Two months after beta testing with no notable features, Apple is releasing watchOS 9.6 and tvOS 16.6 to all users. Apple Watch and Apple TV software updates don’t bring new functions except for security updates and bug fixes.
Interestingly, Apple also hasn’t offered many new features with watchOS 9.5 and tvOS 16.5 – but at least they have some.
For example, watchOS 9.5 added a simplified beta installation method Apple introduced with iOS 16.4. While it doesn’t affect current developers enrolled in the beta program, this update changes how new users can test the latest iOS 17, macOS 14, and watchOS 10 features.
For tvOS 16.5, on the other hand, Apple brought one major feature for Apple TV 4K users: the ability to watch up to four streams simultaneously. While this feature is still limited to the Apple TV app with the MLB Friday Night Baseball and MLS Season Pass, Apple is said to be ramping up multiple sports deals.
That said, watchOS 9.6 and tvOS 16.6 mark the end of the watchOS 9 and tvOS 16 life cycle as Apple focuses on the new watchOS 10 and tvOS 17 updates.
watchOS 10 brings a major revamp to the Apple Watch by redesigning every major app, adding new watch faces, improving some workouts, and adding new health features wit Daylight data and mental health updates.
tvOS 17 brings a FaceTime app for the Apple TV for the first time ever, a revamped Control Center, fast Profile switching, Find My to Siri Remote, Dolby Vision 8.1 support, and more.
In addition to watchOS 9.6 and tvOS 16.6, Apple is also releasing iOS 16.6, iPadOS 16.6, and macOS Ventura 13.5 to all users. BGR will let you know if the Cupertino firm adds new features for these operating system updates it hasn’t disclaimed before.
