Today during its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, Apple unveiled a set of brand new features and functions with tvOS 26, the newest version of tvOS, for both the Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K.
The biggest change is in the look and presentation of tvOS and its apps, which is what Apple is calling “Liquid Glass” that will be showcased all throughout the Apple ecosystem not just in tvOS 26, but in the newest versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, and visionOS too.
This means that the app icons, the Control Center, and even the default Apple player in tvOS will have this look where part of the app icons and buttons in tvOS look like they are similar to ice but clearer in a way that only Apple could produce.
Additionally, there is the feature of Profiles to tvOS 26. When a user turns on their Apple TV, they can be presented with the profiles they have set up on their device so that not only is the person put onto their profile early on, but that it gets the person set up with their look and preferences on the Apple TV.
This can be something as simple as which shows they have most recently watched and want to get back to on the TV app.
Another feature is tvOS 26 API enables developers the ability to add account logins that are associated with a user’s Apple Account. This means if they are signed into a streaming service like Netflix, Paramount+, or Disney+ via their Apple Account, they will be logged into their account on the Apple TV as well with no extra login hassles.
Apple Music is getting a new feature in tvOS that allows a user’s iPhone to function as a microphone when singing for karaoke purposes.
As Apple puts it, “Get the party started with friends, as everyone can jump in using their own iPhone to queue up songs or react with onscreen emoji. Accompanied by real-time lyrics and visual effects that light up the big screen, Sing in Apple Music is more engaging than ever, and with Lyrics Translation and Pronunciation, users can follow and sing along to an even wider variety of songs, even if they don’t know the language.”
FaceTime on the Apple TV is getting more streamlined with its versions on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
What this means is Contact Posters are visible on the Apple TV now and it gets Live Captions. The captions have been expanded to add French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish. By doing this, it allows for users to get live translation on FaceTime calls.
Lastly, Apple has included more Aerial screensavers of parts of India in Goa and Kerala, more personalization with which screensavers Apple TV users want to see (Cityscape, Earth, Landscape, or Underwater), and to use any AirPlay-enabled speaker as the permanent speaker for an Apple TV.
The public beta for tvOS 26 is expected to start next month and this version of tvOS itself is expected to be released fully to the public this fall.
What are your thoughts on these updates and improvements coming to tvOS 26? Comment below or let us know on X at @appleosophy.
