iOS 18.5 brings seamless purchases in Apple’s TV app to compatible third-party streaming devices such as smart TVs with the “Buy with iPhone” feature.
The TV app built into the Apple TV supports a convenient feature called “Buy with iPhone,” which enables you to approve media purchases on your Apple TV using an iPhone. iOS 18.5 brings “Buy with iPhone” to the TV app on third-party hardware.
With this welcome change, iPhone owners who don’t own an Apple TV can purchase movies, shows and streaming subscriptions in the TV app on their smart TV or a compatible third-party device by authenticating on their iPhone.
Aside from its own devices, Apple’s TV app is available on a range of smart TVs from different brands like Samsung, LG and Vizio, as well as dedicated streaming devices like Roku and gaming console like Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox.
iOS 18.5 brings “Buy with iPhone” to Apple’s TV app on third-party hardware
You will navigate to the show, movie or subscription in the embedded Apple TV app and hit the buy button, which will push a notification to your iPhone to complete the purchase by authenticating with Face ID, Touch ID or device passcode.
Before this change, you needed to use the TV app on an Apple device to buy or rent a movie or subscribe to a new streaming service. I don’t know how many people watch Apple TV+ in the Apple TV app on their smart TV, but this improvement makes the experience more seamless when using third-party devices.
Apple TV owners have been well familiar with the concept as the tVOS operating system has a similar feature that lets you enter passwords in Apple TV apps using an iPhone. This is part of Continuity, Apple’s umbrella term for a set of features that make using its devices together such a joy. Thanks to iOS 18.5, Apple’s TV app on third-party hardware is now more tightly integrated with the Apple ecosystem.
Other new features in OS 18.5
iOS 18.5 packs other improvements. If you’re still rocking an iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, or iPhone 13 Pro Max, you’ll be happy to know that iOS 18.5 lets you use carrier-provided satellite features (like T-Mobile’s Starlink-based satellite connectivity) whenever you find yourself in an area without network coverage.
Don’t confuse this with direct satellite connectivity on the iPhone 14 and later via the Apple-Globalstar deal for features such as Emergency SOS via satellite.
Parents will appreciate a fix for the Screen Time parental controls on the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Before, if a child figure out the Screen Time password on their device, they could remove limits on app usage and other restrictions without your knowledge. In iOS 18.5, you as the family organizer will receive a notification on your iPhone every time your kid enters a Screen Time passcode on their device.
There’s also a new Pride wallpaper for the iPhone and iPad in iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, plus a new Pride watch face for the Apple Watch (requires watchOS 11.5). For the full list of changes, read Apple’s release notes for iOS 18.5.