Apple has announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K today at its Spring Loaded event. The new iteration of the Apple TV 4K is powered by the A12 Bionic chip which significantly boosts the graphics performance, video decoding, and audio processing capabilities of the device. To accompany the performance boost, the product also ships with an all-new Siri Remote with more intuitive controls.
Commenting on the new Apple TV 4K, Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing said:
“Apple TV 4K is in a category of its own, leveraging a deep integration of Apple hardware, software, and services that delivers a massive upgrade to any TV for the very best cinematic experience. With the A12 Bionic and the all-new Siri Remote, Apple TV 4K lets customers enjoy their favorite shows, movies, and more in the highest quality, with simple and intuitive controls. And of course, Apple TV 4K offers easy access to Apple services, along with thousands of apps on the App Store for even more entertainment options.”
With the A12 Bionic chip, the Apple TV 4K is now capable of high frame rate HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Dolby Vision video enabling 60 frames per second (fps) content to play more smoothly and appear more lifelike. Apple is working with partners including FOX Sports, NBCUniversal, Paramount+, Red Bull TV, and Canal+ as they begin to stream content in high frame rate HDR. In addition, iPhone 12 Pro videos can play in full 60-fps Dolby Vision on the new Apple TV 4K via AirPlay.
Another feature of the new Apple TV is the ability to sync light sensor data from the iPhone to the Apple TV to improve the television’s picture quality. The sensor data is used to compare the colour balance to the industry-standard specification used by cinematographers worldwide to give you more accurate colours and better contrast without having to manually adjust the display settings.
The new Siri Remote now comes with a clickpad that supports five-way navigation and touch gestures. The outer ring of the clickpad now supports a circular gesture which you can use to skip through a movie or show to find your favourite part. The remote also includes a power button that controls the TV’s power and a mute button making it the only remote you need.
Siri can be used to quickly search for shows and movies, control smart home accessories, check sports scores, pull up the weather, and more. Apple used today’s event to announce that Siri will now work on Apple TV in Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand bringing the number of countries and regions that support Siri on Apple TV to 16.
The new Apple TV 4K will be available from Apple’s website starting at $179 in the United States. Customers can pre-order the new device from Friday, April 30, with devices shipping in the second half of May in more than 30 countries and regions. The Apple TV HD with the new Siri Remote will be available for $149, and the new Siri Remote can be purchased singularly for $59 and is compatible with the previous-generation Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.