tvOS 26.4: Why some icons suddenly disappear

Anyone who has installed the new version 26.4 of Apple's TV operating system in recent days will have noticed upon restarting tvOS that the icons on the home screen have suddenly shifted. Apple hasn't just placed them randomly in a different location – the reason is different: Several apps that have been available for the multimedia box for years have been removed with the update. The standard programs that are now missing cause the user-installed apps to move forward.

Which apps Apple has removed

Apple has deleted two programs: The TV series within iTunes, each available as a separate app, and the Movies app for iTunes. The (very) old applications likely had only a few users for a long time. However, the content itself is not gone: You can now buy series and movies (and actually already could) via the TV app, and also access purchased or rented content there (also for a long time).

However, finding them is slightly less convenient than before, so users have to adjust. The old iTunes wishlist function, which Apple has completely removed with tvOS 26.4 and co., is also indirectly affected. Affected users received an email with their data, albeit as a rather inconvenient PDF document.

Other new features in tvOS 26.4

In addition to the small culling, Apple has also added new features in tvOS 26.4. These include so-called Genius browsing in the TV app. This allows you to browse through different content categories to more easily find suitable series and movie material. The entries are personalized and updated regularly.

Also new is the ability to configure the text size and appearance of subtitles in the TV app without having to open the settings. If apps use Apple's standard player, this is also possible there. Finally, tvOS 26.4 includes a bug fix for interruptions in audio playback when different formats are used or playback is paused. To do this, you should click on "continuous audio output" under the HDMI playback options.

(bsc)