Future tvOS software updates could add more features

Sep 21, 2017 16:33 GMT  ·  By

According to recent reports, it would appear that Apple plans to include new features to its recently unveiled Apple TV 4K device though future tvOS 11 updates, such as support for object-based surround sound.

Apple unveiled the Apple TV 4K to the world during a special event that took place earlier this month at the Steve Jobs Theater at company's new Apple Park headquarters. Powered by the latest tvOS 11 operating system, the next-generation Apple TV features support for 4K content and support technologies like HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR.

However, your brand new Apple TV 4K set-top box doesn't yet support the popular Dolby Atmos surround sound technology, so don't even bother trying it on your home cinema sound system. But it looks like Apple has recently sent out notifications to various media outlets informing them that they plan on adding support for an "object-based surround sound" via a future tvOS 11 software update.

Apple TV 4K doesn't yet support YouTube content in 4K

As you can see, there's no mention anywhere that Apple will add support for the Dolby Atmos surround sound technology to its Apple TV 4K device, but what else could it be? Hopefully, it's Dolby Atmos as many Apple TV owners have requested this feature in the past, and Apple needs to implement it if they want people buying its set-top box.

But, for now, there's really no need to update your Apple TV 4th-generation and buy an Apple TV 4K, because it would appear that it doesn't even support YouTube content in 4K format as Google encodes them with the VP9 codec, which isn't supported by the tvOS operating system at this point. And there's no telling when Apple will add VP9 support to its iOS, tvOS or macOS platforms.