The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.
Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors.
Likely Features
N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7
Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is likely the since-announced N1 chip that debuted in the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air. That chip supports Wi-Fi 7, which would be an upgrade over the current Apple TV's Wi-Fi 6 support.
Wi-Fi 7 has increased bandwidth, in part because it allows for data transmission over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously, with a supported device and router. Wi-Fi 7 is theoretically up to 4× faster than Wi-Fi 6, but real-world speeds are typically bottlenecked by internet service providers and other factors.
In the latest iPhones, the N1 chip also supports Bluetooth 6, which would offer lower latency and other benefits compared to the current Apple TV's Bluetooth 5.
A17 Pro Chip
The current Apple TV is powered by the A15 Bionic chip, which debuted in all iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models in 2022.
According to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, the next Apple TV will be equipped with the A17 Pro chip, for faster performance and potentially even Apple Intelligence support on tvOS. For example, Gurman said the new Apple TV will support next year's revamped version of Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence.
Other devices with the A17 Pro chip include the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPad mini 7, and all of those devices support Apple Intelligence.
With the A17 Pro chip, the Apple TV should get an increased 8GB of RAM.
Other Rumors
FaceTime Camera and Gesture Controls?
tvOS 17 added a FaceTime app to the Apple TV, allowing for video calls with the rear camera on a connected iPhone or iPad. If the Apple TV gained a built-in camera, users would no longer need to rely on an external device for video calls on the TV.
In April 2024, Gurman said Apple had "discussed" offering an Apple TV with a built-in camera for FaceTime and gesture-based controls, but it is unclear if Apple is moving forward with that plan for the next model in particular. He did not elaborate on the gesture aspect, but it sounds like the Apple TV would recognize various hand movements.
Apple says tvOS 26 enhances FaceTime in several ways — fitting for an Apple TV with a camera:
Lower Price?
On the same day as the current Apple TV was announced in October 2022, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expected the next Apple TV to be "more affordable." He said that a sub-$100 price would be the "sweet spot" for the Apple TV, but he did not say if Apple will actually achieve that price point.
Both the 2010 and 2012 versions of the Apple TV were priced at $99 in the U.S. at launch, and Apple eventually lowered the price of the 2012 model to $69, so there is precedent for a sub-$100 Apple TV. Other companies like Amazon and Roku offer low-priced streaming sticks, with sale prices going as low as $19.99.
In the U.S., the current Apple TV starts at $129 with 64GB of storage, and a 128GB model with an Ethernet port for wired internet is priced at $149.
Timing
The next Apple TV will be released "toward the end of the year," according to Gurman. At this point, it is likely the device will be announced in October, but November is also a possibility. December is less likely, historically.
Here is when the previous four Apple TV models were announced:
- Apple TV 4K (3rd generation): October 2022
- Apple TV 4K (2nd generation): April 2021
- Apple TV 4K (1st generation): September 2017
- Apple TV HD: September 2015
Article Link: Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features
