Apple isn't just refreshing its iPhone line this week. Today, the company also released a major update for Apple TV. Apple TV 6.0 introduces such new features as iTunes Radio, Apple's free music streaming service that debuted with iOS 7; the ability to play and purchase music on iTunes; and AirPlay for iCloud, which allows users to play content from their Apple devices on another person's Apple TV without having to log in under their Apple IDs. The latter update was first reported in advance by All Things D. Apple is also giving users the opportunity to view photos and videos stored in their iCloud accounts on their TVs, and to sync podcasts across Apple TV and their various iOS devices.
The updates are far from an Apple TV App Store or hypothetical new hardware TV device, both of which some people hoped Apple would release this fall. But they do offer significant enhancements to Apple's set-top box as it stands now, and there's still time this year for further updates.