Apple TV Update Lets You Enter Password with Your Voice

A new software update for Apple TV, which is currently in beta, will allow you to use your voice to enter information like your username and password; all you have to do is talk to the Apple TV remote control.

Firmware updates for Apple’s latest Apple TV have been coming fast and furiously since the product was launched late last year. However, since its inception, complaints have increased about the product’s below-average way of entering information – using the touchpad on the remote can be a slow and frustrating process.

A big surprise for users upgrading from an earlier Apple TV system was that the new unit is not compatible with the iOS Remote app, an Apple app that lets you use your iPhone’s keyboard to type on the Apple TV. Fortunately, a new firmware update for Apple TV has fixed this issue.

Now, Apple is trying to make Apple TV easier for users who don’t have or can’t use an iPhone to enter text. The new version of tvOS, the iOS-based operating system that powers Apple TV, promises to expand the system’s voice dictation feature.

This feature can be found in tvOS software starting with version 9.2 (beta 3). Apparently when you’re in a text entry field anywhere in the system, you can press and hold the Siri button on your remote to dictate text. Unlike the previous search functionality, the new dictation software lets you spell out individual letters and numbers, making them convenient to enter usernames and passwords.

Considering how much we place emphasis on security these days, it seems strange to tell people to spell passwords out loud. At least it won’t be something you need to do more than a few times, and you’ll do it in the privacy of your own home (perhaps turn the volume down if you have a roommate trust).

Other new features in the tvOS 9.2 beta include support for Bluetooth keyboards – if you’re uncomfortable using your voice to spell things out, you can pair the keyboards with the Apple TV and enter your information that way (that’s another thing). Using Siri to search the App Store and supporting iCloud Photo Library and iOS 9’s Live Photos feature that older Apple TVs supported, but left by the wayside in this iteration. You’ll also be able to group your Apple TV apps into folders, just like on iPhone and iPad.

There’s no word yet on when the firmware from the beta version of these features will be delivered, but given Apple’s big event next month, it’s unlikely to last much longer.