Apple today officially released tvOS 11.4 to the public, the fourth major update to the tvOS operating system designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 11.4 comes more than a month after the release of tvOS 11.3, an update that focused on bug fixes and small feature improvements.
As we saw with previous beta seeds of the same software, tvOS 11.4 is a minor update in the grand scheme of things, adding only a few new tweaks to the software. It is primarily meant to boost performance and add other software enhancements.
The biggest new feature is the addition of AirPlay 2, which will allow for playing the same music from multiple supported devices at the same time.
tvOS 11.4 turns the Apple TV into an AirPlay 2-compatible device that’s listed in the Home app for HomeKit devices. AirPlay 2 playback can be controlled through the Apple TV, through an iOS device, or using Apple’s personal assistant, Siri, to play content using voice commands.
AirPlay 2 is limited to the Apple TV and the HomePod at the current time, but it will expand to additional audio devices in the future. tvOS 11.4 also introduces performance improvements, security enhancements, and bug fixes for issues that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 11.3.
tvOS 11.4 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System –> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 11.4 automatically.
tvOS has not been given the lion’s share of attention as of late, but with WWDC right around the corner we might see an infusion of new features for the set-top box family next week. Or Apple may be keeping its focus on iOS and macOS for another year, as the Apple TV sits upon the features it already has.
What would you like to see Apple add to tvOS in a subsequent update?