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tvOS 12 Brings Dolby Atmos Support, Zero Sign-In, and TV App Improvements (macworld.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the all-in-one dept.

If you're using an Apple TV as your main streaming box, you will be happy to know several big improvements are coming to the platform. Macworld reports of what's new in tvOS 12: With tvOS 12, Dolby Atmos comes to the Apple TV 4K. All you need for full 3D immersive audio is an Atmos-supporting sound bar or receiver. This makes Apple TV 4K the only streaming media box to be certified for both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

One of the best features of tvOS 11 is called Single Sign-on. You add your TV provider's login information to your Apple TV device. If an app supports Single Sign-on, you can log in with your TV provider with just a few taps. It's a big step forward, but still a little bit of a pain. With tvOS 12, Apple makes the whole process totally seamless with Zero Sign-on. Here's how it works: If your TV provider is your Internet provider (a very common occurrence here in the United States), and your Apple TV is connected to the Internet through that provider, you sign in automatically to any Apple TV app your provider gives you access to. Just launch the app, and you're signed in, no passwords or configuration needed at all.

Apple's breathtaking 4K video screensavers, called "Aerials," is one of those minor delights that Apple TV 4K users can't get enough of. In tvOS 12, they get better. You can tap the remote to see the location at which the Aerial was filmed. A new set of Aerials is the star of the show, however. Called "Earth," these are stunning videos from space, taken by astronauts at the International Space Station. Furthermore, the TV app will provide live content from select TV providers; Charter Spectrum will support the app with live channels and content later this year. Apple is also now allowing third-party home control systems' remotes to control your Apple TV (including Siri).

19 of 47 comments (clear)

  1. And yet by sit1963nz · · Score: 1

    And yet there is still no sign of Siri on the ATV4 for New Zealand customers.
    New Zealand has Siri on their IOS and OSX devices, we do speak English (though there is some debate about that), so there is no good reason NOT to enable it.

    1. Re:And yet by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

      I've seen articles saying how New Zealand English is supported by other devices, so I'm surprised it's not on the AppleTV yet...

      I would say it seems likely to come with the iOS12 update though as they've expanded what you can do with Siri.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    2. Re:And yet by sit1963nz · · Score: 1

      I had wondered if its because the ties NZ has to iTunes is a lot lower than other countries (ie we have zero access to TV shows).

    3. Re:And yet by Known+Nutter · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure it's because Siri can't understand the accent.

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
    4. Re:And yet by sit1963nz · · Score: 1

      well it works on my iPhone, iPad, MBP, iMac etc , just not the ATV.
      So no, accent is not the problem.

  2. Breathless by Zaelath · · Score: 1, Insightful

    There's slashvertising and then there's this post....

    1. Re:Breathless by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 1

      Yeah... even as an Apple fan, I have trouble wondering who really gives a crap. I have several previous-generation boxes, and their reliability (or lack there of) will keep me on alternatives from now on. Still isn’t compelling for me.

    2. Re:Breathless by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 1

      Third generation reboots constantly when in use. We have two hooked up to one tv so we could switch to the backup as the first crashes. Happened primarily with Netflix. After a weekend where they both rebooted at the same time I gave up and bought a Roku. Still use them occasionally, but just for iTunes content. Switched primarily to Amazon.

  3. My AppleTV 3 is still working fine by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

    I haven’t had to sign into an app for months - complaining about that would require setting a really low bar.

    But I realize Apple needs to try and sell newer hardware to people.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
    1. Re:My AppleTV 3 is still working fine by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      Yeah, if this is the best feature of the new OS, then they really have run out of ideas.

      That said, I'll be happy when Netflix fixes the bug in their iOS app where, when their servers cough up a hairball and start rejecting all logins, the app promptly forgets your username and your password, forcing you to key it all in by hand again. Not that this feature will help with that at all, of course.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    2. Re:My AppleTV 3 is still working fine by Wrath0fb0b · · Score: 1

      What's the appropriate client behavior when a server returns rejects a credential?

      It seems like 'forget the credential and prompt the user to re-enter it' is the right thing to do. Repeating the request to the server with the same credential would just be a DOS.

      If NetFlex's server is coughing up a hairball, it needs to cough up a 'temporarily unavailable' hairball so the client knows that there is nothing wrong with the request.

    3. Re:My AppleTV 3 is still working fine by Major+Blud · · Score: 1

      I haven’t had to sign into an app for months

      I feel that the cable TV providers are going to be on board with this so that they can keep people from sharing accounts.

      --
      If you post as Anonymous Coward, don't expect a reply.
    4. Re:My AppleTV 3 is still working fine by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      That said, I'll be happy when Netflix fixes the bug in their iOS app where, when their servers cough up a hairball and start rejecting all logins, the app promptly forgets your username and your password,

      Netflix not only literally has this bug across all platforms, but they even have the same error code for it on all of them too. Whether it's a Wii or an Amazon Prime stick the error is something like ui-800-3? Haven't actually seen it in a while, but I've run Netflix on four non-PC devices so far and I've had the same problem with the same error on literally all of them.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re:My AppleTV 3 is still working fine by UnknowingFool · · Score: 1

      I haven’t had to sign into an app for months - complaining about that would require setting a really low bar.

      I don't think that's the point of single sign-on. Right now the issue is that every channel is making their own app. But the content often isn't free. Either you pay for a subscription a-la-carte or you have a cable provider which means credentials. For those people that have cable every time they get a new app or the app changes to require a reboot and lose credentials, it means that they sign-on again. As a single person the number of sign-ons might be small. For a household, it could be much larger depending on all the different tastes in that household.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    6. Re:My AppleTV 3 is still working fine by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      It seems like 'forget the credential and prompt the user to re-enter it' is the right thing to do. Repeating the request to the server with the same credential would just be a DOS.

      Prompt the user to re-enter the credential, but leave the username (which is always hard to type) there so that the user can change change it if it is wrong, or can click the "Next" button if it isn't. Similarly, Fill the password field with a series of dots, and clear the dots when you tap on it (or even better, actually populate it with the password so that if the user just typed an extra character at the end, he/she can delete it). Again, the user can just tap the "next" button to resend the same credential if the user is certain that the password is correct.

      Forcing the user to re-enter anything by hand on a phone is a bad bug.

      Netflix is far from alone in this design defect, though; the Tesla app also apparently has this problem, forcing you to type your password every so often for no obvious reason (which in the case of random, machine-generated passwords means switching to Settings, digging into the passwords, copying it to your clipboard, and pasting it into the app — not a very user-friendly workflow).

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  4. Re:Zero sign-in TV: just like in 1961 by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    or just turned the box / built your own on for the "scrambled UHF" channels.

  5. Re:so is this why dolby is cracking down on licens by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    you still need an decoder. Comcast / directv / dish? / other cable systems also have it now.

  6. Re:And yet no Scottish. by Wild_dog! · · Score: 1

    Still no Scottish.... then Siri iOS crap.
    Siri and Scottish is a thing to behold.

  7. Full 3D immersive audio by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    All you need for full 3D immersive audio is an Atmos-supporting sound bar

    Sound bars are no match for separate speakers, so they're not "all you need."

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.