Apple seeded iOS 27 beta 2 to developers today, and the headline addition for Apple TV users is that Home app can now push a software update to an Apple TV 4K remotely, exactly the way it already handles HomePod updates. This feature closes a long-standing gap between how Apple manages its two living room devices.
Until now, updating an Apple TV required either navigating to Settings, then System, then Software Updates on the device itself, or relying on automatic updates to run quietly in the background. HomePod has supported remote updates through the Home app for years, so extending that capability to the Apple TV 4K makes the management experience more consistent across Apple’s home hardware lineup.
Apple also seeded tvOS 27 beta 2 to developers today, two weeks after the first betas shipped following the WWDC keynote.
What else is new in iOS 27 beta 2
The Apple TV remote update is not the only change in this release. Several other fixes and additions landed alongside it:
- AirPods Max 2 can now update firmware, resolving a known issue from beta 1
- RCS in Messages now supports inline replies
- Siri’s Expressive Voice Preview feature lists Pace and Expressivity as “coming soon”
- Early testers report Siri AI performance feels faster overall
The Apple TV remote update capability fits into a broader pattern Apple is building with iOS 27. The first beta already restored the ability to add a virtual Apple TV remote directly to the iPhone Home Screen, something that was only possible through the standalone Apple TV Remote app before Apple pulled it from the App Store in 2020. Both changes push the iPhone further into the role of a primary companion device for the Apple TV. If you experienced instability on other devices after the first round of betas, the iPadOS 27 beta 1 heat and battery issues on M4 iPad Pro are worth reviewing before updating.
tvOS 27 beta 2 changes
On the television side, tvOS 27 beta 2 is available through the Settings app on supported Apple TV hardware, with a free developer account required to install it. The tvOS 27 release brings a redesigned Podcasts app, options for larger text, and a more responsive Control Center. AirPlaying content from another Apple device to an Apple TV is faster in this release, apps and animations are smoother, and AppleCare coverage details are now visible directly in the Settings app.
tvOS 27 drops support for the Apple TV HD and the first-generation Apple TV 4K, so owners of either model will not be able to run the new software at all. The second and third-generation Apple TV 4K models are unaffected.
A public beta for iOS 27 is planned for July 2026, with the full release expected in September alongside new iPhone hardware. If you are still weighing whether to install the developer beta, the iOS 27 developer beta device risk checklist is a useful starting point. New Apple TV 4K hardware is also anticipated this fall, reportedly bringing Apple Intelligence to the platform for the first time on the back of a newer chip. The groundwork Apple is laying in iOS 27 for better Apple TV management reads as deliberate preparation for a device refresh that will have more riding on it than most.
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