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Apple releases first tvOS software update for the 4th-gen Apple TV

Just days after its initial release, Apple has already prepared a software update for the new Apple TV. tvOS 9.0.1 is now available for the fourth-gen Apple TV as an over-the-air update through the Settings app. Most Apple TV users will have automatic updates enabled, but you can manually download the update by going to Settings, System, and Software Updates.

Once you’ve downloaded the new software update to tvOS, Apple TV allows you to choose to install the update now or wait later. While Apple TV can connect to iTunes over USB-C for restoring the software, updating Apple TV over the wire is not supported and restoring loses all data.

While tvOS 9.0.1 is the first software update for the new device, Apple also recently released the first tvOS beta of version 9.1 to registered developers.

Through the Apple TV interface, tvOS 9.0.1 is unlabeled, only referred to as a software update, and includes no release notes. Checking the tvOS version number of About in the Settings app confirms the version number as 9.0.1 with build (13T402).

The release is likely focused on performance improvements and bug fixes rather than including any new features or significant changes. Support for Bluetooth keyboards and Apple’s Remote app, for instance, is still absent.

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Comments

  1. quandmeme - 8 years ago

    I’m hoping for a fix of on the AirPlay bug that keeps asking my kids for authentication. Despite that, we are so happy with our Gen4. Any reports on what 9.01 is for?

    • Michael Perry (@Alticus) - 8 years ago

      I’m hoping it fixes the awful network bug that causes packets collisions all over certain networks and causing all devices on the network to slow down severely.

      • lkrupp215 - 8 years ago

        Ah yes, those bugs that no one else has.

      • mikhailt - 8 years ago

        What are you talking about? This is the first I’ve heard of this issue. Got any source for this bug?

      • Robert Nixon - 8 years ago

        @ikrupp215 well surely since you haven’t heard of it, it must not exist. I’ve seen multiple people complain about this on the Apple TV sub over on reddit.

      • rich lin (@richslin) - 8 years ago

        if this is a real bug it makes sense to me: using Plex to my NAS over wired ethernet, movies have been pausing a lot for buffering. was trying to figure out the reason for that…

      • standardpull - 8 years ago

        There is a major reason why IEEE focused so much on collision protocols within the WIFI protocols: Packet collision is expected to happen frequently on all wifi networks with more than one node. It is part of the overhead of all 802.11 networks.

        Of course, the more packets you send, the more packet collisions there will be. Again, this is expected, and is part of the protocols. A network without collisions over several seconds is basically a very small, very quiet network.

        A saturated network with have more collisions, and will slow down a network due to fallback algorithms purposefully delaying traffic. Again, this is completely expected, and is a standard part of the IEEE protocols we all use and love regardless of manufacturer.

      • Michael Perry (@Alticus) - 8 years ago

        @ikrupp215 @mikhailt There are SEVERAL threads on the new Apple TV forum – check it for yourself. So while YOU may not have heard of this bug, it doesn’t mean at least some of the millions of other customers who purchased an Apple TV has not experienced it. Additionally in digging through the tvOS beta 9.1 release notes it would appear that this entry in the networking section of the release notes is a red herring:

        “Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) is now enabled by default on Ethernet and Wi-Fi. This is designed to reduce network delays and reduce packet loss.”

        It would be no wonder why some networks with a lot of of clients (specifically 1Gbps clients) would have some issue depending on the makeup of the network. If ECN isn’t enabled by default (like it should be) then it could leave the door open to these kinds of packet collision mitigation issues. But hey you’ve never heard of it, so it’s not true right? So not true that this exact issue and symptoms are mentioned in Apples software update release notes. :rolleyes:

        @richslin That is exactly what led me to start troubleshooting it and look for answers in the first place. Plex wasn’t working well no matter if I was on wired ore wireless then I tested it against other devices with the same app on my network to rule out it being an actual network issue. I then tested other apps like netflix and hulu and they are exhibiting the same symptoms so that also rules out it being an issue with the Plex app itself. As stated above though I believe it has to do with ECN not being turned on by default (which is odd but probably just missed in the initial aTV release) and they are fixing it in the 9.1 release.

      • mikhailt - 8 years ago

        No, I didn’t say this bug didn’t exist, I asked you to clarify it and to give me sources on the bug, so I can learn more about it as it is the first time I’ve heard of it.

        You did that but you don’t need to be so bitchy about it.

  2. Keith Hanson (@kch50428) - 8 years ago

    What about the 2nd and 3rd Gen. AppleTVs??? Will they ever see another OS Update? Been a while since they’ve had one.

