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Apple's TVOS 26 Brings iPhone Karaoke Microphones and Liquid Glass

Apple has outlined the changes coming to its Apple TV software, including profiles and an enhanced design.

Headshot of Ty Pendlebury
Headshot of Ty Pendlebury
Ty Pendlebury Editor
TV and home video editor Ty Pendlebury joined CNET Australia in 2006, and moved to New York City to be a part of CNET in 2011. He tests, reviews and writes about the latest TVs and audio equipment. When he's not playing Call of Duty he's eating whatever cuisine he can get his hands on. He has a cat named after one of the best TVs ever made.
Expertise Ty has worked for radio, print, and online publications, and has been writing about home entertainment since 2004. He is an avid record collector and streaming music enthusiast. Credentials
  • Ty was nominated for Best New Journalist at the Australian IT Journalism awards, but he has only ever won one thing. As a youth, he was awarded a free session for the photography studio at a local supermarket.
Ty Pendlebury
Three people use iPhones with Apple Music on tvOS 26
Apple/Screenshot by CNET

At WWDC 2025 Monday, Apple unveiled new features coming to TVOS 26, the next version of its Apple TV operating system. They include the company's sleek new Liquid Glass design, and the ability to use the iPhone as a microphone in Apple Music. 

Watch this: WWDC 2025: Everything Revealed in 10 Minutes

Apple unveiled the ability to connect your iPhone to Apple Music on TVOS to use as a karaoke mic. Apple TV first introduced a karaoke mode to Apple Music in 2022, enabling you to sing along to onscreen lyrics, but there wasn't a way to hear your vocals apart from "live." 

screenshot-2025-06-09-at-1-50-23pm.png
Apple/Screenshot by CNET

In addition, Apple said that its Liquid Glass design, which reimagines buttons as see-though glass diffracting the content underneath it, will be coming to Apple TV. The company also said that the Apple TV Plus app is also getting bigger, "more cinematic" poster art in each of the show slides.

Lastly, the company is also bringing profiles to TVOS, letting you set up your own home screens and separate app logins. 

The Apple TV is one of CNET's favorite streaming devices due to its simple interface and its ability to play games as well as display Dolby Vision content. The updates probably won't encourage users to switch from Roku or Google TV, but should enhance the experience for existing owners.

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