Apple recently held its big annual iPhone event, where the company revealed the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and, the star of the show, the iPhone Duo, its first-ever foldable iPhone. While unfortunately for Apple TV fans, a new Apple TV 4K wasn’t announced last week, Apple did have some news to share about tvOS 27, confirming that the update would officially launch on September 14 alongside Apple’s other major software updates, including iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27.
That means tvOS 27 is now officially available, and you can download it on your Apple TV today. However, there are some caveats to be aware of this year when it comes to tvOS 27’s availability, as Apple has dropped support for the first-generation Apple TV 4K from 2017 and the Apple TV HD from 2015. That means only the second-generation Apple TV 4K (2021) and the current third-generation Apple TV 4K (2022) can download the update.
That said, what’s actually new in this update? Since there is no new Apple TV hardware, tvOS 27 is currently missing support for Siri AI, which all of Apple’s other major software updates, including iOS 27 and macOS 27, now support. This leaves tvOS 27 feeling a little pale in comparison. But there are still plenty of new features and changes worth checking out, including a new Larger Text accessibility option and a totally redesigned Podcasts app.
Here’s a look at everything you’ll find in the new tvOS 27 update, as well as how you can download it on your Apple TV.
Everything new with tvOS 27
Improved performance, a redesigned Podcasts app, and more
A few of the biggest changes that come with tvOS 27 are performance-related, with Apple highlighting up to 30 percent faster app launches and a more responsive Control Center. If you’re a fan of AirPlay, you’ll likely be a big fan of this change, as tvOS 27 also promises faster AirPlay connections, making it quicker to cast content from your iPhone or iPad right to your Apple TV. One of the best things about using an Apple TV 4K is how fast it is compared to other streaming devices, so seeing Apple fine-tune performance in tvOS 27, especially in the Control Center, which can be a little slow at times, is certainly welcome.
Next up, tvOS 27 includes a number of new quality-of-life features that should make using your Apple TV a lot easier and more enjoyable. For starters, you can now update your Apple TV directly from the Home app on your iPhone with iOS 27. Apple Music also now supports Hi-Res Lossless audio, meaning you can enjoy the best possible sound quality while jamming out on your TV. There’s also a redesigned Podcasts app, which should make listening to your favorite podcasts a lot smoother thanks to improved navigation, along with support for video podcasts.
One of the key accessibility features included with tvOS 27 is Larger Text, which is designed to make on-screen text much easier to read by allowing you to increase the size of text and user interface elements on your TV.
With tvOS 27 and iOS 27, Apple has also released a new Apple TV Remote app that lets you control your Apple TV directly from your iPhone. The app also works on iPad with iPadOS 27.
Here’s a full overview of everything included with tvOS 27:
- Up to 30 percent faster app launches
- Improved responsiveness in the Control Center
- Faster AirPlay connections
- Redesigned Podcasts app, with new sidebar navigation and video playback support
- Ability to update your Apple TV via the Home app on your iPhone
- Hi-Res Lossless audio support for Apple Music
- AutoMix in Apple Music for smoother song transitions
- Better game controller settings
- Larger Text accessibility option
- You can now check your AppleCare coverage directly in Settings
- Support for Apple TV Remote app
A new Apple TV 4K is expected to launch this fall
It could be powered by Apple’s A19 chip
As an Apple TV fan, I’m happy to see tvOS 27 launch, but I can’t stop wondering when Apple will finally release new Apple TV hardware. The good news is, hopefully, the wait won’t be much longer.
While it’s been four years since Apple launched its current third-generation Apple TV 4K, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple is “nearly ready to launch” a new Apple TV 4K, with sources he spoke to at Apple saying it “will be ready this fall.”
So while we didn’t see the new Apple TV 4K at Apple’s September iPhone event, there’s a good chance we’ll see it this fall, possibly in October, considering Apple launched its last Apple TV 4K in October 2022.
Rumored upgrades for the new Apple TV 4K include a much more powerful A19 chip, Apple’s N1 networking chip with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and a revised Siri Remote. On the software side, it’s also expected to support Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.
Personally, while tvOS 27 includes some nice improvements and changes, I think Apple held back a lot from this update because it’s waiting to release its updated hardware, and I can’t wait to see what the new Apple TV 4K finally has in store later this year. It’s been a long time coming, so I hope Apple delivers.