    • mikhailt - 8 years ago

      Why would there be any updates for these devices? I haven’t had any issues with my 3rd-gen Apple TV. I suspect unless there is a dealbreaker bug, these devices are done for good. All of the focus will be on 4th gen only.

      • They are still selling the 3rd generation AppleTV. It’s weird that they don’t have Apple Music on a product they’re currently selling.

    • daving313 - 8 years ago

      It would be nice if they got real support for Apple Music. Blows my mind they don’t.

      • lkrupp215 - 8 years ago

        The older devices don’t have the horsepower to support Apple Music would be my take.

  3. rsantoyo5 - 8 years ago

    I have experienced similar issues and I am glad that they are finally fixing it. The new AppleTV is a big upgrade from the previous model, so I’m glad I purchased it. Check out my blog (appy-hour.com)! I’ll be highlighting apps for the new Apple TV.

  4. I’m hoping they add Remote app support soon.. That input method is brutal and takes this back about 5 years if you ask me. But then again.. no one is.

  5. tomricket - 8 years ago

    I hadn’t realized there was a software update, but I did notice that the terrible, terrible single-row keyboard was gone from my system yesterday evening, replaced with a more conventional grid of letters. At least until the iOS Remote app is updated, or other keyboards are available, that’s a definitely worthwhile update for me. :)

    • mikhailt - 8 years ago

      It’s not from this update, a few people saw the same thing and it happened when your remote is disconnected, it would use this grid layout for some reason.

  6. crutchcameslinking - 8 years ago

    Settings>System>Restart.

    My most common destination on this new AppleTV.

  7. brischinsky - 8 years ago

    @richslin I have the same buffering problem with Plex on a NAS. Should indeed be a bug, in my opinion.

  8. Curtis Marquardt Jr - 8 years ago

    I have experienced apps crashing several times. Airplay doesn’t work for me at all. Hope those issues are resolved.

  9. godofbiscuits - 8 years ago

    It seems to have broken Netflix. When I launch it, to freezes in the exact same spot: while the spinning progress view is still spinning.

    • godofbiscuits - 8 years ago

      I deleted the Netflix app and redownloaded it and that fixed the problem.

      I should point out that before I thought of doing this I moved to the Amazon Fire Stick,, and the quality of the video was more that just noticeably worse it was awful compared to Apple TV.

  10. Jerry Suppan - 8 years ago

    AppleTV’s Siri has one blatant omission. She only recognizes Japanese for voice input commands. English or other languages can not be set nor selected. For a company that is the world’s #1 capitalized company of any country, there is no excuse for releasing products lacking functionality which should exist. Although I could use Japanese, I will not buy an AppleTV until it properly supports all languages. They do it for every thing else. They omitted the function for Siri and AppleTV (at least in the Japan market)

  11. It’s complete horse shit that Apple didn’t update the Remote App on iOS devices.

  12. Hans Sprenkel - 8 years ago

    Along with all the comments already posted – Here are a few that bug me that are not present on the 4th gen, but are available on the ATV3……………… 1. The Alphabet being a long string instead of the easy to use Grid is a joke !!!…………… 2. The ATV 4 uses the Long Description Meta Data (Which is not available to change in iTunes) Major issue for me with 1,900 self produced movies and 8,900 self produced TV shows (took 3 days last week for me to fix it)……………….. 3. The system does not remember the position you were in your own Movie list (Homeshare) so when you go back into the list it returns you to the ‘Playlist’ position at the start of the list, you then have to scroll down all over again. Seraching for a Movie beginning with “Z” takes ages…………………… 4. The new remote is a farce when trying to scroll down a long list – I have reverted to using the old remote where you can hold down the “Down Key” and it scrolls through quickly (BTW Scolling is so much slower on the 4th Gen……………….. 5. Sometimes I have to re-start the device just to get Homeshare to pick up my iTunes Library after ‘Sleep’……………………..Plus a few more………… Siri needs to include items in Homeshare (when active)….. it does not and only shows iTunes content, unless it’s not in itunes when it will find it…………………. Finally on a positive….. Love the Ariel screensavers, but it would be great to have the option to show/hide a Title of the location also love the “What did he/she say” function…………….I have fed all of this back to Apple – But won’t be upgrading my other 2 ATVs until these issues are resolved.

  13. Hans Sprenkel - 8 years ago

    Notify

  14. Brenton (@brentonsparky) - 8 years ago

    I was disgusted at the amount of issues with the ATV4 just due to things that don’t work or it can’t do

    1. Unlike the ATV3 I can’t send youtube videos from Safari via airplay to it

    2. Siri can’t control music

    3. Photos still only access iCloud shared streams and not iCloud photo library

    4. many more

Author

Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.