The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K brings Siri AI to the big screen while doubling graphics performance and raising the price to $299.
Apple’s first streaming box update in 4 years
Siri AI enters the living room with a full conversational experience
Faster A19 processor, findable remote control, and spatial audio
Widespread criticism over higher price and launch delays since 2024
FAQs
Apple’s first streaming box update in 4 years
Apple announced the launch of the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, marking the popular streaming device’s first update in a full 4 years. The new model is powered by the advanced A19 chip, includes built-in microphones enabling hands-free use of the rebuilt Siri AI, and comes with an updated remote control that can emit an audio tone when lost. Priced at $299, the device became available for pre-order on Tuesday ahead of its retail release on Friday, November 13, 2026.
The new streaming device was one of several products revealed by Apple during its “Welcome Home” event in New York City, alongside the HomeView smart display, the HomePod mini 2 speaker, and the Apple Home Collection accessory lineup.
Wired magazine described these simultaneous announcements as Apple’s largest strategic push into the smart home market in many years.
Siri AI enters the living room with a full conversational experience
Apple describes Siri AI as a brand-new version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple’s intelligence architecture. On the television screen, the assistant displays full-screen results while users search, and in an overlay thumbnail while content is playing without interrupting playback. Examples of questions demonstrated by the company include: “Where was the TV series Pluribus filmed?” and “Is this movie appropriate for a 15-year-old?”
If the user owns an iPhone, the assistant can draw on personal information stored on the phone to execute contextual requests such as: “Play the TV show Alinda recommended.” Three far-field microphones equipped with echo cancellation technology clearly capture voice commands even while music or movies are playing loudly.
Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of worldwide product marketing, stated: “With Siri AI, finding something to watch becomes a full-screen conversational experience, and thanks to the built-in far-field microphones, the experience is completely hands-free.” Siri AI will launch in an English-only beta across 8 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and India, and will also work on Apple TV 4K models starting from the second generation onward.
Faster A19 processor, findable remote control, and spatial audio
Apple emphasizes that the A19 processor, first used in iPhone 17 models, delivers up to 50 percent faster CPU performance and double the GPU performance compared to the previous model. The processor also adds a dedicated hardware decoder for the AV1 video format, enabling ultra-high-definition video streaming with lower bandwidth consumption. The device is offered in a single tier featuring 128GB of storage, Wi-Fi 7, and a Gigabit Ethernet port.
The updated Siri Remote works with the Find My app and Precision Finding feature, and can play an alert sound to help users locate it between couch cushions. It is also compatible with older Apple TV models.
For the first time, users can pair four HomePod mini 2 speakers or second-generation HomePod speakers to create a complete spatial audio system that automatically calibrates itself to the dimensions of the room.
Widespread criticism over higher price and launch delays since 2024
The device’s new price tag drew the heaviest criticism in tech circles, with Engadget noting that the $299 price is $100 higher than the starting price of the previous model, even after Apple raised prices earlier this year.
Wired estimated the price increase at around $170 compared to the older base model, while Gizmodo pointed out that the new device costs $150 more than competing streaming hardware like the Google TV Streamer.
TechCrunch reported, citing Bloomberg, that Apple originally intended to launch the device in 2024 but was forced to repeatedly delay it due to technical hurdles encountered during the development of the AI-powered Siri assistant.
FAQs
Question: What are the most prominent technical changes in the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K?
Answer: The device is powered by the A19 processor, which is 50 percent faster in processing and twice as fast in graphics, and includes 3 built-in far-field microphones, 128GB of storage, and Wi-Fi 7 support.
Question: How does Siri AI help users while watching television?
Answer: It enables hands-free voice search, answers questions about movies and their age-appropriateness, and draws on iPhone data to play shows recommended by friends in messages.
Question: How much does the new Apple TV 4K cost, and why did it face criticism?
Answer: It costs $299, and analysts criticized it because it is priced about $100 higher than the previous model and $150 more than Google’s competing streaming device.
Question: Will the Siri AI feature be available on older Apple TV devices?
Answer: Yes, Apple confirmed that the Siri AI beta will also run on Apple TV 4K models starting from the second generation onward across 8 countries in English.
