Apple has rolled out new software updates for its home devices today: tvOS 18.2 and HomePod 18.2.
These updates bring exciting new features, improvements, and bug fixes to Apple TV and HomePod.
Here’s everything you need to know about what’s new.
tvOS 18.2: New Screensavers, Projector Support, and More
The Apple TV 4K gets several upgrades with tvOS 18.2, including a brand-new Snoopy screensaver. This update also expands screen aspect ratio support, particularly beneficial for users with projectors.
The addition of a 21:9 aspect ratio can be configured through the Settings app under Audio and Video settings. This feature, announced earlier at WWDC but not included in tvOS 18.0, finally arrives in the 18.2 update.
Additionally, tvOS 18.2 likely brings natural language support to Siri, allowing users to search for TV shows and movies using a more conversational approach.
This feature, also part of iOS 18.2, lets you combine categories like genres, moods, actors, and decades when searching in the Apple Music and Apple TV apps.
HomePod 18.2: Improved Siri Integration and Enhance Dialogue Feature
For HomePod, the 18.2 update introduces two major new features. First, Siri on HomePod now supports Apple Music’s natural language search, enabling you to describe what you want to hear using any combination of categories such as genre, mood, or activity.
This upgrade enhances the overall Siri experience on HomePod, which is particularly useful for music-related commands.
Second, HomePod 18.2 brings an exclusive feature to the second-generation HomePod: the “Enhance Dialogue” option. When paired with the Apple TV 4K, this feature uses real-time audio processing and machine learning to make speech more intelligible by reducing background noise.
This enhancement should make dialogue clearer and improve the overall audio experience when watching TV.
These updates, alongside usual stability fixes, make the HomePod and Apple TV experience even better, providing users with smarter Siri capabilities and improved audio clarity for an enhanced viewing experience.
Both tvOS 18.2 and HomePod 18.2 are available now, and Apple promises more features and improvements in future updates.
