QMS VRR support comes to Apple TV 4K to prevent crashes when changing the frame rate of content

Early reviews of the new Apple TV 4K have pointed out that Apple will add support for Variable Refresh Rate Fast Media Switching (QMS VRR) via a tvOS software update.

QMS VRR prevents momentary blackouts that occur when switching between content playing at different frame rates. As TechCrunch highlights, users who have already enabled the “Match Content” setting for frame rates may already be familiar with this, “since it happens almost every time you start streaming an actual show or movie at from most applications”. Of The edgeApple TV 4K review:

The third-generation Apple TV 4K has another proof of the future up its sleeve: later this year, a software update will add support for what’s called QMS VRR. This allows compatible TVs to switch between different frame rates without black screens or noticeable picture dropouts. How many TVs work with QMS VRR, you ask? Well, zero so far. But you’ll start to see them hitting the market next year; stay tuned for more on this feature at CES. I’ve never been so bothered by the short flicker when changing frame rates, but I won’t miss it either.

It should be noted that QMS VRR does not prevent blackouts when switching between color spaces or HDR content. The new video quality feature is expected to be added via a tvOS software update. It’s unclear if the feature will also come to the second-generation 4K ‌Apple TV‌, but it might make sense since that device introduced support for high frame rate HDR content up to 60 fps. and HDMI 2.1 last year.