You can now use “natural language” to search in both Apple Music and Apple TV, thanks to the latest updates in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, tvOS 18.12, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, all released this week. This feature allows you to describe what you’re looking for using a variety of categories like genres, moods, actors, decades, and more, according to Apple. While the idea sounds great in theory, the real-world experience is a bit more mixed. One important note: the auto-populated results that appear as you type don’t use this feature, so you’ll need to hit the “Search” button to get the full effect.
For example, when I asked for an “unsettling office drama,” Apple recommended a British show that wasn’t set in an office, followed by Severance (which is spot on). It also suggested The Morning Show, which is somewhat relevant. When searching for “sitcoms like The Office,” the results included the British version of The Office (which makes sense), but also Friends (a bit off-topic), Parks and Recreation (similar in format, but different in tone), The Big Bang Theory (questionable), and Mythic Quest (which deserved a higher ranking).
In short, the feature works reasonably well for specific searches, like finding movies by a particular director or shows with a certain actor, but can be hit or miss for more abstract queries. It’s the same for Apple Music. When I searched for “artists similar to Billie Eilish,” the top result was Olivia Rodrigo (which seems questionable), but FINEAS, her collaborator, was a good match. I also searched for “Indie Christmas Albums” and got Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens (perfect), but Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey (not so much).
Overall, the feature is interesting and can provide fun results, but it’s not without its quirks. Give it a try if you have a TV or Music subscription and see what you think.
