Apple is rumored to be launching several new devices this fall, including the iPhone 18 Pro, the Apple Watch Series 12, and, at long last, its highly anticipated foldable iPhone. And don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to seeing all of those devices in action. But as someone who loves testing and using different streaming hardware, there’s really only one Apple device I’m truly clamoring for right now: a new Apple TV 4K.

It may be hard to believe, but the last time Apple released a new Apple TV 4K was in November 2022, when it launched the third-generation model powered by the A15 Bionic chip. Nearly four years later, Apple is still selling that exact same device.

For a while now, rumors have repeatedly suggested that a new Apple TV 4K is just around the corner. There was hope it would arrive last spring. Then last fall. Then, during the holiday season. But each time, the expected refresh never materialized.

Now, with summer 2026 almost here and no sign of a successor yet, the current third-gen Apple TV 4K is about to break a record and make history — just not in the way Apple TV fans like myself were hoping.

Brand

Apple

Bluetooth codecs

5.0

Wi-Fi

6

Ethernet

Gigabit (128GB model only)

The longest-selling Apple TV 4K ever

It’s had a good run

If Apple doesn’t release a new Apple TV 4K by July 4, 2026 (and let’s be honest, that’s probably not happening), the current third-gen model will officially become the longest-selling Apple TV 4K ever, according to 9to5Mac.

Apple announced the third-gen Apple TV 4K in October 2022 and released it on November 4, 2022. By July 4, 2026, it will have been on the market for 1,338 days without a successor.

That would be enough to break the previous record set by the first-gen Apple TV 4K. Released in 2017 with Apple’s A10X Fusion chip, that model remained Apple’s flagship streaming box for 1,337 days before being succeeded by the second-gen Apple TV 4K in 2021.

While I’ve long hoped the current Apple TV 4K would be replaced by an upgraded model, there’s no denying that, despite its near record-breaking time on the market, it’s had a fantastic run. For nearly four years, the third-gen Apple TV 4K has been one of the best streaming devices you can buy. And while its A15 Bionic chip is no longer cutting-edge, it’s still more powerful than the processors you’ll find in rival streamers like the Google TV Streamer, Fire TV Cube, and Roku Ultra.

That said, even as it stands on the verge of becoming the longest-selling Apple TV 4K ever, there’s renewed hope that an upgraded model may finally be on the horizon. If the latest reports are accurate, it shouldn’t be long after the record is broken that a new Apple TV 4K arrives.

A new Apple TV 4K could launch this fall

There’s a reason for the delay

A new Apple TV 4K likely isn’t launching this summer, but that doesn’t mean it’s not coming. Yes, for ages, there have been rumors and reports about a new Apple TV 4K coming, but this time it actually seems destined to happen. That’s because the one major piece Apple has reportedly been waiting on is finally almost ready: Siri AI.

Apple officially unveiled its next-generation Siri at WWDC 2026 earlier this month, showing off a much more advanced assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. The new Siri can understand your personal context, answer questions on virtually any topic, and help surface information across your devices. Apple first previewed these capabilities at WWDC 2024, but after nearly two years of delays, Siri AI is set to launch in beta this fall with iOS 27.

So what does Siri AI have to do with a new Apple TV 4K? According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple already has a new Apple TV 4K “ready to go” and is simply waiting for Siri AI to launch. Apple has reportedly long viewed the next Apple TV as a showcase for its new Siri and Apple Intelligence features, making the timing of both releases closely linked.

With Siri AI launching this fall and Apple reportedly sitting on finished hardware, there’s a good chance we’ll finally see a new Apple TV 4K this fall as well, possibly in October or November, after the new iPhones and iOS 27 are released.

As for what to expect under the hood of a new Apple TV 4K, the biggest rumors point to an A17 Pro chip and Apple’s new N1 networking chip, which would bring support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Beyond those internal upgrades, the device is expected to look largely the same as the current model.

All told, while the third-gen Apple TV 4K is about to become the longest-selling Apple TV 4k ever on July 4, it finally looks like a successor is on the horizon after years of waiting.