Apple Working on Apple TV Models With A12 and A14 Chips, New Controller, and More

[Maconplasma]

Apple needs a FireTV Stick competitor. Even if its not 30 USD range. Then a Chromecast Google TV competitor for 50USD.
Just something cheap to bring apple TV to a wider audience .

Apple needs more of a Roku competitor. More people own Roku devices overall than Fire Sticks.

 

[AppliedMicro]

Apple don't need to reinvent the wheel when there's a generation of gamers who are used to one or the other kind of controller and any new gaming controller runs the risk of being compared unfavourably with units that are more familiar to gamers and commonly sold in plenty of places.

I‘ve been thinking the same.

Yes, they maybe should have their own controller to be taken as a serious competitor in the game console market. But I don’t think that they intend to seriously compete in that market ...yet. And at the risk of being compared unfavourably.

I believe they are more likely to do something like a sneaky back-door entry into the market: Update Apple TV with new A series chip, sell it as an entertainment hub - and then try to sway developers into offering more and more ambitious games for the platform.

That‘s not to say that they won’t offer their own controller at some point. However, I doubt it‘s going to be included in the box. They first need to move boxes out to consumers - the cheaper, the better.

 

[Ant2369]

I desperately want better audio from a new ATV. The current gen is horrendous connected to my home theater and I’ve tried everything to make it better...

 

[CouldBeWorse]

It'll need a default game controller in the box if they want arcade to take off. Call it Apple Arcade or Apple TV Arcade and it might actually take on a place for casual games.

Native support for Xbox One and PS4 controllers is good enough for me.

 

[mozumder]

When someone says that and Apple still has zero Apple Silicon Macs I sorta chuckle. Be realistic we would love to have alternative processor powered devices that are better, but technology is not a snap your fingers its ready, this takes a lot of time to transition to. 😉

What makes you think they haven't been working on it for years already? Also, doesn't Apple already have Macs with Apple silicon in them?

 

[cmaier]

I desperately want better audio from a new ATV. The current gen is horrendous connected to my home theater and I’ve tried everything to make it better...

I find that the audio from the hardware is fine, but some apps have horrible audio. Using a b&w 5.1 setup with a separate sub, and a new marantz receiver with the Apple TV 4k. TV+ app sound is good. Hulu is bad. etc.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Apple needs a FireTV Stick competitor. Even if its not 30 USD range. Then a Chromecast Google TV competitor for 50USD.
Just something cheap to bring apple TV to a wider audience .

Hence Apple making deals to get the TV app on third-party devices such as smart TVs, Xbox, etc.

but wait, according to someone I dare to spell out his name here ... a new Apple TV was ready to hit the market back in May ... so, I don't know how serious to take this rumor ... oh, it's a rumor

Because an attempt to cater to casual gamers would be the only reason to release upgraded TV hardware in the near future. The current unit already supports the just arriving into mainstream audio/video tech: 4K, Dolby Atmos, etc. In terms of movies, etc, the biggest (next) move Apple could make would be to lower the price a bit on the current-gen models.

I would suggest that they could make games compatible with Bluetooth Xbox or PS4/5 controller, why reinvent the wheel?

Plus, taking the expense current controller out of the box makes the package cheaper.

Am I missing something? Do you mean many developers don't? ...Because... Connect a wireless game controller to your Apple device

Your loss Apple, I don’t need one anymore, should have launched it earlier when COVID hit.

Covid hasn’t gone anywhere. Still a big market full of people stuck at home

Playing devil's advocate -- Additionally, you know the gamer stereotype

 

[Wags]

’in the works’??
3 years and counting. 😕

 

[PickUrPoison]

Apple needs a FireTV Stick competitor. Even if its not 30 USD range. Then a Chromecast Google TV competitor for 50USD.
Just something cheap to bring apple TV to a wider audience .

$99 would be a real stretch considering the cost, but I’ve been expecting Apple to offer a below-cost box with the purchase of an annual Apple TV+ subscription for awhile. I think $79 would be doable.

Similarly, a below-cost HomePod (mini?) with the purchase of an annual Music sub.

 

[femike]

I'm hoping for a A14X or their best CPU for the Apple TV. If they go for anything less then they are not serious about gaming. For controllers, they could work with Microsoft and Sony so its optimised.

 

[topmounter]

The only upgrade my current AppleTVs need is a remote control that doesn't suck. Hopefully they sell the remote separately.

 

[gplusplus]

I want everyone who said there was no point in an updated Apple TV to be banned from upgrading. I’ve had enough of their crap.

 

[spyguy10709]

Console-level games? I guess last-gen - the PS5 and XBox SX aren’t the size of a stack of pizza boxes for nothing.

