Better projector support and dialogue enhancement coming to Apple TV

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Plus Apple's take on Amazon's X-Ray live movie info

The Apple TV 4K sitting beneath a large TV screen on a white background
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple's 2024 WWDC keynote has just ended, and while it was heavily focused on AI (as expected), there were a couple of tidbits of news for us AV fans.

These tidbits all relate to the tvOS 18 update, which is heading to the Apple TV 4K this autumn, and the most interesting is also the most vague: 21:9 support for projectors.

We of course know that 21:9 is an extra-wide aspect ratio favoured by many movies and is therefore the ratio that many owners choose to primarily set their projectors to. This new feature will presumably allow the Apple TV 4K to output in a native 21:9 ratio, though how it will do this or what it will do with non-21:9 images hasn't been revealed. We'll be keeping an eye out for more on this one.

Next up on the list of new Apple TV 4K features coming with tvOS 18 is actually an expansion of the existing Enhance Dialogue feature. This does exactly what it says on the tin, but currently only works when sound is being output to a HomePod or HomePod Mini. With tvOS 18, Enhance Dialogue will work with HDMI-connected devices such as TVs, soundbars and AV receivers. It will also apparently perform better, thanks to 'machine learning and computational audio'.

The Apple TV 4K sitting beneath a large TV screen on a white background

(Image credit: Apple)

Finally on the list of new Apple TV features that piqued our interest is 'InSight', which is very much the Apple TV+ take on Amazon's 'X-Ray'. This allows you to display movie information that's relevant to the specific scene you're watching and is most useful in those 'what have I seen that actor in before?' moments.

All in all, it's not Earth-shattering stuff, and the wait goes on for new Apple TV hardware, but we can certainly see the 21:9 projector support appealing to some – assuming it's implemented effectively.

MORE:

These are the best projectors you can buy right now

Check out our Apple TV 4K review

And here's our Apple TV 4K 2024 wishlist

Tom Parsons
Tom Parsons

Tom Parsons has been writing about TV, AV and hi-fi products (not to mention plenty of other 'gadgets' and even cars) for over 15 years. He began his career as What Hi-Fi?'s Staff Writer and is now the TV and AV Editor. In between, he worked as Reviews Editor and then Deputy Editor at Stuff, and over the years has had his work featured in publications such as T3, The Telegraph and Louder. He's also appeared on BBC News, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4 and Sky Swipe. In his spare time Tom is a runner and gamer.