What Are the Features We Can Expect From a New Apple TV?

Apple is expected to release a new version of its set-top streaming box later this year, and we’ve seen several new features and changes rumored for the new device. Since we haven’t seen a new version of the Apple TV for nearly three years now, we can expect several features of the upcoming box to be new or updated.

So, what can we expect to see from the upcoming Apple TV? Here are the rumors we’ve seen so far, and the chance it will happen (percentages are solely a product of the writer’s mind).

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A Newer Chip (100%)

Currently, the Apple TV is powered by the A15 Bionic chip, the same chip that debuted in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models in 2022. Releasing a new Apple TV powered by an older chip, like the A15, would be inconceivable, at least in my humble opinion.

We can expect Apple to use a newer chip in the new Apple TV, possibly an A18 or A19 chip. A newer chip would provide improved performance overall. Since (IMHO) it would be ridiculous for any new Apple device not to offer Apple Intelligence support, a new Apple Silicon-based chip just makes sense.

Support for Faster Wi-Fi (85%)

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has said Apple’s next Apple TV will provide support for Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, which would offer faster Wi-Fi speeds over the current Apple TV’s standard Wi-Fi 6 support. Gurman says the new Apple TV will use Apple’s own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. This would, of course, require a Wi-Fi 6E-capable router.

There is a possibility that we could see a new Apple TV equipped with a Wi-Fi 7-capable radio, which would provide even faster Wi-Fi speeds and lower latency than Wi-Fi 6E. Again, a Wi-Fi 7-compatible router would be required for the faster speeds and lowest latency.

Apple may try to get by with Wi-Fi 6, as it’s more than fast enough to handle streaming 4K video and online gaming. However, if Apple decides to use its own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, we can rest assured that the chip will support at least Wi-Fi 6E.

FaceTime Camera (50/50)

When tvOS 17 debuted in 2023, it brought with it a FaceTime app for the Apple TV, which allowed users to use the rear camera of a connected iPhone or iPad as a video camera and see their FaceTime calls on their big screen. If the new Apple TV boasted a built-in camera, folks would no longer need to rely on a secondary camera device, like their iPhone.

Gurman said in April 2024 that Apple was in discussions about offering a built-in camera on a future Apple TV, allowing it to handle FaceTime calls and gesture-based controls without the need for an external camera. However, this would require the Apple TV to be positioned in such a way to allow seeing the user at all times, meaning it could not be hidden behind the user’s television or placed in an unobtrusive spot in the living room.

However, if Apple is simply planning to offer an external camera that plugs into the back of the Apple TV, it could deliver the required flexibility for the user to place the camera away from any hidden Apple TV.

Lower Price (75%)

With worries about tariffs and rising component prices, a lower price for a new Apple TV may seem to be out of the question. That said, Apple does need to stay competitive with devices from competitors, such as Amazon, Google, and Roku. Most of the Apple TV’s competing devices are priced at $100 or less (much less), while the current Apple TV has a suggested retail price of $129 ($149 for a unit with more storage and an Ethernet connection).

Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said a sub-$100 price would prove to be a “sweet spot” for a new Apple TV, but didn’t mention ways Apple would be able to hit that price point.

There’s a precedent for a sub-$100 Apple TV, as the third-generation 2012 model was priced at $99 at launch, and Apple eventually dropped that to $69 a few months before the new tvOS-powered fourth-generation Apple TV came along in 2015.

When Will We See a New Apple TV?

Gurman has said he expects to see a new Apple TV “toward the end of the year.” So, we may see the new Apple TV debut as “one more thing” at Apple’s iPhone and Apple Watch press event in September.

Of the seven Apple TV set-top boxes Apple has released, five have been announced in the fall:

1. First-generation Apple TV: September 2006 (originally announced as “iTV”)
2. Second-generation Apple TV: September 2010
3. Third-generation Apple TV: March 2012
4. Fourth-generation Apple TV: September 2015 (renamed “Apple TV HD” in March 2019)
5. First-generation Apple TV 4K: September 2017
6. Second-generation Apple TV 4K: April 2021
7. Third-generation Apple TV 4K: October 2022

Even if the new set-top box doesn’t land in September, it’s a safe bet we’ll see it by November to allow for sales during the lucrative holiday shopping season.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]