Apple has officially moved the very first 4K version of its streaming box to the vintage products list. The move happens just days before the company is scheduled to reveal new smart home hardware. The original 2017 box holds a special place in history as the first model to support 4K video, but it is finally showing its age.
Apple tags the 2017 streaming box as a vintage product
The first-generation Apple TV 4K hit store shelves back in 2017. It brought big changes to living rooms, packing an A10X Fusion chip and supporting both Dolby Vision and HDR10. It gave people their first real taste of super sharp streaming video from the company.
Now that it sits on the vintage list, the old reliable box will be much harder to fix. The company usually stops offering repair parts for vintage hardware unless local laws say otherwise. Nine years is a solid run for any streaming box.
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Most people hanging onto the 2017 model are likely tired of using the original glass Siri Remote. The touch surface was easily broken and often confusing to handle in the dark. It is clear that the aging hardware is finally due for retirement.
Rumors point to a major processing upgrade for new models
The timing of this vintage label lines up perfectly with a big event next week. A fourth-generation streaming box is expected to show up at the “Welcome home” launch on October 13. Fans are eager to see what changes are coming.
The most exciting rumor suggests the new box will use a modern A19-class chip. This would be a massive leap forward from the A15 Bionic chip used in the 2022 model. A faster chip could turn the TV into a much better gaming device for titles downloaded from the App Store.
We might also see more RAM, Wi-Fi 7 support, and a heavily revised Siri Remote. It could even be announced alongside new HomePod mini color options. If you still have the 2017 model sitting under your television, the wait for a meaningful upgrade is almost over.
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