One of the strangest announcements from Apple's Spring Loaded event was a new Apple TV model. Beyond a new command, there doesn't seem to be any great reason to give him precious minutes in an event as packed with news as the first keynote of 2021 was.
Yet it was there, showing a new chip and a new controller, although nothing they showed justified the need for more power or a redesigned controller.
We have gathered all the important information about Apple TV for reference when, in the future, this will make the most sense (we are sure that it is the usual Apple system that puts a necessary pillar on which to build something that will come later).
Apple's statement first:
Apple introduces the next generation Apple TV 4K, the best device for watching shows and movies even better
Apple today announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K, which delivers high-frequency HDR with Dolby Vision and connects customers to their favorite content in the highest quality.
At the heart of the new Apple TV 4K is the A12 Bionic chip which provides a significant increase in graphics performance, video decoding and audio processing. And with a completely new design, Siri Remote makes watching shows and movies on Apple TV even easier with intuitive navigation controls.
Paired with tvOS, the most powerful TV operating system, Apple TV 4K works seamlessly with Apple devices and services to magically transform the living room in a way that every family member will love.
Improved video experiences
With A12 Bionic, Apple TV 4K now supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) and high frame rate Dolby Vision video, enabling fast-moving action at 60 frames per second (fps) for smoother and more realistic playback. is working with leading video providers around the world, including FOX Sports, NBCUniversal, Paramount +, Red Bull TV and Canal +, as they begin streaming in high-frequency HDR. Additionally, with support for a high frame rate in AirPlay, videos shot with iPhone 12 Pro can be viewed in Dolby Vision at 60 fps on the new Apple TV 4K.
Continuous Video Playback: Apple TV 4K with HDR High Frame Rate
Through an innovative color balance process, Apple TV works with iPhone and its advanced sensors to improve a TV's picture quality.
Apple TV uses the iPhone's light sensor to compare color balance to the industry standard specifications used by filmmakers around the world. Using this data, Apple TV automatically adjusts its video output to provide much more accurate colors and better contrast, without requiring customers to adjust TV settings.
Siri Remote redesigned
The new Siri Remote features an innovative click pad control that offers five-way navigation for greater accuracy and is also enabled for the quick directional swipes that Apple TV users love.
The clickpad's outer ring supports an intuitive circular gesture that makes it a jog control, perfect for finding a scene in a movie or show. And with its one-piece aluminum design, the new Siri remote fits more comfortably in the user's hand.
The new Siri remote also has a power button that controls a TV's power and another to mute the sound, making it the only remote you need to enjoy television. With Siri, customers can easily search for specific shows or movies, control smart home accessories, check sports scores or the weather, and more. Siri now works on Apple TV in Austria, Ireland and New Zealand, joining the 13 countries and regions that already support Siri.
More to taste in the living room
Apple TV 4K runs tvOS, the most powerful TV operating system, delivering a truly unique experience. Its tight integration with Apple devices and services gives all family members a variety of entertainment to enjoy from the comfort of their living room.
Apple TV 4K offers the most cinematic home theater experience, giving customers easy access to all their favorite entertainment on the biggest screen in the home, such as award-winning shows and movies on Apple TV +, including 'Ted Lasso', 'The Morning »Show,« »Greyhound« and »Wolfwalkers« and other popular video services via the Apple TV app. With AirPods, up to two viewers can enjoy private listening without disturbing each other.
- Apple Music on Apple TV 4K transforms the living room into a concert hall, delivering multi-room audio and time-synced lyrics for millions of songs.
- Fitness + on Apple TV 4K delivers studio-style workouts to clients in the comfort of their own home, with a team of some of the world's friendliest trainers across 10 different workout types. Fitness +, the first Apple Watch-based fitness service, integrates key Apple Watch metrics directly onto the big screen to deliver a personalized and engaging experience that keeps you motivated with every workout.
- Apple Arcade on Apple TV 4K offers unlimited access to a growing collection of over 100 premium games, with original new releases, award winners and favorite App Store favorites - all without ads or in-app purchases. Players can pair compatible game controllers to enjoy games like "NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition", "SongPop Party" and "Star Trek: Legends" on Apple TV 4K and continue the action from iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- AirPlay on Apple TV 4K allows customers to easily share videos, school projects and other content from their iPhone, iPad or Mac, directly to their TV. Videos shot with iPhone 12 Pro can be viewed in Dolby Vision at full 60 fps thanks to support for high frame rates in AirPlay. Photos on Apple TV 4K act as a dynamic photo album for family and friends to enjoy photos, videos and memories on the big screen.
