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Apple trials tvOS 16 release candidate beta

Apple has provided developers the release candidate beta build of tvOS 16 to try out on their Apple TVs.

The newest builds of Apple's betas can be downloaded by developers enrolled in the beta-testing scheme via the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update for hardware already using earlier beta builds. A public beta version of the releases is expected to start arriving soon, and will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The seventh build the eighth replaces landed on August 23, while the sixth arrived onAugust 15. Apple started the beta process with the first issued after the watchOS 9 were introduced shortly after the WWDC keynote on June 6.

Final public versions of all of Apple's milestone operating systems are expected to be released by the fall.

The release candidate tvOS 16 beta is build number 20J373, replacing the seventh, build 20J5371a.

While Apple didn't mention tvOS 16 during WWDC, it turns out there are still a number of improvements to the operating system. Matter support for HomeKit, HDR 10+ format support, a new Remote Control app, Nintendo Switch controller support, and other UI refinements are on the way.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly recommends users avoid installing beta software on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the remote possibility of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to make sure there are sufficient backups of important data before updating.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at andrew@AppleInsider.com.



4 Comments

rob53 13 Years · 3312 comments

Good, maybe testers can also figure out why youtube blacks out after the first 1 sec of a video until sec 3. Happens on second advertisement (hate those) as well as every youtube video (at least those starting with an ad). Removing and reinstalling youtube ad doesn't fix it. 

chasm 10 Years · 3624 comments

I’ve been on the beta, but a few apps are still glitchy (specifically: Adult Swim, Night Flight, YouTube, Pluto TV and a couple of others). Hard to tell if the problem lies with the devs or the OS, but I hope the new version will spur developers to fix things. Pluto in particular is completely non-functional, returning a “there was an error retrieving the content” message.

entropys 13 Years · 4316 comments

rob53 said:
Good, maybe testers can also figure out why youtube blacks out after the first 1 sec of a video until sec 3. Happens on second advertisement (hate those) as well as every youtube video (at least those starting with an ad). Removing and reinstalling youtube ad doesn't fix it. 

That has been happening to me last week or so too, on tvOS 15 though.

scb_design 2 Years · 1 comment

i have tried 16, with my AppleTV 4k.  It forces my Vizio to display HDR10+ 100% of the time.  I cannot adjust video settings back to SDR 4k and Match Content/Dynamic Range.  It renders several apps unusable at the moment.  We need that bug fixed ASAP