tvOS 18 brings InSight, Enhanced Dialogue and 21:9 support

11 June 2024

While iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence were the biggest announcements from WWDC 24, we also got updates to tvOS, HomePod, and AirPods.

tvOS 18 brings a trio of new features headlined by InSigth – Apple’s very own contextual info cards that show you real-time information about the actors and music across Apple TV+ shows and movies. The feature works in tandem with other services like Apple Music and allows you to add songs to your playlist and it also works if your iPhone is connected as a remote control.

Enhanced Dialogue for Apple TV 4K uses machine learning and computational audio to make those hard-to-hear dialogue moments more legible by boosting vocal clarity. Enhanced Dialogue will work with supported content on HomePod speakers, AirPods, and third-party Bluetooth speakers and soundbars.

tvOS 18 also brings support for 21:9 movies and shows on projectors, adds new screen saver options, and comes with the redesigned Apple Fitness+ app. Apple is bringing tvOS 18 to Apple TV HD and the three generations of Apple TV 4K boxes later this fall.

Apple is also bringing firmware update to HomePod and HomePod mini with the ability to share control over the speakers using SharePlay. This feature will work even if the user does not have an active Apple Music subscription.

In related news, Apple announced a firmware update for AirPods users. Siri Interactions allow AirPod users to interact with Siri via head gestures. A head nod for yes and a head shake for no will allow you to answer or decline incoming calls, notifications, and alerts. This feature will be available on AirPods with the H2 chip which is currently available only on the AirPods Pro 2.

Voice Isolation is another exclusive feature coming to the second-generation AirPods Pro. It leverages machine learning to isolate your voice, enhance voice quality and remove unwanted noise like wind.

Personalized Spatial Audio is coming to gaming on AirPods (3rd gen), AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. Apple is also bringing improved voice quality to gaming sessions with support for 16-bit, 48kHz audio.

AirPods developer beta is available for Apple Developer Program members while the final firmware update is coming later this fall.