After neglecting tvOS 16 during the WWDC 2022 keynote, Apple is now slowly rolling out new features to its Apple TV operating system. With tvOS 16.2, the Cupertino firm is betting on three main features, although one is exclusive to the third-generation Apple TV 4K owners.
The first feature arriving with tvOS 16.2 is the new Siri voice recognition feature. With this function, Apple’s personal assistant can identify requests from each household by voice and automatically switch to the right profile. It can offer music and TV show recommendations.
In a press release shared a few weeks ago, the company teased some of the new features arriving with tvOS 16.1 and tvOS 16.2:
This fall, new features coming to the Apple TV experience with tvOS 16 include updates to Siri that will make it even easier for customers to use their voice to control Apple TV and interact with the results.
Siri on Apple TV features a complete redesign, and will be able to recognize each user’s voice, so they can easily access their movies, shows, music, games, and apps, and pick up where they left off. By using the Siri Remote and asking “What should I watch?” users can get tailored recommendations.
The more compact design of Siri on Apple TV allows users to quickly view results without leaving the action onscreen.
Another feature being made available with tvOS 16.2 is the new Apple Music Sing function. It makes it easy for users to sing along to their favorite songs. What’s more, the feature includes adjustable vocals. This means that users can sing with the original artist’s vocals or push the artist’s vocals to the background.
- Real-time lyrics: Users can sing along to their favorite songs with animated lyrics that dance to the rhythm of the vocals.
- Background vocals: Vocal lines sung simultaneously can animate independently from the main vocals to make it easier for users to follow.
- Duet view: Multiple vocalists show on opposite sides of the screen to make duets or multi-singer tracks easy to sing along to.
Last but not least, there’s a new Home architecture, which makes Home setups faster and more reliable in general.
Alongside tvOS 16.2, Apple is also releasing iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, and watchOS 9.2.