When tvOS 27 is released later this month, Apple TV users will gain an overhauled Podcasts app. The new version includes Apple’s new video podcast streaming technology.
However, eagle-eyed users may notice that the upcoming software update removes one feature that may be missed after updating: support for shows followed by a URL.
Podcasts on Apple TV 4K gets a big update that removes a niche feature
As mentioned, Apple TV 4K is adding support for streaming HLS-based video podcasts in the Podcasts app in tvOS 27.
This follows the same feature coming to iOS 26.4’s Podcasts app on iPhone and iPad. The Mac also supports HLS video shows in macOS 27 Golden Gate.
But tvOS 27.0 lacks one feature as part of the new version. Shows added with a custom URL, like membership-only feeds for paid podcasts, no longer work on Apple TV 4K’s Podcasts app with tvOS 27.
This is likely a feature oversight or something that Apple plans to add back in the future.
Custom feeds are still supported for Apple’s Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and Mac with the OS 27 updates.
tvOS 27 is only compatible with the second- and third-generation Apple TV 4K. The original Apple TV 4K is capped at tvOS 26 — which still supports custom URL feeds.
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