Thursday, Apple seeded a sixth beta of the upcoming tvOS 9.2 software update for the fourth-generation Apple TV to the members of the Apple Developer Program.
The new tvOS 9.2 beta 6 has a build number of “13Y5232a” and is available as an over-the-air update on new Apple TVs with a configuration profile installed.
The restore image to side-load tvOS betas on Apple TVs via iTunes or Apple Configurator using a USB-C to USB-A cable is on Apple's portal for developers.
In addition to a dozen new categories, including Catalogs and Utilities, that have been added to the App Store on the fourth-generation Apple TV earlier this week, Apple has made another change to the store that should make app discovery easier.
As reported by German blog iTopnews.de, now each Top Charts section available on the tvOS App Store includes 200 apps instead of just 50 like before.
A newly updated Apple support document has indicated that owners of the fourth-generation Apple TV have just gained the ability to search videos across four new content sources, Watch ABC and three major Disney properties: Disney Channel, Disney Jr and Disney X.D.
Users who have one of these channel apps installed on their device can now take advantage of Siri and tvOS's universal search to have shows like “Modern Family” surfaced in their search results.
In addition to today's new iOS 9.3 beta, Apple on Monday also seeded beta 4 to developers for its tvOS, watchOS and OS X platforms. The betas can be installed from each respective device via an over-the-air update, for those already on the latest beta firmware, or as standalone downloads from Apple's developer center.
Apple just announced that developers of tvOS apps are now able to upload a short video demo to be previewed along their apps' description and screenshots in the Apple TV App Store. Similar to what we've seen for some time in the iOS App Store, these short previews are usually more helpful than a screenshot as they can show the game or application in action.
It seems like every time there's a new tvOS beta, an interesting new feature is included for us to talk about. With tvOS 9.2 beta 3, that new feature is the ability to use Dictation on text input fields. It also includes the ability to dictate—character by character—usernames and passwords.
Along with the new Dictation feature, comes support for searching the App Store using voice input from the Siri Remote. Have a look at our video preview that showcases each new feature in action.
Two weeks after it seeded tvOS 9.2 beta 2 to registered developers, the third tvOS 9.2 beta has been released, bringing with it Dictation support for onscreen text entry, as well as Siri support for App Store search.
The tvOS 9.2 update is notable for adding several improvements to the Apple TV. These improvements include a native Podcasts app, Bluetooth keyboard support, an improved App Switcher, iCloud Photo Library, Conference Room Display Mode, and more.
If you're a developer, you can find details about the tvOS beta on Apple's tvOS developer page. The tvOS 9.2 beta 3 release comes with a build number of 13Y5198c. We'll be downloading and installing it to provide an update on what new features this latest beta update might include.
One of the major new features Apple introduced in iOS 9 was the ability to take advantage of Picture in Picture mode on supported iPad models; a multitasking mode perfect for watching videos while tackling other tasks at the same time, such as web browsing, document writing, social networking, and more.
Oddly enough, the Apple TV, which is essentially a media entertainment system in itself, doesn't come with a similar feature for users wanting to multitask more efficiently on their television sets.
Developer Steve Troughton-Smith has demonstrated Picture in Picture multitasking on the Apple TV 4 via a custom app he made for himself, showing that the hardware inside of the Apple TV on the latest firmware is capable of handing the feature, but it appears Apple has chosen not to include it (yet).
If you're a developer, there are two ways to update to the latest tvOS beta on the Apple TV. Both methods require a USB-C cable, so be sure to have one of those at your disposal.
The first method, and perhaps the way the general public is more familiar with, requires downloading the full tvOS beta software and restoring using iTunes. This method works, but it also means that everything that's on the Apple TV, from settings to apps, will be wiped. You're essentially setting the Apple TV back to factory defaults when using iTunes to update to the tvOS beta.
The more sensible approach is to use Apple Configurator 2, a Mac App Store app that can be used together with Configuration Profiles, to update to the latest tvOS beta.
The advantage of using the Configuration Profiles method is that all of your data, apps, and settings stay put. That way, you can enjoy all of the latest features of the tvOS beta, without having to go through the tedious initial setup process.
Grave Matters is a Steampunk themed graveyard adventure where players dig up energy cells while trying to avoid being dragged to the underworld by a nasty machinelike Steamborg. We reviewed the game over a year ago when it first launched.
The game's developer, Ideonic, recently made a special edition that is exclusive to Apple TV 4. This big-screen version has updated graphics, a new control system, and a new soundtrack, while still maintaining the same, fun mechanics of the original.
The ATV 4 version has all the same, wonderfully steampunky graphics as the iOS version. The cut scenes, which were some of my favorite parts, are just a beautiful on the television screen, but in a bigger and better way.
Whenever I'm in a crowded area, especially where there are long lines (think: Disneyland) I see dozens of people playing Heads Up! It is hugely popular and a fun way to pass the time when you are with a group of people.
Emoji Party is similar to Heads Up!, but instead of just words on the cards, the app also uses thousands of iconic emojis. If you are really good at making faces, you can help the guesser with recognizable emoji looks. The best part is that this game is compatible with tvOS, so you can get hours of charades fun right in your living room.
Apple released a slew of developer betas on Wednesday, including iOS 9.3 and tvOS 9.2. This is the first 9.2 beta for tvOS, the operating system for the just-released, fourth-generation Apple TV.
Developers can find the new tvOS beta, which is labeled build 13Y5179e, either over-the-air on an Apple TV set with the previous beta or as a standalone download via Apple's developer portal here.