Apple last updated the Apple TV in October 2022, introducing a new, smaller design, USB-C on the Siri remote, and a bump from the A12 chip to the A15 chip. As it’s approaching two years old, rumors are brewing about the next Apple TV model, although things are looking a bit bleak.
Prior rumors
Initially, we were expecting an Apple TV refresh this year, in the first half of the year. Obviously, that didn’t happen. In a Bloomberg report last month, reporter Mark Gurman stated the following:
While the company has been working on an update to the Apple TV set-top box for as early as this year, no new model has come to fruition and stable inventory of the device suggests a new version isn’t on the immediate horizon.
So, despite the prior expectation of a release this year, it seems that a new Apple TV isn’t immediately around the corner. Apple seemingly is happy with the current model, and is continuing to manufacture and restock them, something that they wouldn’t normally do if something was nearing a refresh.
Why a new Apple TV?
A lot of people wonder if Apple even needs to refresh the Apple TV. Sure, the A15 chip might be plenty for general TV needs, but there are other reasons why Apple would want to upgrade the Apple TV anyways:
- Lower cost, making the TV box accessible to more customers
- Apple Intelligence
- Gaming
Apple lowered the starting price of the Apple TV 4K from $179 to $129 with the refresh back in 2022. However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the Apple TV box should go even cheaper with the next refresh, even below $100:
The sub-$100 price should be the sweet spot for Apple TV, so I expect the next-gen will be more affordable.
Apple could also implement Apple Intelligence within the next generation Apple TV, giving us an A18 chip. While the new Siri might not be the most useful on the Apple TV, I could see Apple allowing paired HomePods to tap into the chipset on the Apple TV, allowing existing HomePods to take advantage of the brand new Siri without requiring a pricey hardware upgrade.
Last but not least, gaming. Apple has been working with loads of game developers to bring more high end games to the iPhone, iPad and Mac. However, Apple TV has been left out of that equation. Apple could potentially make a powerful Apple TV that could handle a lot of high end games, including ones with ray tracing, although it’s unclear if Apple wants to pursue that strategy.
A whole TV set?
Top comment by KDuff
The current model could become the $99 or less model and the new one stays at $129.
Although extremely unlikely, especially given the fact that Apple is betting on Apple Vision Pro being the replacement for the home theater, Apple is apparently considering making a TV set for your home, once again. This was previously rumored over a decade ago, but Gurman says the idea is back on the table:
It may even revisit the idea of making an Apple-branded TV set, something it’s evaluating.
While this is an extremely early rumor, it’s something worth thinking about for Apple’s smart home ambitions.
Are you excited for the future of Apple TV? Let us know in the comments.
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