Three new features and changes will arrive on Apple TV with tvOS 26.4, currently in beta.
They include Continuous Audio Connection and new subtitle styles. We'll also see the removal of the iTunes and Movies standalone apps.
No sooner does one software build arrive than another enters beta for testing, and for the next version of tvOS, that promises exciting new features for your Apple TV.
We wrote about the Continuous Audio Connection feature due to arrive with tvOS 26.4 a few days ago, which will be a welcome addition for those with Sonos speakers especially.
The feature is designed to address sound issues some Sonos users have experienced when using their speakers with AV receivers, including unusually quiet output or cracking sounds when watching content in 5.1 surround sound.
Apple's new mode hopes to eliminate this by maintaining a Dolby MAT connection to ensure uninterrupted playback as audio formats shift. When running tvOS 26.4, you’ll find the feature under the HDMI Output heading in Settings > Video and Audio > Audio Format.
What other features are coming to Apple TV?
However, there's more to come: 9to5Mac reports that we'll finally be saying goodbye to the standalone iTunes and Movies apps with the tvOS 26.4 update.
Most of the apps’ functionality is now baked into the Apple TV app, but it is recommended that if you have anything on your Wish List, you should save those items to the TV app’s Watchlist instead. The Wish List feature will be discontinued when the final software arrives.
Last but not least, the tvOS 26.4 update will make it easier to change the look of subtitles. There is a new Style menu that lets you switch between Classic, Large, Text, Outline Text, and Transparent Background.
There is also a ‘Manage Styles’ button that will enable you to create your own custom subtitle style.
It's worth mentioning that while this will work for any app that uses the default tvOS video player, it won’t work for streaming apps that use their own video player.
For now, tvOS 26.4 remains in beta, and it's not yet clear exactly when it will land as a final build. Hopefully, it won’t be too far away.
