tvOS 9.2 beta 1 adds support for app folders, Bluetooth keyboards

AppleInsider · January 11, 2016 7:05PM

The upcoming tvOS 9.2 update for the fourth-generation Apple TV adds a number of new capabilities for the fresh platform, including the ability to stow apps in folders on the home screen, and to connect a Bluetooth keyboard for easier text entry.

The release notes for the first beta of tvOS 9.2 reveal that Bluetooth keyboard support is now baked into the operating system. tvOS 9.2 is currently available to developers for testing ahead of a public release.

The notes accompanying tvOS 9.2 also reveal that users will be able to group apps in folders on the home screen. Though the new Apple TV shipped without support for folders, developers found evidence in the tvOS code that app folders were in the works.

tvOS 9.2 also includes support for MapKit, allowing developers to utilize Apple's mapping tools for their third-party Apple TV apps.

Apple has also changed the user interface of its app switcher feature in tvOS 9.2. Users can invoke the app switcher by double-pressing the home button on the Siri remote.

With tvOS 9.2, Siri voice support has also been added for U.S. Spanish and French Canadian. In the U.K., Siri support for U.K. English, Australian English, and U.S. English are also available.

daven · January 11, 2016 7:23PM

Nice additions. I could see this being quite useful in Zillow and many travel apps. Search for a location or point on a map to find prices and travel deals.

lkrupp · January 11, 2016 7:26PM

One by one the most bitched about features (or lack thereof) are being dealt with. For me it’s just icing on the cake. I have been thrilled with my ATV4 since I took one home on the day they were released.

ericthehalfbee · January 11, 2016 7:31PM

lkrupp said:

One by one the most bitched about features (or lack thereof) are being dealt with. For me it’s just icing on the cake. I have been thrilled with my ATV4 since I took one home on the day they were released.

This would be expected by anyone with common sense. You'd have to be a complete idiot (or a hater) to not realize Apple would be adding new features regularly.

wood1208 · January 11, 2016 7:39PM

ericthehalfbee said:

lkrupp said:

One by one the most bitched about features (or lack thereof) are being dealt with. For me it’s just icing on the cake. I have been thrilled with my ATV4 since I took one home on the day they were released.

This would be expected by anyone with common sense. You'd have to be a complete idiot (or a hater) to not realize Apple would be adding new features regularly.

Give the commentator some slack. I myself was happy to see BT or USB Type-C keyboard support as Siri didn't take my input for keyboard input. We all know overtime Apple will add more features that we want/ask for and we may not know but happy/surprised to see.But, we have to agree this was fast update for tvos coming from Apple and I thank for.

boeyc15 · January 11, 2016 8:19PM

Any word on the glow in the dark remote? /s

jbdragon · January 11, 2016 8:32PM

With a grow amount of apps available, folders is greatly needed. The keyboard support, I don't care about, but good to have it. The map data stuff may be useful.

Some of this must basic stuff like the remote app should have worked on day 1. Folders coming shortly is fine I guess but apps are piling up for some and will greatly get worse as things pick up. Universal search needs to open wide up so any app can easily use it. Apps like PLEX.

zroger73 · January 11, 2016 8:34PM

All features that should have been available from the start with the ATV 4. Now, give me my podcasts back. And, address the split-second pause at the end of a Hulu/Netflix video when the pictures shrinks to the corner to reveal the next episode.

eightzero · January 11, 2016 8:34PM

There was a note about unifying the Apple ID across platforms. This would be very useful for the tvOS App store: it would be nice to shop for Apps for the ATV on another platform, like in a web browser. Select the app, then it downloads to you ATV when you login to that device.

I like my ATV. But some of the apps are still sub-par. The NBCSports app often simply crashes periodically for no reason. The EPSN app tells me (erroneously) I am logged in elsewhere, so I get cut off. For sure not Apple's issue, and perhaps expected on a new platform, but this never happens on my OTA feed. :-)

boeyc15 · January 11, 2016 8:38PM

sog35 said:

lkrupp said:

One by one the most bitched about features (or lack thereof) are being dealt with. For me it’s just icing on the cake. I have been thrilled with my ATV4 since I took one home on the day they were released.

All the dumb dumbs will still bring up 4k. Most of which don't even own a 4k TV.

And Apple knows better than to 'lead' the technology. No means NO!. /s

Also don't forget to add --- 'And it does not matter that iphone records 4k, iMovie edits 4k, IF... ATV4 is updated at all to include 4K in next (6 months, year, two years, decade... what ever) --- it will be because 'only Apple' knows when to release the capability, at the perfect moment and not before.' Go team Apple go, rah-rah!! /s

radarthekat · January 11, 2016 9:16PM

boeyc15 said:

sog35 said:

All the dumb dumbs will still bring up 4k. Most of which don't even own a 4k TV.

