Apple’s updated Apple TV 4K product page, posted with the $299 Apple TV 4K (4th generation) on October 13, carries footnotes that spell out which model each feature needs. Some features reach back to the original 2017 Apple TV 4K, while others start at the 2nd or 3rd generation, and two are exclusive to the new box that reaches stores on Friday, November 13.
The table below shows what your model gets and what needs an upgrade.
Feature support at a glance
Each row comes from a footnote on Apple’s Apple TV 4K page, the new tech specs page or Apple’s press release.
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| Feature | 1st gen (2017) | 2nd gen (2021) | 3rd gen (2022) | 4th gen (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Fitness+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FaceTime with Continuity Camera | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FaceTime Live Captions | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enhance Dialogue | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snoopy and Woodstock screen savers | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Siri AI (beta) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Music Sing | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 21:9 cinematic aspect ratios | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in far-field microphones for Siri | No | No | No | Yes |
| Four-speaker HomePod surround sound | No | No | No | Yes |
Apple TV HD, which Apple’s support site lists as model A1625 from 2015, is not named in any of these feature footnotes.
What every Apple TV 4K gets
Apple Fitness+ is the broadest feature on the list. The footnote reads: “Requires a subscription. Available on Apple TV 4K (1st generation and later).” Apple lists Fitness+ at $9.99 per month after the free trial.
What needs the 2nd generation or later
The 2nd generation model from 2021 is the cutoff for most of the newer software features:
- FaceTime. FaceTime on Apple TV 4K uses Continuity Camera on a nearby iPhone or iPad. Apple’s footnote says it “Requires a compatible iPhone or iPad with Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later) running the latest operating system software.”
- Live Captions in FaceTime. Apple says FaceTime Live Captions are available on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and later) when the primary language is set to Cantonese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish.
- Enhance Dialogue and screen savers. Enhance Dialogue, which Apple says “pulls spoken words forward,” carries the footnote “Available on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and later).” The same footnote is attached to Apple’s description of the Snoopy and Woodstock screen savers.
- Siri AI. The new Siri arrives as a beta in tvOS 27.2 on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later), with requirements around the home owner’s iPhone or iPad, language and country. We covered those rules in our guide to Siri AI on older Apple TV 4K models.
What needs the 3rd generation or later
Apple Music Sing is the main feature that leaves the 2nd generation behind. Its footnote reads: “Available on compatible iPhone and iPad devices with Apple TV 4K (3rd generation or later) running the latest operating system software. Apple Music subscription required.”
The tech specs page adds a second 3rd generation feature: support for 21:9 and other cinematic aspect ratios on compatible projectors and displays, with the footnote “Available on Apple TV 4K (3rd generation and later).”
What only the 4th generation does
Two features depend on hardware in the new model.
The first is hands-free voice control. In its Apple TV 4K press release, Apple says the new model “features three far-field microphones,” so you can talk to Siri without picking up the remote. Apple notes that far-field microphone support “varies by region and language” and is supported when the primary tvOS language is Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, or Swedish. Older models rely on the Siri button on the remote.
The second is four-speaker surround. Apple’s footnote says it “requires four HomePod (2nd generation) or HomePod mini 2 speakers in matching pairs (front and rear) paired with Apple TV 4K (4th generation) running the latest operating system software.”
The new spec sheet also lists AV1 video, decoded by what Apple calls “a new, dedicated AV1 decoder” in the A19 chip. AV1 is not on the 3rd generation spec page.
Remote features depend on the remote
Find My and Precision Finding are tied to the Siri Remote, not the Apple TV box. According to Apple:
- Find My support is available on the Siri Remote (2nd generation or later).
- Precision Finding works on the Siri Remote (4th generation) paired with iPhone Duo, iPhone Air, or iPhone 17 or later (excluding iPhone 17e).
- “Playing a sound to locate the remote is exclusive to the newest Siri Remote.”
Apple says the new Siri Remote “is compatible with Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K, and is also available for purchase separately,” so an older box can pick up these features with a remote upgrade.
How to tell which model you have
Apple’s Identify your Apple TV model support page lists each model number:
- Apple TV 4K (1st generation): A1842, introduced in 2017
- Apple TV 4K (2nd generation): A2169, introduced in 2021
- Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) Wi-Fi: A2737, introduced in 2022
- Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Ethernet: A2843, introduced in 2022
For smart home use, the page lists Thread on the 2nd generation and the 3rd generation Wi-Fi + Ethernet model only. The 4th generation lists Thread on its single 128GB configuration.
Should you upgrade
A 2nd or 3rd generation model already gets FaceTime, Live Captions and the Siri AI beta, and the 3rd generation adds Apple Music Sing. The $299 model makes most sense if you want hands-free Siri or a four-speaker HomePod surround setup. 1st generation owners have the most to gain, since their box gets Fitness+ but nothing else in the table.
