tvOS 14 Brings Apple TV Support for AirPods Audio Sharing and Watching YouTube Videos in 4K

tvOS 14, which Apple introduced briefly on stage while previewing HomeKit features, is bringing a few major new feature updates to the Apple TV.

appletv4k2
For ‌Apple TV‌ 4K users, with tvOS 14, you'll finally be able to watch YouTube videos in 4K resolution, something that has not been previously possible. The ‌Apple TV‌ has not supported the 4K video codec that YouTube uses, limiting viewing to 1080p.

As noted by The Verge, the Apple TV 4K website highlights new additions to tvOS, with a mention of the 4K YouTube feature.

Apple is also bringing Audio Sharing for AirPods to the ‌Apple TV‌, which means two sets of AirPods can be connected to an ‌Apple TV‌ 4K at the same time. This will let multiple users watch movies and TV shows without disturbing others in the room.

Other new features include picture in picture support, an option to view ‌HomeKit‌ video feeds, multiuser support for gaming, and the option to use additional controllers like the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controller.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

Bandaman Avatar
45 months ago
I hope 4K YouTube works across all Mac devices ... especially Safari on macOS.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macintologist Avatar
45 months ago
Does 4K YouTube playback mean that Apple now supports the VP9 codec?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MysteryMii215 Avatar
45 months ago

For Apple TV 4K users, with tvOS 14, you'll finally be able to watch YouTube videos in 4K resolution
Finally! Our long (inter)national nightmare is over!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wackery Avatar
45 months ago
I wonder who compromised with the 4K, apple or google
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mikevangorkom Avatar
45 months ago
4K currently not showing up in tvOS 14. Must require an update on YouTube's side first. But this is huge, and easily the biggest news for AppleTV. Let's hope this carries over to iPad and Safari as well.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
weekendwarrior123 Avatar
45 months ago

It must have been Apple. If Google caved, they would need to re-encode all their 4K videos to something the Apple TV supports.
The text on Apple’s website does specify that this applies to “the latest YouTube videos,” so it could be a change on YouTube’s side.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Firmware

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware update for both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Pro 2. The new firmware is version 6B34, up from the 6B32 firmware introduced in November. Apple does not provide details on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware beyond "bug fixes and other improvements," so it is unclear what's new in the update, but prior software releases ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

'All-Screen' iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development

Wednesday December 6, 2023 2:03 am PST by
Apple's Korean suppliers have begun developing smartphone under-display cameras (UDC), paving the way for the first iPhone with a true "all-screen" appearance. According to The Elec, LG Innotek has entered the preliminary development of the UDC, which sits under the display and does not result in a visible hole in the panel when the camera is not in use. A UDC differs from a typical front ...
magsafe blue 2

iOS 17.2 Brings Qi2 Support to iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 Models

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:04 am PST by
The iOS 17.2 update that Apple is set to release to the public in the near future will bring support for the next-generation Qi2 wireless charging standard to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models. Qi2 was mentioned in the release notes for the RC version of the update that came out today. With the addition of support for the new standard, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models will work with Qi2...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 May Reuse Existing iPhone 14 Battery

Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:17 pm PST by
Recently, MacRumors has received details on the battery currently being tested on the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE, and the information corroborates previous findings in relation to the device. The iPhone SE 4, known by its device identifier D59, is expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14. Partially assembled prototypes of the next iPhone SE have been ...
airpods pro bulbs

Black Friday Prices Return for AirPods Pro 2 With USB-C, iPad, and More

Tuesday December 5, 2023 7:30 am PST by
Today we're tracking a collection of deals that are matching - or nearly matching - the same all-time low discounts we saw during Black Friday. This includes the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, 9th generation iPad, and M1 MacBook Air. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the ...
instagram messenger

Instagram and Facebook Messenger Chats to Disconnect This Month

Tuesday December 5, 2023 1:57 am PST by
Meta has revealed plans to end Instagram users' ability to chat with Facebook accounts later this month, rolling back a feature that it introduced over three years ago. In September 2020, Meta (then Facebook) announced it was merging its Facebook Messenger service with Instagram direct messaging, allowing Instagram users to chat with Facebook users and vice versa using the same platform....