And Apple knows better than to 'lead' the technology. No means NO!. /s
Also don't forget to add --- 'And it does not matter that iphone records 4k, iMovie edits 4k, IF... ATV4 is updated at all to include 4K in next (6 months, year, two years, decade... what ever) --- it will be because 'only Apple' knows when to release the capability, at the perfect moment and not before.' Go team Apple go, rah-rah!! /s

Well, I would trust Apple to know better than someone moaning on an AppleInsider post. Especially given that the result of their previous aggregate decisions, some admittedly better than others, has resulted in the most profitable company on the planet, selling premium-price products to a large audience who apparently feel the products are worth what they pay.

mwhite · January 11, 2016 9:28PM

I bought my daughter a ATV4 for Christmas when she tired to use her Verizon iPhone 6 NFL mobil app it wouldn't let it airplay it to the ATV4 like she could with ATV3 did anyone have that problem? Was anyone able to do this if so could you tell me how to do it?
Thanks

bdkennedy1002 · January 11, 2016 10:08PM

mwhite said:

I bought my daughter a ATV4 for Christmas when she tired to use her Verizon iPhone 6 NFL mobil app it wouldn't let it airplay it to the ATV4 like she could with ATV3 did anyone have that problem? Was anyone able to do this if so could you tell me how to do it?
Thanks

Spelling/grammar fail.

morac · January 11, 2016 10:39PM

sog35 said:

lkrupp said:

One by one the most bitched about features (or lack thereof) are being dealt with. For me it’s just icing on the cake. I have been thrilled with my ATV4 since I took one home on the day they were released.

All the dumb dumbs will still bring up 4k. Most of which don't even own a 4k TV.

4k is so 2015. 8k is all the rage now.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/ces-8k-tv-what-do-853541

nolamacguy · January 11, 2016 11:05PM

looking forward to all those who pretended to return their pretend Apple TVs to now pretend to re-buy them since all the complaints have been addressed.

tho instead, the sort will now say "Shoulda been there from Day 1, blah..." yes, folks, product development is easy and obvious -- until you're the one doing it. then you understand delays.

almondroca · January 11, 2016 11:07PM

A classic keyboard layout would be a nice update as well.

wood1208 · January 11, 2016 11:30PM

There are people out their who may not have Aple-TV or 4K TV but per their odd human nature compel to give useless opinion. If Apple decides to add 4K in Apple TV than along better to add 802.11AC MU-MIMO support. Most people don't get it, besides games, homekit, etc Apple-TV is foremost a streaming device so if you want to stream 4K off internet through your router which also supporting other devices in your house than you better go buy MU-MIMO Wave 2 Router when you expect 4K support in Apple-TV. Otherwise, it will be choppy bad streaming user experience. Adding 4K to Apple-TV is no big deal but pre-mature until all other supporting tech be their to make it worthwhile for users. I have TWC over 50Mbytes internet speed and often run into buffering for HD sports or other contents on my new 4th Apple TV. So, just think about streaming 4K without proper wifi speed in Apple-TV, wave 2 router, high internet speed and last but not least available 4K contents. .

boltsfan17 · January 11, 2016 11:40PM

No 4K? Major fail! /s

yojimbo007 · January 11, 2016 11:59PM

GREAT... Now i can stop screaming about folders.....

Now lets work on organizing favorite shows and notifications of when those shows become available within user created folders . Scifi faves... Comedy Faves Series faves.. Etc

Not within each app.. But Through a universal, user definable , inteligent interapp folders at the heart of TVOS .

mwhite · January 12, 2016 12:09AM

bdkennedy said:

mwhite said:

I bought my daughter a ATV4 for Christmas when she tired to use her Verizon iPhone 6 NFL mobil app it wouldn't let it airplay it to the ATV4 like she could with ATV3 did anyone have that problem? Was anyone able to do this if so could you tell me how to do it?
Thanks

Spelling/grammar fail.

Sorry everyone isn't perfect like you.

fallenjt · January 12, 2016 1:24AM

sog35 said:

lkrupp said:

One by one the most bitched about features (or lack thereof) are being dealt with. For me it’s just icing on the cake. I have been thrilled with my ATV4 since I took one home on the day they were released.

All the dumb dumbs will still bring up 4k. Most of which don't even own a 4k TV.

I got FireTV for $35 thru SlingTV 3-month prepaid. The damn Fire supports 4K but I couldn't find any on Amazon Prime and very few on Netflix. 4K is a gimmick at this point of time and I don't see its popularity for another 2-3 years.
Btw, I hate FireTV, the UI is shit. Once SlingTV app is released on ATV, I throw this pos away.

tvOS 9.2 beta 1 adds support for app folders, Bluetooth keyboards

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