The next Apple TV is on the way, long overdue, and likely to bring with it multiple updates. Here’s what the rumor mill believes is on the way for Apple’s set-top box.
Apple’s last update to the Apple TV was in 2022. A new model is likely to arrive sometime in 2025, if rumors about the set-top box are to be believed.
As usual for Apple hardware, there are a wide variety of changes expected for the device. What follows is what the rumor mill and online chatter propose Apple will do to its smallest device for the home’s biggest screen.
Apple TV – Redesign and networking
Just as it has done for the Mac mini and other hardware, Apple’s push to make everything more compact will continue with the Apple TV. The 2022 design was a bit smaller, but so will the 2025 update.
Don’t expect a new dongle design or anything too dramatic. It should look like how it does now, but slightly thinner.
Two different models are also expected as usual, with a lower-end entry-level model accompanied by a higher-end version. The upper-tier model will have more storage, thread connectivity, and an Ethernet port.
Networking will also be one of the bigger upgrades for the Apple TV.
Apple has been working on its own in-house wireless chip, which could end up debuting in the Apple TV and a new HomePod. Codenamed Proxima, the chip supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, which are both big upgrades for the set-top box.
These will be replacing the Broadcom chips already used in the Apple TV, and will be the first real-world trial for Apple’s design. Eventually, they will make their way into the iPhone and other hardware.
This could even turn the Apple TV into a mesh access point in the future, helping to improve your home and smart home’s Wi-Fi coverage.
Apple TV – Processing
A faster processor is always a good bet for hardware updates. The A15 Bionic in use at the moment is a powerhouse, but it does have a lot on its plate.
Aside from usual video streaming duties and gaming, it’s also used as a smart home hub. That means it has to deal with HomeKit secure video feeds and other tasks, which aren’t necessarily user-facing.
With a better chip, it could improve the processing, opening itself up to handling more HomeKit analysis tasks.
It’s not hard to imagine an Apple TV with an A18 chip.
Gaming is also becoming more important to Apple, and with netting some major titles on Mac already, giving the Apple TV more power could bring them to the compact device too.
As for what this chip could be, code found in iOS 18 references a new home accessory using an A18 processor. This is the same as used in the iPhone 16.
There’s also a chance that the Apple could end up using the A17 Pro in the Apple TV. It’s the minimum chip required to run Apple Intelligence, which could bring more benefits to the Apple TV.
That includes an improved Siri, with more contextual awareness. This will help improve search, handle follow-up queries, and maybe even improve recommendations for the user.
Apple TV – Audio improvements.
Multiple comments in AppleInsider videos have asked about getting DTS Audio in the Apple TV. We know Apple supports Dolby Atmos, but the people who want DTS aren’t backing down.
To be the be-all-and-end-all of streaming boxes, it should support as many formats as it can. Adding DTS would make sense in this scenario.
Add in that Disney+ added support for DTS:X, it means the format is seeing some higher adoption. Whether that translates into full-blown support is another matter.
Apple TV – Siri Remote
The current second-gen Siri Remote is good, but it could still enjoy some changes. For a start, the side Siri button could receive a small rebranding to an Apple Intelligence button, which wouldn’t take that much to accomplish.
Second-gen Siri Remote
Better Find My support would be welcomed, as even Google made its streaming box easy to find the remote, thank to a button on the back of the box that makes the remote play a sound. This is a simple interface for users, while Apple still uses a more rudimentary Find My implementation.
Telling the user that the remote is in the living room isn’t that helpful. However, real Ultra Wideband support would solve this problem by directing modern iPhones in the right direction.
Apple TV – Possible release times
There were reports that Apple was ready to release the updated Apple TV in early 2024, but pulled back from doing so for some reason.
This could’ve been to add new features, or even to avoid dealing with it during the Apple Intelligence launch. It’s unknown why, but it was seemingly pulled from a 2024 launch, with a 2025 release seemingly more likely at the time of WWDC.
However, no-one ultimately knows when it will be released. A release during the Spring window seems as likely as any other to get a new box to play with.
