Having just released a new version of the Apple TV streaming box late last year, it appears that Apple is already making plans for a quick-launching successor to the best streaming device out there.
According to a report by Apple leaker Mark Gurman for Bloomberg (Opens in a new tab)the company is preparing an upgraded Apple TV box with an enhanced processor that is scheduled to go on sale as early as 2024.
The new model is set to retain the same design as the Apple TV 4K (2022). This saw the introduction of a slightly smaller fanless form factor, as well as USB-C charging for the remote control, and up to 128GB of storage, with the device powered by the recent Apple A15 Bionic chip.
Aside from the faster chip, the update doesn’t seem to matter, as Gurman stated that the new model won’t support 8K streaming as some have predicted for the next iteration of the device.
The report also doesn’t confirm whether the new Apple TV will have an HDMI 2.1 port with the full 48Gbps bandwidth — it’s unclear if the port on the current model will be capable of this, although it does support eARC’s own feature. with HDMI 2.1.
The report also claims that Apple plans to launch a new device that combines Apple TV functionality with TV-optimized HomePod speakers and a built-in camera, with work on the new product line said to be behind schedule. At least the new HomePod 2 will keep people going for the time being.
Analysis: what is being added here?
With a new, more powerful Apple TV arriving before Christmas, Apple’s reported plan to follow up with a new model early next year — all without a killer new feature, at least according to Gurman — seems a bit unnecessary.
The new CPU’s extra processing power might give gaming a small boost, but as far as its basic usage goes, we’re not likely to see any improvement over the current model, which already offers the best performance and best picture quality of any of the current streaming boxes out there.
We’d love to see an HDMI 2.1 port added entirely, or a UWB chip in the Siri Remote to end those frustrating moments searching for things. But even with these reasonable extras, they don’t add up to a compelling reason to upgrade, especially if you can buy the remote separately (as we hope you can).
While the move to release a new model that flashes and you’ll miss updates seems dubious, in many ways it does offer good news for existing Apple TV owners. The decision confirms Apple’s support for the platform (not something we’re always feeling thanks to the recent lack of critical updates to tvOS), while it also means that older Apple TV models won’t appear outdated by comparison.
If you’re in the market for a current model, check out our list of the best Apple TV deals.