Apple delivered the latest version of the Apple TV 4K with a new chip, new configurations, and a new price — but it's important to know what prospective buyers will get out of the company's streaming box. The Apple TV is a powerful streaming box designed to fit into Apple's ecosystem, but it hasn't been a must-buy for people who love streaming content on their TVs. It can turn any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV, but there are other streaming sticks that perform the same function for a much lower cost. However, users should know about a few new features of the Apple TV 4K in 2022.
It would have been easy to miss Apple's announcement of an Apple TV 4K refresh in Oct. 2022 because it deviated from annual trends with this year's release. The company often holds keynote events to showcase product reveals. Last year, it had an October special event in New York City to announce new iPad and Apple TV updates. However, Apple dropped the latest Apple TV 4K via a press release, highlighting how it connects with the company's ecosystem of products and services. It debuted alongside a 10th-generation iPad and an updated iPad Pro.
The updated Apple TV 4K looks similar to previous generations of Apple TV in many ways. However, a noticeable visual difference is that the latest Apple TV 4K only has a glossy Apple logo on the top of the streaming box, while older models had the letters 'tv' next to the Apple logo. Under the hood, it packs an A15 Bionic processor — the same as inside the iPhone 13 Pro. This might be overkill for a streaming box, but it facilitates new visual standards on the Apple TV 4K. For example, the device now supports HDR10+ in addition to Dolby Vision, a staple of the Apple TV 4K.
New Configurations & Pricing For Apple TV 4K
Most importantly, Apple dropped the Apple TV HD from its current product lineup and replaced it with two configurations of the Apple TV 4K. The first is a WiFi-only model with a cheaper price tag of just $129. On the WiFi-only model, the only two ports are a power input and an HDMI output. On the other hand, the WiFi + Ethernet option adds a Gigabit Ethernet port in addition to the other two ports and comes with a higher price tag of $149. It also comes with Thread Networking support, which enables quick integration with smart home accessories.
On the audio side, the Apple TV 4K supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital 7.1, and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. It can be paired with HomePods or HomePods Mini for some of these features and is controlled by the Siri Remote. The remote is the same design as the previous generation but is charged using a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector. Despite consumer requests, the new Siri Remote still does not have Find My support. Though the Apple TV 4K features minor changes compared to previous generations, the lower price makes it more accessible as a home streaming solution.
Source: Apple