Apple today announced its next-generation Apple TV 4K – the most powerful one yet, according to the company. And with a starting price of $129, it’s also the least expensive.
The biggest change over previous Apple TV 4K versions is the company’s use of the A15 Bionic chip, the same one found in recent model iPhones and the iPad Mini (6th generation). Another key update is HDR10+, which is now supported along with the Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range formats.
Apple’s new streaming box will be sold in two configurations. One is Wi-Fi only with 64GB of storage. A step-up model packs 128GB of storage and also features Gigabit Ethernet plus thread mesh networking for enhanced smart home device support.
Apple’s release touted the speed benefits brought on by the A15 Bionic chip, which will boost CPU performance of the already speedy Apple TV 4K by 50 percent. Notably, GPU performance gets a speed boost of up to 30 percent over the previous version, which will improve responsiveness and graphics performance when playing games.
The new Apple TV 4K will also feature a new Siri remote with USB-C charging – a big change from earlier generations, which used a Lightning connection. According to the company, new features coming to tvOS this fall will improve Siri voice search and control functions, with the ability to recognize and respond to different users’ voices so they can easily resume navigation where they left off.
The new Wi-Fi-only Apple TV 4K can be ordered today for $129, and the Wi-Fi plus Gigabit Ethernet version for $149. Both models will be available starting on Friday, November 4.