- Apple TV 4K can be used as a home hub to control HomeKit accessories and allows customers to view HomeKit cameras and doorbell notifications on the TV screen.
- With multi-user support on Apple TV 4K, family members can take advantage of their own personalized recommendations for shows, movies and music, access apps purchased from the App Store, or play on Apple Arcade.
Price and availability
The new Apple TV 4K will be available starting at € 199 on apple.com, in the Apple Store app and in Apple Stores. Apple TV 4K is also available through authorized Apple resellers and select pay-TV providers.
Customers can order the new Apple TV 4K starting Friday, April 30, with availability beginning in the second half of May in more than 30 countries and regions, including the UK.
Apple TV HD with the new Siri Remote will be available for € 159.
The new Siri Remote will be available separately for € 65 and is compatible with the previous generation of Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.
For the first time, AppleCare + will be available for Apple TV, providing three years of technical support and additional hardware coverage, including up to two accidental damage protection incidents every 12 months.
Customers can find the same great shopping and support services on apple.com and Apple Stores. Anyone can get purchase assistance from Apple specialists, choose monthly financing options, and get Apple support and contactless pickup or delivery options from the Apple Store.
Customers can test drive the new Apple TV 4K at an Apple Store and get their questions answered in person. Prior to their visit, customers are encouraged to consult apple.com/uk/retail for information on opening hours, available services, and health and safety measures in place.
For a limited time, eligible customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac can enjoy one year of Apple TV + and three months of Apple Arcade for free.
More news on the new Apple TV
Apple TV's new iPhone-based color balance feature coming to 2015 and later models
Starting with tvOS 14.5 and iOS 14.5, users will be able to hold an iPhone with Face ID near the TV, and after tapping a notification, the iPhone's front camera and ambient light sensor will start measuring color and adjusting automatically. color. from Apple TV. output to provide more accurate colors and better contrast. Apple says this process will result in better picture quality without adjusting the TV settings.
Although this feature was announced alongside a new Apple TV 4K, Apple's press release confirms that the color balance process will also be available for the previous generation Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD with tvOS 14.5, which will be released next. week.
The new Apple TV 4K supports WiFi 6, Thread and HDMI 2.1
The new Apple TV 4K features an HDMI 2.1 port instead of an HDMI 2.0a port and offers support for 4K 60fps HDR video output. The code found recently in tvOS 14.5 seemed to indicate that the new Apple TV could support 4K 120Hz output, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Along with HDMI 2.1, the new "Apple TV" supports 802.11ax WiFi 6 with MIMO. Apple has introduced WiFi 6 support for its newest devices, and WiFi 6 is the newest and fastest WiFi protocol available with improved speeds, expanded network capacity, lower latency, better energy efficiency, and improved performance in places with many devices.
Apple TV 4K is the second Apple device to have integrated Thread support, after HomePod mini. Thread is a low-power networking technology that offers a secure mesh-based system that can interact with other Thread-enabled smart home devices to improve connectivity.
While not mentioned in the Apple TV specs, the beta version of tvOS 14.5 suggests that the new Apple TV model is eARC compatible, which offers more bandwidth and speed to send higher quality audio from TV to TV.
AppleCare pricing for Apple TV
For the first time, customers can now purchase extended coverage with AppleCare + for their Apple TV. With extended coverage, customers receive an additional three years of protection from the date of purchase of AppleCare + and two additional accidental damage incidents. Previously, Apple only offered standard "AppleCare," which offers two years of coverage and no accidental damage.
For both the new generation Apple TV 4K and the old Apple TV HD, AppleCare + will cost an additional $ 29 or $ 4,83 per month for 6 months.
The new Siri Remote does not have a U1 chip and therefore does not work with Search
The newly introduced Siri remote, which will be sold alongside the new Apple TV 4K and can also be purchased separately, does not have a built-in U1 chip, so it doesn't appear to be compatible with the search app.
There is no ultra-wideband U1 chip in the specs of the Siri remote, nor is the Find My app mentioned, and now Apple has confirmed to The Verge that this is not an oversight - the remote does not have a U1 chip. .
Before the launch of the new Apple TV 4K, there were rumors that the Siri remote control had a search function to be able to locate it when it was lost inside the house, but this function does not seem to have been implemented. If Search were available for remote control, surely Apple would have mentioned it.
It appears that the 2021 iPad Pro models also lack a U1 chip, although the new Apple TV has support for U1.
Devices with U1 so far are the iPhone 11 models, iPhone 12 models, the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.
