Sort of flying under the radar in terms of blockbuster announcements, Apple has quietly unveiled tvOS 13 via a press release. The upgrade serves as the next major OS update for the Apple TV and brings some fundamental new features that the platform will need going forward.
For starters, tvOS 13 comes with a new home screen. Apple says apps will now play full-screen video previews right on the Home Screen, while the way you search for and interact with apps on the main screen has been slightly tweaked. In the screenshots Apple provides, it looks easy enough to get a hang of so I can’t imagine anyone necessarily hating it because it’s too hard to understand.
Another big new feature is multi-user support. In tvOS 13, Apple will allow family members to switch between profiles for personalized experiences. You’ll be able to easily switch between different experiences via the Control Center. Apps like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and the Apple TV+ app will all support multiple users this fall.
For gamers, alongside the launch of Arcade this fall, Apple will also roll out support for Xbox One S and PlayStation DualShock 4 controllers.
Finally, Apple says tvOS 13 will bring forth a new set of screen savers as the result of a partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit.
Registered developers can begin testing tvOS 13 starting today as a part of a beta program. Public beta testers will need to wait until this July. Everyone with compatible Apple TVs will get the upgraded software experience this September.
