Apple announced Apple TV 4K (4th generation) on October 13, priced at $299 (U.S.) or $49.83 (U.S.) per month for six months with Apple Card Monthly Installments. Apple says pre-orders are open in the U.S. and 29 other countries and regions, with availability in stores beginning Friday, November 13.
The new box runs on the A19 chip, adds three far-field microphones for hands-free Siri, and is built around Siri AI, the new version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence. It also unlocks a four-speaker surround setup with HomePod mini 2 and picks up Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and a Siri Remote with Find My.
One model, one price
The 3rd generation Apple TV 4K came in two versions: a $199 Wi-Fi model with 64GB and a $249 Wi-Fi + Ethernet model with 128GB. Apple has collapsed that into a single configuration. According to Apple’s spec page, the 4th generation model has 128GB of storage, Gigabit Ethernet and Thread networking as standard.
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That makes the entry price $100 higher than before, and $50 more than the old 128GB model. In return, everyone gets Ethernet and Thread, which used to be reserved for the pricier box.
| Spec | Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) | Apple TV 4K (4th generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Price (U.S.) | $199 (Wi-Fi), $249 (Wi-Fi + Ethernet) | $299 |
| Storage | 64GB or 128GB | 128GB |
| Chip | A15 Bionic | A19 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 6 |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 128GB model only | Yes |
| Thread | 128GB model only | Yes |
| HDMI | HDMI 2.1 | HDMI 2.1 |
| Microphones | Not listed | Three-microphone array with voice isolation |
| AV1 decoding | Not listed | Dedicated AV1 decoder |
| Siri Remote | Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C | Bluetooth 6, USB-C, Find My with Precision Finding |
| Weight | 208 g (Wi-Fi), 214 g (Wi-Fi + Ethernet) | 217 g |
A19 performance and AV1
Apple says the A19 chip delivers up to 50 percent faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster GPU performance than the previous generation. The chip also includes a new, dedicated AV1 decoder, which Apple says enables more efficient, high-quality streaming while using less bandwidth.
Siri AI and hands-free control
The headline software feature is Siri AI, which Apple describes as a full-screen experience on Apple TV 4K. Users can ask questions such as “What Apple TV shows won at the Emmy Awards this year?” and get poster art from the Apple TV app, or ask follow-ups while watching, with answers shown in a compact overlay. With an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, Siri AI can also use personal context for requests like “Play the show Alinda recommended.”
Timing comes with caveats. Siri AI is available as a beta in tvOS 27.2, and it is not exclusive to the new hardware: Apple says it also works on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) or later. At launch it supports English in the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK.
There are requirements in the footnotes. The owner of the home in the Home app needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad running the latest software, with Siri AI turned on and set to a supported language. Apple also notes that Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU in iOS or iPadOS, and that some server-side Apple Intelligence features are subject to daily usage limits.
What is exclusive to the new box is hands-free use. Its three far-field microphones use echo cancellation to pick up “Hey Siri” or “Siri” even while audio is playing. Far-field support varies by region and language and works when the primary tvOS language is set to Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian or Swedish.
“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.”
Four-speaker surround with HomePod mini 2
For the first time, Apple TV 4K (4th generation) can drive a four-speaker surround setup with HomePod mini 2. Apple says the speakers recognize their position in the room so timing and levels are calibrated automatically. HomePod (2nd generation) can also be used, as long as the front and rear pairs match. The setup requires four speakers in matching pairs (front and rear) and an Apple TV 4K (4th generation) running the latest software.
Home hub and Siri Remote
As a home hub, Apple TV 4K supports automations, guest mode and secure local processing of HomeKit Secure Video, now with Apple Intelligence-generated camera activity video descriptions and summarized notifications. Video descriptions require setup on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad and an eligible iCloud+ plan, and some features are limited to a number of cameras depending on the plan. With a compatible doorbell, users can see who is at the door, speak with them and unlock the door without leaving what they are watching. Siri AI can also control accessories and scenes hands-free.
The new Siri Remote keeps the same design but adds Find My with Precision Finding and an option to play a sound. Precision Finding needs iPhone Duo, iPhone Air, or iPhone 17 or later (excluding iPhone 17e). The remote is compatible with Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K and is sold separately too.
Everything else Apple announced
- Customizable iCloud photo screen savers set up from an iPhone or iPad, plus a new screen saver shuffle feature
- FaceTime calls with Continuity Camera on the TV
- Secure Exclaves on the A19 that process microphone data separately from the rest of the system
- Siri requests handled on-device or with Private Cloud Compute
Full details are in Apple’s announcement of the new Apple TV 4K. Owners of a 2nd or 3rd generation model get Siri AI without upgrading; the A19, the microphones, Wi-Fi 7 and HomePod mini 2 surround are what the $299 buys.
