Recently Apple rolled out an update to the Apple TV that changed how users can update their Apple ID and accept new terms of service. With this change, Apple no longer lets you update the Apple ID or accept new Terms and Conditions on the Apple TV unless you do it through an iPhone or iPad.
If you have tvOS 16 on the Apple TV, you will now need to use an iOS device that is signed into the same account. This was first spotted by 9to5Mac thanks to a tweet from @hugelgupf.
This update is not just about updating terms of service. According to a second image posted, if Apple TV owners want to unlock new features, they need to update their Apple ID on the Apple TV by holding their iPhone or iPad close to the Apple TV.
Apple probably has some data that suggests that most Apple TV customers also own an iPhone or iPad. However, this will severely limit anyone who does not live inside the Apple ecosystem from considering the Apple TV. According to recent data, Android controls over 71% of phones worldwide, and Apple has just 27.6%.
The good news for Apple TV users is that if you do not have an iPhone or iPad for now, you can just dismiss the prompts. The question now is, what features will you be unable to use in the future if you do not upgrade?