Launched this new version on May 18, tvOS 16.5 is now available on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. tvOS 16.5 brings at least two exciting new features to your Apple TV. One, confirmed by Apple, allows an administrator to pair and add Matter accessories. The other, called multiview or multi-window, allows you to view up to four video streams at the same time for compatible sports content.
On the one hand, regarding the first of the novelties, iClarified has confirmed that tvOS 16.5 enables support for Matter on Thread 1.3, Good news for those of us who are fans of home automation. And since tvOS is now also compatible with the HomePod, we could deduce that the HomePod 16.5 software also offers compatibility with Matter 1.3 on Thread for speakers with Siri. Previously, Thread support was limited to version 1.2.
What Thread 1.3 does that Thread 1.2 doesn’t is unite what are called “border routers”, which they connect thread-based networks to existing networks.
What does that mean? than with wire 1.3, a Matter-enabled device can join the user’s home network and operate on a Thread network. You might not even need to buy a Thread router, but chances are you already have one because Apple TV 4K, HomePod, and HomePod mini all work like smart home Thread routers.
On another side, multi-window functionality is available for sports content such as MLS (Major League Soccer) games, Friday night baseball games, MLS and MLB live broadcasts, etc. tvOS 16.5 also gives you the ability to switch between quad screen and split screen views, choose a stream to focus on, choose home and away radio signal for matches, quickly return to full screen mode, and more. But beware, what this feature is not supported on Apple TV HD, only 4K.
Do you find these novelties interesting? we will see almost everything when Apple will be able to integrate more sports broadcasts outside the United States and we can (dream of it) have several football league games at the same time because Apple buys their rights in the not too distant future.
