Just yesterday we brought word the forthcoming tvOS 11 release for Apple TV will have very little in the way of new features for consumers, save the arrival of Amazon Prime Video.
Well, hold the front page, because Apple is reportedly planning to introduce at least one more small, but significant feature with this autumn’s update.
One developer exploring the first tvOS beta has discovered AirPods can now be automatically paired with the Apple TV as part of the speaker options (via 9to5Mac).
For iCloud accounts showing AirPods connected to an iPhone, users will be able to automatically listen to music and audio from video content without having to use the TV speakers or a connected speaker system.
While Bluetooth headphones are already an option, in tvOS the automatic set-up feature means they won’t have to be paired for Apple TV.
Users currently seeking to pair their Bluetooth headphones with Apple TV had to pair manually as they would with a non-Apple device.
Seeing as automatic pairing is a big selling point for AirPods on iOS, macOS and watchOS, it’s good to see Apple complete the circle.
Elsewhere on Apple TV, there’ll also be a new Home Screen Sync feature that will come in handy for those with multiple Apple TVs.
Apple says it will “keep your apps and Home screens up to date across any Apple TV that uses this iCloud account.”
Another feature, dubbed automatic appearance switching, will enable users to switch between dark and light modes depending on the time of day.
tvOS will be released this autumn, probably alongside macOS High Sierra, watchOS 4 and iOS 11.
