Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of tvOS 10 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of tvOS 10 that will be released to the public. Apple has not yet shared when tvOS 10 will officially launch, but iOS 10 and watchOS 3 are coming on September 13 and macOS Sierra is coming on September 20, so either of those dates is a possibility.
tvOS beta software is more difficult to install than iOS or macOS beta software. Installing the golden master version of tvOS 10 requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes or Apple Configurator. Once a beta profile has been installed on the device through iTunes, new beta updates will be available over the air.
tvOS 10 builds on features initially introduced with tvOS last October, bringing expanded Siri capabilities like topic-based search, Live Tune-In for automatically accessing live channels, and options for managing HomeKit accessories.
Single-Sign On allows users to sign in and authenticate cable credentials just once instead of requiring authentication in all cable-supported apps, games are now able to require controllers, and there are new features for Photos and Music.
A dark mode offers a better visual experience for darker rooms, universal apps are automatically downloaded, and there's a new Apple TV remote for iOS devices that mirrors the Siri Remote.
For a full overview of all of the new features in tvOS 10, make sure to check out our tvOS 10 roundup.
