Apple TV (2022) is the expected follow-up to the current Apple TV 4K — a new version of Apple’s streaming set-top box — not to be confused with Apple TV (the app on Apple devices and smart TVs) or Apple TV+ (the streaming service).
New Apple TV Features Rumored (2022)
More powerful A14 chip with more memory
A new Siri remote has been spotted in iOS 16
– A cheaper model may come
There is mounting evidence of a new Apple TV 4K device in the works, in part from analysts and leakers who have revealed possible information on the subject, but also from a stray reference to a new remote control in iOS 16.
Whether that means a replacement for Apple TV 4K (2021) will arrive anytime soon – we’d be surprised if it shows up in 2022, frankly, given that the current model was only released in the spring of 2021 and is pretty close to the date on the devices in question, as support HDMI 2.1. But it’s certainly not impossible if Apple has a good reason to create a new box.
The big question now is what kind of price to expect: One rumor has it that Apple is working on a much cheaper and smaller version, more like a streaming stick than the current boxy model. But another rumor is that Apple is planning to use a high-end processor, which suggests that the current design will continue with the upgraded internals – which likely means the price won’t come down.
We believe Apple should Make streaming cheaper – we talk about why here – but until that becomes official, let’s review what we know so far.
New Apple TV (2022) news and updates
June 28, 2022 – Bloomberg’s Mark Gorman reports that Apple is working on a new Apple TV model with an upgraded A14 processor and more memory.
June 24, 2022 – Developers have tested an iOS 16 discovery code related to a new version of Siri Remote used for the Apple TV.
June 7, 2022 – As WWDC comes and goes without any major tvOS announcements, we’re concerned about the future of the Apple TV platform.
May 25, 2022 – Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is working on a new, cheaper model of Apple TV (Opens in a new tab)slated for release sometime in 2022.
The new Apple TV (2022): price and release date
If Mark Gurman’s rumor that the new Apple TV will feature a more powerful A14 chip is true, we probably wouldn’t expect a new version of the Apple TV 4K to be cheaper than it is now — it seems likely to be a straight-up alternative.
However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s rumor that Apple is working on a cheaper version – perhaps more like a simple streaming stick, without as many apps and elaborate games as the main Apple TV – may mean a cheaper version option.
The cheaper version might make sense not because Apple particularly wants a cheap TV box (they already offer the Apple TV app on many TVs for free, so this appears to be the company’s way to reach more people at a lower cost) — but instead, a device Support for Apple Fitness +. If you want to use this service on your big TV, where it works best, you need both an Apple Watch and an Apple TV – that adds. A cheaper TV stick might help get people to use Apple’s paid fitness service.
As for the release date, we’d be surprised to see it show up in 2022 if it’s just an upgrade to the current box, because Apple only last updated it in 2021, and nothing meaningful has changed in terms of the features you actually need.
However, it might make sense to release a cheaper version before Christmas, so if that one is around, we wouldn’t be shocked to see it in late 2022.
New Apple TV 4K (2022): Features
There is no reason to expect major new features from the new Apple TV. The Apple TV 4K (2021) has been updated with HDMI 2.1, and it’s already much more powerful than any other streaming device on the planet.
There are some software features the Apple TV doesn’t have yet (like HDR10+ support, although that’s coming soon), but those features won’t require new hardware.
Upgrading to its processor may allow for more advanced gaming features, but it will only be used sparingly, most likely.
What we’ll really care about is the Siri Remote that incorporates Apple’s AirTags Ultra Wideband connection technology, so you can use your iPhone to literally point you toward the couch cushion the remote is hiding under when you lose it.