With the launch of the new Apple TV 4K (4th-gen) right around the corner on November 13, I’ve found myself thinking a lot lately about older Apple TV 4K models.
While the new Apple TV 4K does offer some decent upgrades over the 3rd-gen model from 2022, including a faster A19 chipset with 8GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and built-in microphones for hands-free Siri interactions, it also comes with a steep $300 price tag.
Understandably, given how expensive the new model is, many Apple TV users will likely opt to hold onto their current devices for a lot longer. However, it’s inevitable that your Apple TV 4K will eventually reach its expiration date, when it will no longer receive official software or hardware support. But the good news is that even when that day comes, it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the road for your device.
Your Apple TV 4K won’t get updates forever
The bright side is that it will keep working for years after updates stop
Unlike other companies, such as Amazon or Google, Apple doesn’t set a hard date for when its devices will stop receiving major software updates. Instead, Apple typically makes those decisions year by year as it develops its latest operating system updates, and that’s exactly what happened this year with tvOS 27.
Last year, Apple released tvOS 26 for all three generations of the Apple TV 4K: the 1st-gen model from 2017, the 2nd-gen from 2021, and the 3rd-gen from 2022. However, with the launch of tvOS 27 this year, Apple dropped support for the original Apple TV 4K from 2017, leaving only the 2nd- and 3rd-gen models compatible with the newest update.
That means if you own an original Apple TV 4K, powered by Apple’s A10X Fusion chip, its official software support has just ended, with Apple providing a total of nine years of updates.
…most streaming services continue to support older versions of tvOS for quite a while.
However, as anyone still using the 1st-gen Apple TV 4K already knows, just because it’s stopped receiving software updates doesn’t mean it magically stopped working. In fact, it can still run the latest streaming apps just fine, since most streaming services continue to support older versions of tvOS for quite a while.
For example, Disney+ still works on tvOS 16.5 or later, Netflix is compatible with tvOS 18 or later, Prime Video requires tvOS 18.2 or later, and YouTube still works on versions as far back as tvOS 13.
So even when your Apple TV 4K eventually reaches the end of its official software support, or if it already has in the case of the 1st-gen model, it should still have plenty of life left in it, as most streaming apps will continue working for years afterward. Of course, the day will eventually come when app support ends, too, but even that is likely to happen years after Apple stops updating it.
Hardware support is a different story
The 1st-gen Apple TV 4K is already considered “Vintage”
When it comes to hardware support for Apple products, things are a little different from software support, as there is a much clearer cutoff date.
Apple categorizes its older products in two ways to determine hardware support availability: Vintage and Obsolete.
When Apple marks a product as “Vintage,” it means it stopped selling it more than five years ago. At that point, repair services become much more limited and depend on the availability of replacement parts.
Conversely, when Apple marks a product as “Obsolete,” it means the company stopped selling it more than seven years ago and no longer offers any hardware support or repair services for it.
The only Apple TV 4K that currently falls into one of these two categories is the 1st-gen model from 2017, as Apple stopped selling it in 2021 with the launch of the 2nd-gen model. So if you still have a 1st-gen Apple TV 4K and something goes wrong with it, you can technically still get hardware support from Apple. However, if the repair requires replacement parts, there’s a chance Apple may no longer have what it needs to fix it.
The 2nd-gen Apple TV 4K will become classified as “Vintage” in the fall of 2027, as Apple stopped selling it in 2022. The 3rd-gen model, meanwhile, still has a long way to go, as it won’t reach Vintage status until the fall of 2031, five years from now. Apple only recently stopped selling it ahead of the launch of the new 4th-gen model.
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.
Your Score
/ 8
Thanks for playing!
You don’t necessarily need to rush into an upgrade
The new Apple TV 4K has its perks, but older models still have plenty of life left
All things considered, the only Apple TV 4K even remotely close to reaching its expiration date is the 1st-gen model from 2017. While it’s no longer receiving major software updates, it still has another two years before Apple classifies it as “Obsolete” for hardware support, and it should continue supporting most streaming apps for years beyond that.
The situation is even better for the 2nd- and 3rd-gen Apple TV 4K models, released in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Both have already received the latest tvOS 27 update, and Apple has also confirmed that they’ll receive Siri AI support in an upcoming update, likely around the launch of the new 4th-gen Apple TV 4K.
Speaking of the new Apple TV 4K, while it does come with some welcome upgrades, including the A19 chip and Wi-Fi 7, if you own a 2nd- or 3rd-gen model, you can probably hold off on upgrading for a while. Both are still receiving software updates and perform pretty well for streaming. However, if you own the original 1st-gen Apple TV 4K from 2017, I’d be more inclined to recommend upgrading, since jumping from the A10X Fusion chip to the A19 would be a substantial leap in performance and should make streaming much smoother.
