A New Apple TV

Probability: Very Low.

The Apple TV now qualifies as Apple’s most-neglected product, last refreshed in 2017 with the Apple TV 4K. While that model still works just fine for video streaming, it’s starting to feel its age when it comes to some of Apple’s latest Arcade titles.

We’ve been hearing about a refresh to the Apple TV for over a year now, but sources disagree on whether that will simply be to bump the standard box up to a more powerful A12 chip, or whether Apple is going to release an insanely powerful gamer-focused model with an A14 or A14X chip packed inside.

Then there’s the more recent report of a more full-featured Apple TV that would include a FaceTime camera and HomePod speaker. It’s uncertain whether that’s supposed to be a replacement for the set-top box or some kind of “Apple TV Pro”, however.

The most likely explanation for all of this is that Apple is working on several possible approaches to the next-generation Apple TV, but whether any of these will ever see the light of day is another matter. In fact, in an era of smart TVs and game consoles that now have Apple TV+ and other streaming services built-in, it’s fair to say that Apple is likely trying to figure out exactly where its own set-top box is supposed to fit in.

What Could Be Coming: If Apple announces anything Apple TV-related tomorrow — and that seems like a pretty big “if” — it’s likely to be little more than a refresh to the set-top box we already know, adding a faster CPU and 120Hz screen support for make it more gamer-focused, likely intended to tide us over until a much more substantial new version is ready.