Apple today released the first public beta of tvOS 18, giving the general public a chance to try out the new features ahead of the software’s fall launch.
Public beta testers can download the tvOS 18 beta by opening up the Settings app on Apple TV, choosing the Software Updates section under System, and then toggling on the Get Public Beta Updates option. Signing up on Apple’s public beta website is required to get the option to show up.
tvOS 18 isn’t as feature rich as some of Apple’s other updates, but it brings a new InSight feature to the Apple TV app. InSight is similar to Amazon X-Ray, providing real-time information about actors, music, and more in Apple TV+ shows and movies.
The Enhanced Dialogue feature uses computational audio and machine learning to better boost vocal clarity over background noise and music, plus it works with built-in TV speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices. Subtitles have been tweaked to show up automatically when relevant, such as when the TV is muted.
Apple added new screen savers and made it easier to swap between them, plus there’s 21:9 aspect ratio support for projectors and an option for Live Captions during FaceTime calls.
tvOS 18 is limited to public beta testers and developers right now, but it will see a public launch this fall.