2.76:1 (Ben Hur).

21:9 is usually (as far as I can tell) typically actually 21.33:1, which is 2.37:1. Close enough. This is again one third wider than 16:9.

In other words, TV has a fairly logical “add one third to width” logic between the three formats, while the cinema movies that will be shown on them are all over the place. The TV formats were chosen to be approximations of typically used cinema formats, but also to be easier to convert between due to the one third logic.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)