Apple TV's next big update adds a hugely useful new feature

Apple's software updates for iPhone, iPad and Mac have all been in the news plenty recently, predominantly for the arrival of Apple Intelligence and the features that iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 bring.

It's the arrival of the next build of that software that's the most exciting though, not just because it will bring the extra Apple Intelligence features we are still waiting for, like Image Playground, as well as proper access to Apple Intelligence in the UK, but a few key extra features outside of AI too.

For the Apple TV app on iPad for example, a customisable tab bar will arrive with iPadOS 18.2, as spotted by 9to5Mac. Tab bars are one of the few iPad-exclusive features that have come with the new iPadOS software this year, alongside features like Smart Script, and it sees a floating tab bar appear at the top of the screen on certain apps.

It's available on many of the native Apple apps, though not all support user customisation. The Apple TV app on iPad does in the latest beta of iPadOS 18.2 however, and that is something to get excited about. It means you can customise the app's tab bar with the menu options you care about most, giving you easier access to them moving forward.

You can't remove the default tab options, so things like MLS will remain in the tab bar and you can't change that even if that isn't your thing. The customisation does allow you to add sidebar items like Channels & Apps, such as Disney+, Library sections like Recent Purchases, as well as the Sports tab though. To customise the tab bar in the Apple TV app, you just need to long press on it to enter edit mode, as you would an app on your iPhone's home screen.

The final build of the iPadOS 18.2 software is expected to arrive in December so if you aren't running the beta version of the software at the moment, you should have access to the new feature before the end of the year.