If there’s one device I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on the most this year, it’s the new Apple TV 4K.
It’s been four years since Apple last refreshed the Apple TV 4K, with the third-gen model launching in October 2022 powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip. While it’s been one of the best streaming devices on the market for years, its hardware is starting to show its age. It also lacks support for Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, two areas Apple has been focusing heavily on recently.
But the long wait for a new Apple TV 4K is finally nearing an end. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple plans to announce its new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K and a new HomePod mini on October 13.
Apple has now made the date official, announcing a “Welcome home” event for October 13.
With the event just days away, here’s everything to expect from Apple’s new fourth-gen Apple TV 4K, including what its hardware and software could look like and how much it might cost.
Under-the-hood upgrades
Don’t expect the design to change
Most of the major changes expected for the new fourth-gen Apple TV 4K are under-the-hood upgrades, with the chipset being the largest improvement.
For a while, it was rumored that the new Apple TV 4K would be powered by Apple’s A17 Pro chip, which made sense given that one of the new software features it’s reportedly getting is support for Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, something the current third-gen model doesn’t support at all.
However, MacRumors recently reported that evidence in Apple’s own code points to the new Apple TV 4K being powered by one of Apple’s A19-generation chips instead, either the A19 or A19 Pro, which debuted in the iPhone 17 series in 2025.
That would be a dramatic performance boost over the A15 Bionic in the current Apple TV 4K, making everything from streaming to navigating tvOS even smoother while also giving the device more power to handle any Siri AI features it’s expected to get. There’s also a rumor that it will get more RAM, with the new model potentially offering 8GB or even 12GB.
The next big hardware upgrade for the fourth-gen Apple TV 4K is rumored to be Apple’s N1 networking chip, which would add support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The current Apple TV 4K supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5, so this would be a nice jump and should help make it even more future-proof.
Finally, while the fourth-gen Apple TV 4K is expected to be very different on the inside, a leaked image shows its exterior as almost identical to the third-gen model, with the same square shape, rounded corners, and black plastic design. The only design change could be the remote, as Apple is rumored to launch it with a revised Siri remote, though it’s unclear what changes Apple might make.
tvOS 27 and Siri AI
The new Apple TV 4K will be much smarter
On the software side, the fourth-gen Apple TV 4K is expected to launch with the latest version of tvOS 27, which includes a range of improvements, such as a new Apple Podcasts app, faster app launches, a more responsive Control Center, a new Larger Text accessibility option, and lossless audio support in Apple Music. It also brings the same Liquid Glass design Apple introduced with tvOS 26.
While there’s currently no sign of Siri AI in tvOS 27, that’s expected to change with the launch of the fourth-gen Apple TV 4K, thanks to its beefier hardware. We don’t yet know exactly how Siri AI and Apple Intelligence will work on Apple TV, but my guess is that Apple could offer an experience similar to Alexa+ or Gemini, where you can have more natural conversations with Siri to help you find shows and movies to watch. You’ll also likely be able to ask Siri AI more complex questions, much like you can on your iPhone with iOS 27.
Quiz
Apple TV
Trivia Challenge
Think you know your Apple TV history inside out — put your knowledge to the ultimate test!
HistoryHardwareSoftwareFeaturesStreaming
In what year did Apple first introduce the original Apple TV?
Correct! The original Apple TV was unveiled by Steve Jobs in January 2007 and began shipping in March of that year. It was initially codenamed ‘iTV’ before Apple settled on its final name.
Not quite. The first Apple TV was announced in January 2007 and started shipping in March 2007. Steve Jobs introduced it at Macworld, describing it as a way to bring your iTunes library to your television.
What was the storage capacity of the original first-generation Apple TV at launch?
Correct! The original Apple TV launched with either a 40GB or 160GB hard drive, as it was designed to store synced media locally from your iTunes library. This was before streaming became the dominant model.
Not quite. The first Apple TV came with either a 40GB or 160GB internal hard drive. Because it was designed to sync content from iTunes rather than purely stream it, local storage was a key part of the original design.
What major redesign did Apple TV receive in 2010 that dramatically changed its form factor?
