Apple today announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K, which it says will deliver “its most immersive home theater experience yet.”
At the heart of the new box is Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence, which the company says will “transform” how users search and discover content. It also features built-in far-field microphones for hands free communication with Siri AI.
The new Apple TV 4K delivers even faster performance and, when paired with four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers, unlocks the most immersive home theater surround sound setup Apple says it has ever offered. As a home hub, Apple TV 4K also allows for improved smart home management with Apple Intelligence-generated camera activity descriptions and summarized notifications in the Home app, and control of accessories and scenes.
“The new Apple TV 4K is our most immersive home theater experience yet,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With Siri AI, finding something to watch becomes a full-screen, conversational experience, and with built-in far-field microphones, it’s completely hands-free. Pair it with HomePod for the best surround sound setup we’ve ever offered, and it makes managing your Apple Home accessories easier than ever. Now, alongside HomeView, HomePod mini 2, and Apple Home Collection, it’s part of the most connected Apple Home we’ve ever built.”
The A19 chip in the new Apple TV 4K delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster GPU performance than the previous generation, for greater responsiveness, faster navigation, and smoother animations, the company said. The A19 chip also includes a new, dedicated AV1 decoder, enabling more efficient, high-quality streaming while using less bandwidth.
The new Siri Remote keeps its familiar design while adding Find My support with Precision Finding and an option to play a sound on the remote — making it far easier to locate.
Pairing HomePod with Apple TV 4K will allow users to create a four-speaker surround sound experience with Apple TV 4K (4th generation) and HomePod mini 2. The four speakers work together with Apple TV 4K to intelligently recognize their position in the room so audio timing and levels are automatically calibrated to the space. HomePod (2nd generation) can also be used in this four-speaker setup for the ultimate audio experience, as long as the front and rear speaker pairs match.5
The new Apple TV 4K also serves as a home hub, giving users control of their smart home accessories from anywhere.
The new Apple TV 4K retails for $299 and can be pre-ordered starting today, with availability beginning November 13.
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