Losing the Siri Remote down the back of the sofa is basically a rite of passage for Apple TV owners. The new Apple TV 4K fixes that, finally, with Find My support and Precision Finding built right into the remote. Small win, but a real one.
Apple announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K on October 13, and it’s a meaningful step up from the previous model. The headline feature is Siri AI, a rebuilt version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. It takes over the full screen when you ask questions, pulls in rich poster art from the Apple TV app, and actually understands follow-up questions like ‘Where was this filmed?’ or ‘Is this okay for my kids?’ It can also tap into your personal context through an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, so asking ‘Play the show Alinda recommended’ is a real thing you can do now.
Three built-in far-field microphones mean the whole thing works completely hands-free. No remote needed to call up Siri, even with audio playing. That’s a big deal for a living room device.
Under the hood, the A19 chip delivers up to 50 percent faster CPU performance and 2x faster GPU performance than the previous generation. There’s also a dedicated AV1 decoder for more efficient streaming. And for the first time, you can set up a four-speaker surround sound system using HomePod mini 2 units paired with the Apple TV, with automatic room calibration built in.
- Siri AI with full-screen, conversational search
- Three far-field microphones for hands-free control
- A19 chip with dedicated AV1 decoder
- Four-speaker HomePod surround sound support
- Find My support on the Siri Remote
- Apple Intelligence camera descriptions in the Home app
Pre-orders are open now, with availability starting November 13. This is the most complete Apple TV has ever felt, and it’s arriving at a time when smart home and streaming are colliding in ways that actually matter to regular people.