But, they absolutely are. PS5 and Series X are filled with old technology - inefficient x86 CPUs, optical drives, expansion slots, and the massive power supplies needed to feed them. Not to mention the massive heatsinks, heatpipes, and fans. If Apple's efficiency claims are true and they can match a desktop PC class CPU with mobile wattage, and they can do the same with graphics - all of that *bulk* can fall away.

The Series X's mainboard is a rather small device. It's just all that other *bulk* that turns it into a monolith

 

[azentropy]

17% thinner! 25% lighter! The Apple Controller™

Now you don't eve have to touch it to make it select the wrong thing for you!

 

[Maconplasma]

Your loss Apple, I don’t need one anymore, should have launched it earlier when COVID hit.

😂 Apple doesn't need your money so it's not THEIR loss if you don't buy their little $200 ATV. Not gonna affect their 2 trillion dollar pocketbook.

 

[Jim Lahey]

Following with interest. Apple TV 4K is easily the most used entertainment device in my home. Happy with the performance and have no reason to want to upgrade, but I can always be swooned by shiny new Apple gear 🥰

 

[Duncan-UK]

It would be nice to have a second HDMI out for those without 4k capable amps, but ultimately I struggle to see that there’s a market for an Apple priced box that is markedly inferior to a console (both in power and range of software) yet offers little if any practical benefit over and above the ATV app that is now becoming increasingly common.

I couldn’t hand on heart recommend an ATV over and above a 4K firestick, quite the reverse

 

[ericinboston]

I gave up waiting YEARS for Apple to update the ATV. I bought a Roku for $29 and not only does it rock, but it has ATV built into it! Heck, I might even trade it in for the upcoming $99 version coming out in a few weeks. I have 2 older ATVs but I could not wait any longer (and I wasn't going to buy a 3+ year old ATV model and have a new one launch a few months later) so I could get Disney+.

Moreover, if ATV was interested in gaming, they could/should have released gaming eons ago when they promised the iPod Touch would rule the earth as a gaming platform. I know Apple has Apple Arcade now (barely a year old) but I'm unaware of how popular it is and how ATV will attempt to compete with the upcoming Sony PS and upcoming Xbox and even the current Nintendo Switch.

 

[PickUrPoison]

I could have sworn someone said an Apple TV was ready to go at any time back in March or earlier in the year? Did they scrap that and redo it? I don’t know about these Apple TV leaks. They’re all over the place.

Yes, it was Prosser in May. The MR article (the A12X rumor) was linked but not specifically mentioned in this article. Supposedly it was ready to ship.

 

[samwa3]

As for the controller, I just got one of the new Nimbus+ controllers from SteelSeries and I really like it. I had a few original Nimbus controllers and the lack of R3/L3 etc. made it unusable in many games, but this new model is superb. Sometimes support is still lacking, I guess because it's a new model.

So yeah, they should give everyone a Nimbus+ in the box for the Pro model.

 

[kcslc]

So they are building a game console?

I doubt it. To compete with Sony and Microsoft, you would have to build a powerful console, uses technology like MS’s velocity architecture, has a 1 TB SSD, fantastic first party controller, and willing to sell it at a loss. I don’t see Apple ever doing that. They also don’t have the studios, triple A exclusives, etc.

 

[kcslc]

The Nintendo Switch with a worse CPU and GPU outsold the entire Xbox one line. The raw grunt behind a console is rarely relevant.

I doubt any company other than Nintendo could get away with this. Nintendo’s first party games are what sells their systems. Also, the switch is a hybrid handheld/console, so it can be forgiven for being a little less powerful.

 

[Realityck]

What makes you think they haven't been working on it for years already? Also, doesn't Apple already have Macs with Apple silicon in them?

None released. Mini Mac DTK with a A12Z for developers to test Mac OS application compatibility on that processor platform. 🙂

 

[kcslc]

If they're going to release console-level games, they're going to need a lot more storage on the device. Or the ability to add storage. Definitely like the idea, though.

Nah.

Apple TV Pro 16 GB - $399
Apple TV Pro 64 GB - $499
Apple TV Pro 256 GB - $699
Apple TV Pro 512 GB - $899
Apple TV Pro 1 TB - $1199
Apple TV Pro 2 TB - $1999

No but to be serious, the Xbox series X is $499 and includes a 1 TB pcie 4 Nvme SSD. Gamers are losing their heads that a 1 TB proprietary add on card is being priced at $219, even though that’s pretty much the going rate for a pcie 4 m.2 card.

Hard core gamers will not accept Apple pricing for gaming machines.

 

[Maconplasma]

I gave up waiting YEARS for Apple to update the ATV.

You waited YEARS for an updated set top box that plays videos? 🙄