The latest major Apple TV 4K software version, tvOS 26, arrived last month. Here are the new tvOS 26 features I’ve been loving most.
New aerial screen savers
If you don’t own an Apple TV, screen savers may seem like a relatively minor feature. But ever since tvOS first debuted in 2015, Apple’s aerial screen savers have been among the platform’s surprise strengths.
In tvOS 26, Apple has added a lineup of gorgeous new aerials that were captured across India. There’s a little bit of everything, including landscapes featuring water, mountains, beaches, tree-covered fields, and more.
Competing streaming boxes and smart TVs are increasingly using screen savers as an opportunity for ads, which makes me appreciate the Apple TV 4K’s aerials more than ever.
Liquid Glass design
Apple’s new Liquid Glass design extends across all its software platforms, including tvOS 26.
Liquid Glass certainly isn’t as prominent on Apple TV as it is on iPhone, but there are several beautiful, glassy elements in areas like the video playback controls, Control Center, and revised app icons.
Despite not being as big a change as on iOS, Liquid Glass still feels like an especially good fit for Apple TV 4K. Nobody wants video content overly obstructed by controls that are too big or opaque.
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