Did you also wonder what happened to the Apple TV and tvOS after the WWDC keynote? You are not alone. Apple’s television box, the Apple TV, didn’t have a place on the podium this year. But of course tvOS 16 will be released this fall. We’ll catch up with you.
tvOS 16 is coming
The Apple TV and tvOS are far from being written off! Even though Apple didn’t show tvOS 16 at the opening of WWDC 2022, the first beta version did appear shortly after the keynote.
But now – without accompanying presentation – the search for the new features that Apple has added begins. At first glance, the update seems to be limited to support for the most important new features from iOS 16, watchOS 9 and macOS Ventura. But if you look closely, you will find some really new features.
HomeKit improvements and better integration
For example, tvOS 16 gets the new HomeKit improvements and the Apple TV works better with the Apple Watch and iPad. That way, you can, for example, do personalized workouts on Apple TV based on data from motion sensors on your Apple Watch or show additional information on iPhone while media is playing on the Apple TV.
User profiles, game controllers and new design
There will also be improvements for user profiles. Because login credentials are stored in a shared keychain, users don’t have to log in and choose their profile every time they launch an app. Finally, support for game controllers will be expanded.
An innovation that will eventually be most visible is the integration of SwiftUI for the design of apps. If developers are allowed to develop apps for tvOS 16, then they can really give their apps a completely unique style. Unfortunately, these new designs will only be seen in the fall when tvOS comes out together with iOS 16.