tvOS 17.5 beta 4 is now available to everyone with an Apple TV that can run tvOS. At this moment, it’s unclear what this operating system update offers, as we couldn’t find anything new. Apple also hasn’t provided release notes so far.
That said, it doesn’t seem tvOS 17.5 beta will bring anything major, as Apple is already preparing for the tvOS 18 update. We’ll discover more about this operating system on June 10 with the WWDC 2024 keynote.
With tvOS 17.4, Apple also brought a mild beta cycle, although it was full of references for unreleased products and operating systems. With beta 1, the company added references to unreleased homeOS software.
Most likely, this software could be used for a HomePod with a screen. Bloomberg and other outlets have reported on a HomePod with iPad integration, like an Amazon Echo Show product. Apple is also apparently working on a HomePod with a circular display. That said, instead of the current wave animations that we have on the HomePod, we could see music and weather data, for example.
That would come in handy, as tvOS 17.4 beta was adding a SharePlay feature for Apple Music. iPhone users could scan a QR code on the Apple Music app for the Apple TV and join a SharePlay session to add songs to a list and create a listening party. Unfortunately, Apple removed this function in the latest betas. It’s unclear if Apple might add this feature back with tvOS 17.5 beta 4.
That said, HomePod Software 17.4 added a new feature for Siri. According to the release notes, “This update enables Siri to learn your preferred media service, so you no longer need to include the name of the media app in your request.”
With that, if you use Pandora or YouTube Music, you don’t need to ask the HomePod to play a song on that streaming, as Siri will understand this is where you usually listen to songs.
BGR will let you know if we discover anything new with tvOS 17.5 beta 4. Apple has also seeded the fourth testing versions of iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, watchOS 10.5, macOS 14.5, and visionOS 1.2.
