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

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday March 17, 2025 6:42 am PDT by
In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever. If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199. ...
Bent iPhone Air Feature

Apple Canned Larger iPhone 17 Air Model Over Fears of Bendgate 2.0

Monday March 17, 2025 4:07 am PDT by
Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending, according to a new report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: When it first started work on the phone, it prototyped a device with a 6.9-inch screen — matching...
iphone 16 pro models 1

All Four iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Upgraded 24-Megapixel Front Camera and More

Monday March 17, 2025 7:50 pm PDT by
All four iPhone 17 models launching later this year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note today with investment firm GF Securities, Pu shared a chart in which he reiterated that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera. By comparison, all four ...
General iOS Mail Feature

iOS 18.3.2 Broke iCloud Mail Delivery

Monday March 17, 2025 3:31 pm PDT by
The iOS 18.3.2 update that Apple released last week appears to have broken iCloud Mail for some users. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums from users who say that iCloud Mail is not able to push new iCloud emails to their iPhones after the iOS 18.3.2 update. Affected users say that despite having the correct settings enabled, new iCloud emails are not showing up...
iPhone 17 Air Fanned Feature

First iPhone 17 Air Case Has Camera Bar, Camera Control Button Cutouts

Wednesday March 19, 2025 5:29 am PDT by
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said. Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or...

Top Rated Comments

TruthAboveAllElse Avatar
19 weeks 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
19 weeks 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
19 weeks 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
19 weeks 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
19 weeks 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
19 weeks 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)