To help you navigate what’s going on with Apple’s hobby device, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know. We’ve included details about the new Apple TV, as well as the old (third-generation) model, which launched in 2013, and all the rumours that surfaced prior to this latest box. By the time you’re done reading this piece, you’ll know everything there is to know (and what might’ve been) in regards to Apple TV.
Apple unveiled the new Apple TV during its iPhone 6S event in September. That device is now available to buy. It looks a lot like the old Apple TV, but bigger. It’s mostly different in that it has a new operating system, Siri-backed universal voice search feature, and an app store that offers not only apps but also games. It even comes with a touch- and motion-sensitive remote. The new Apple TV became available for preorder on 26 October but it is now available and ready to buy. You can order the new Apple TV from the UK Apple Store here and the US Apple Store here. Both offer free delivery.
The new Apple TV should be dispatched within one business day. Also, in the US, the Apple TV is available in Apple retail stores from 30 October, with Best Buy and Target also having limited stock available. In the UK, the new Apple TV costs £129 for the 32GB model and £169 for the 64GB version. In the US, the new Apple TV costs $149 for the 32GB model and $199 for the 64GB version.
After Apple launched the third-generation Apple TV in 2013, about 1,300 days went by before Apple surprised with a fourth-generation Apple TV during itsiPhone 6S event in September. And there was a 553-day space between the second-generation Apple TV and the third-generation Apple TV, so, in other words, many fans were used to waiting on Apple to update its hobby device.
That’s not to say the company has ignored its set-top box over the years, having boosted functionality through content offerings and firmware improvements, but the third-generation kit definitely fell behind rivals in specifications. Content deals are one thing, but ease and speed of use on more recent devices like the Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, or Roku boxes surely prompted a new plan.
Priced at £59 ($69) now ($99 then), the third-generation Apple TV first released in March 2012, with 1080p video support and redesigned software, but this box received a minor update in January 2013, adding a smaller A5 chip but leaving core functionality untouched. It was still a black box (measuring 22.9 x 99.1 x 99.1mm), and it only came with an aluminium remote and power lead. With zero buttons and only a single status light on the front, the third-generation Apple TV was simply designed and had to be controlled via its aluminium remote or Remote app. Around the back of the device were ports for connecting it to your TV. You’d see power in, HDMI out, optical audio out, Ethernet, and a Micro-USB socket. You connected it to your network via wireless 802.11b/g/n.
The set-top box featured an A5 processor, a 32-bit system-on-a-chip designed by Apple and manufactured by Samsung. It was the successor to the A4 (debuted in 2011 with the release of iPad 2). The chip’s aging capabilities were most noticeable when Apple released new software for Apple TV alongside the launch of iOS 8. It made the box’s interface line up with the look of iOS 7.
It wasn’t a dramatic overhaul, but some rectangular tiles, such as Movies, TV, Shows, etc, were changed to look brightly-coloured and flat. The tiles served as app-like buttons or channels to Apple’s streaming services, including iTunes Radio, iMovie Theatre, and third-party services like Netflix and HBO Go. The new software also brought iOS’ primary typeface: Helvetica Neue.
In addition to playing movies, music, podcasts, and television shows through iTunes and third-party channels, the third-generation Apple TV supported AirPlay, allowing iOS devices and computers running iTunes to send streaming music to the television, as well as several features that were built into iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, like Family Sharing and iCloud Photo Support.
Oh, and if you were wondering, you can still buy the old Apple TV (2013) for $69 from Apple.