Apple has published a comparison chart showing the major differences between its $69 2013 Apple TV and "the new Apple TV" announced on September 9 that starts at $149. Most people will probably call the new model the "4th generation" version.
Excerpt from the chart. Image credit: Apple
Notable items include:
- The new (4th gen) Apple TV is capable of Dolby Digital 7.1 output. The 3rd generation model only supported Dolby Digital 5.1.
- The 4th gen Apple TV adds 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
- The 4th gen Apple has HDMI 1.4 suggesting that, unless there's a facility for a firmware upgrade on already capable hardware, this model really is limited to 1080p.
A learn more link near the top takes you to much more information about the 4th gen Apple TV.