A new Apple TV 4K is on the way – with the A15 Bionic chip and HDR10+ support – but Apple is also refreshing older Apple TV devices with new software. tvOS 16.1 starts rolling out next week, and it gives Apple's smart assistant a whole new look, 9to5Mac reports.
Using Siri is now a lot closer to the experience of using it on an iPhone or iPad. Just like on iOS/iPadOS, the Siri icon animates when you talk. It's also become smaller, appearing in the bottom corner instead of a bar running the length of the bottom of the screen.
Because Siri takes up less space, you can see results without obscuring the screen. And some results (such as those from the Weather app) show up as cards, again taking up less space.
Siri has some new features, too. It can now recognise each user's voice and so load their content accordingly. Ask Siri "What should I watch?" and you'll get recommendations tailored to your profile.
Connect your AirPods to your Apple TV, and you can say "Hey Siri" to enable hands-free controls.
The personal assistant still lets you search for movies, TV shows, and songs, open apps, check the weather, control HomeKit devices and more. But this is the first refresh it's had since it launched back in 2015.
tvOS 16.1 starts rolling out on Monday 24th October (alongside iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16). It will be available on the Apple TV HD (fourth generation) and all versions of the Apple TV 4K.
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