Today, during its September iPhone X event, Apple officially announced the latest iteration of its long-running set-top box family of devices, the fifth-generation Apple TV. This model’s called the Apple TV 4K, as the rumors had suggested it would be, and, as the title suggests, it does indeed support 4K UHD content (which will be available through iTunes), as well as High Dynamic Range (HDR) content.
As Apple updates us on the specs and features of the Apple TV 4K, we’ll update this post accordingly. The latest information is available below.
At the heart of the Apple TV 4K, there are two key technologies: 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR). HDR allows for an image with better contrast and better colors, deeper blacks and brighter whites. The Apple TV 4K will support both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, two of the most popular HDR supported offerings.
The Apple TV 4K features an A10X Fusion chipset, the same that’s in the iPad Pro. It’s “remarkably faster” with CPU performance twice as fast as the current model, and graphics are 4X faster. It has the newest version of tvOS on board out of the box. Apple’s iTunes will have 4K UHD with HDR content that’s priced at the HD cost. Apple will automatically upgrade your HD movies to 4K (when supported) at no additional cost. Amazon Prime will support 4K HDR later this year, and Netflix’s tvOS app will support 4K HDR as well.
The Apple TV app is arriving in Canada and Australia later this month, in additional countries later this year. In each country there will be a host of local services added to the mix. Apple TV will also be getting access to live sports through the TV app and third-party apps like ESPN, and give notifications for your favorite teams when they start playing or if a game is close. Live news is also coming to the TV app, too. You can hide team scores, too, from the live page.
There will be a dedicated sports page, which will change based on the seasons (and sports being played). The new TV app will be available on the Apple TV, the iPhone, and the iPad.
Apple hosted That Game Company on stage, where they introduced their new game, Sky. You’ll fly above the clouds to discover a new world, where it brings players together. Game controls can be handled through one finger on the Apple TV’s Siri Remote. With the A10X Fusion processor and Metal 2, the game supports eight players from across the world as well as detailed graphics. The game plays with light and dark themes, with the Children of Light brining light to the areas of the world where it “is needed most.”
Sky is an exclusive iOS and tvOS game, and it will launch sometime this winter.
The Apple TV 4K starts at $179, joining the existing lineup. Orders start September 15 and launches on September 22.