Apple TV Gets Siri Early With tvOS 9.1 And Pandora App; Remote App Makes iPad, iPhone And Apple Watch As Control Pads

Apple released Tuesday a new platform version for its TV, tvOS 9.1, which included Siri support to control Apple Music. The Siri integration has come ahead as it was promised to be in the company's new TV early next year.

The update also comes with the Remote app, that makes it possible for an iPad or iPhone to be the control pad for the Apple TV, where text input from the device makes the setup easier. tvOS 9.0.1 came in mid-November which brought mostly performance enhancements and bug fixes, reckoned 9to5Mac.

Apple TV owners waited for features like the Apple Podcast app and Remote app support for Bluetooth keyboards, iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches to enter passwords, especially during setups. Similarly, the software running on the Apple Watch, watchOS 2.1 also comes with the Remote app which allows the smartwatch to be used as a control pad of the TV. The Podcast app is seen in promo materials, but remains unreleased.

For the Apple TV to get the update, one can go to Settings, System, Maintenance, Software Updates, Download and Install. The new platform tvOS 9.1 will be installed and once done, it needs a system restart to complete.

After the Tuesday release of Apple TV's tvOS 9.1, Pandora streaming music service likewise launched officially on the fourth-generation Apple TV the following day. The app works with the TV apart from its grid-based layout that is nature of tvOS as a menu bar in the upper region. The app allows users to quickly move from Account, Now Playing, Create Station and My Stations tabs.

The Now Playing tab offers standard options for track information, progress bar as well as skipping or voting for a song. Also featured prominently is the album art.

Apple TV tvOS 9.1, however, does not bring support for the Bluetooth keyboard yet, noted AppleInsider.