Correct! The second-generation Apple TV launched in 2010 was a dramatic departure — it shrunk to a tiny black puck and completely removed the internal hard drive, shifting fully to streaming. It also dropped the price to just $99.
Not quite. The 2010 Apple TV (2nd generation) was reimagined as a tiny black puck-shaped device that removed local storage entirely, relying on streaming instead. Steve Jobs famously called the original a ‘hobby’ before this pivotal redesign.
What is the name of the operating system that runs on Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K?
Correct! tvOS is Apple’s dedicated operating system for the Apple TV platform, first introduced alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV in 2015. It’s based on iOS but optimised for the living room experience.
Not quite. Apple TV runs tvOS, a purpose-built operating system Apple introduced with the fourth-generation Apple TV in 2015. While it shares a foundation with iOS, tvOS is specifically tailored for big-screen, remote-controlled navigation.
Which fourth-generation Apple TV feature allowed users to install third-party apps for the first time?
Correct! The fourth-generation Apple TV in 2015 introduced the App Store to the platform, finally allowing developers to build and distribute apps directly to the TV. This was a landmark moment that transformed Apple TV from a streaming box into a proper platform.
Not quite. The App Store was the defining new feature of the fourth-generation Apple TV launched in 2015. For the first time, users could download games, streaming apps, and utilities directly onto their Apple TV, opening it up as a true app platform.
Which chip powers the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) released in 2022?
Correct! The third-generation Apple TV 4K, released in November 2022, is powered by the A15 Bionic chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 13 series. This gave it a significant performance boost and enabled smooth 4K HDR playback.
Not quite. The 2022 Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) uses the A15 Bionic chip. Apple often reuses chips from its iPhone lineup in Apple TV, and the A15 offered a meaningful performance improvement over the A12 found in the previous model.
Apple TV+ launched as a streaming service in November 2019. What was notable about its launch pricing in many markets?
Correct! Apple TV+ launched on 1 November 2019 at just $4.99 per month, making it one of the most affordable streaming services at launch. Crucially, Apple also offered a free one-year subscription to anyone who purchased a new Apple device.
Not quite. Apple TV+ launched at $4.99 per month and sweetened the deal by offering a free year of the service to anyone buying a new Apple device. The aggressive pricing was seen as Apple’s strategy to rapidly build a subscriber base for its fledgling original content library.
What is the name of Apple’s feature that allows iPhone users to use their phone as a camera source through Apple TV?
Correct! Continuity Camera, introduced with tvOS 17, allows users to use their iPhone as a webcam for FaceTime calls on their Apple TV. It takes advantage of the iPhone’s superior camera hardware for a much better video calling experience on the big screen.
Not quite. The feature is called Continuity Camera, and it was introduced with tvOS 17. By wirelessly connecting an iPhone to Apple TV, users can enjoy high-quality FaceTime video calls on their television using their iPhone’s powerful camera system.
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How much will the new Apple TV 4K cost?
The RAM crisis has driven up the cost of tech substantially this year
The price of the new fourth-gen Apple TV 4K remains one of its biggest unknowns, but recent price hikes offer a sense of what it could cost.
In June, amid the ongoing global memory shortage driven by AI, which has caused the prices of components like RAM and storage to skyrocket, Apple raised the price of the third-gen 64GB Apple TV 4K by $70, from $130 to $200, and the 128GB model with Ethernet by $100, from $150 to $250.
It’s quite possible the new fourth-gen Apple TV 4K could start at the same $200 price tag. However, with more powerful hardware and more RAM, it could launch at an even higher price. Another unknown is whether Apple will offer two versions, as it does with the third-gen model: a 64GB Wi-Fi model and a 128GB Wi-Fi + Ethernet model.
I have my fingers crossed that Apple will release an Ethernet model, but if it doesn’t, it will be a massive disappointment. I think the extra cost of Ethernet is well worth it, especially for a streaming device you might use for half a decade or more.
Overall, the fourth-gen Apple TV 4K is shaping up to be an exciting upgrade. And if Bloomberg’s latest report proves accurate, Apple should finally announce it on October 13. After years of waiting, that means there are only a few more days left until all is revealed.
