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Apple Announces New tvOS 16 Features Coming Later This Year

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In addition to unveiling a new Apple TV 4K with an A15 Bionic chip and more, Apple today previewed several new Siri-related features coming to the Apple TV in a tvOS 16 update later this year. It appears that at least a few of the features are enabled in the tvOS 16.1 Release Candidate made available earlier today, while some might arrive with tvOS 16.2.

tvOS 16 Siri Compact
The new features announced:

  • Siri has been redesigned with a more compact interface that allows users to quickly view results at a glance in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  • Siri voice recognition for up to six family members will allow the Apple TV 4K to understand who is talking and reply with custom recommendations tailored just for them based on their user profile.
  • Users wearing AirPods will be able to say "Hey Siri" instead of using the Siri Remote.
  • Siri on tvOS will be supported in Denmark, Luxembourg, and Singapore later this year. Support was recently added for Chile, Finland, and South Africa.

The new compact Siri interface and "Hey Siri" support for AirPods have already been implemented in the tvOS 16.1 Release Candidate, and the features should be available to all users when tvOS 16.1 is released next week.

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Top Rated Comments

A
antnythr
48 months ago

Trillion+ dollar company, 11 years later, and Siri is still the worst virtual assistant. How Apple? ”Here’s what I found on the web” is by far the most common response I get.
“Working on it”
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Joe Rossignol Avatar
Joe Rossignol
48 months ago

Took long enough to post this Siri news. Earlier post ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-announces-new-apple-tv-4k-with-a15-bionic-chip-and-hdr10-for-129.2366094/post-31635740').
Siri is really limited in tvOS for understood commands.
It's an extremely busy day. We can't post every news item right away. All of the Apple blogs are still catching up.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anthogag Avatar
anthogag
48 months ago
I would like the option to say "Siri" instead of "hey Siri"
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
topdrawer
48 months ago
they should make dismissing siri faster/easier. this is more aggravating because you have to hold down the button to speak, so why is siri still on screen when you let go of the button?

also why is it different from the iphone. you don't need to hold down the button to use siri.

UX designers at apple to reevaluate their careers.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
trip1ex
48 months ago
I am understanding this right: Later this year means next week?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TigerNike23 Avatar
TigerNike23
48 months ago
Any time Apple adds something to tvOS, the better.

They really need to put pressure on providers to use Zero-Sign-On. It's 2022 and we're still putting in the alphanumeric characters every month or so to watch a ballgame.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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