The sixth-generation Apple TV hardware has finally been unveiled, with the Apple CEO Tim Cook-hosted event giving our first look at the streaming device.
The long-rumored upgrade to an A12 Bionic processor – the one used in the iPad (2020) and iPhone XS. has been confirmed. That chip has been around a few years now, but will certainly offer an upgrade to processing speeds, meaning everything from 4K upscaling to motion control is improved – helped by the addition of high-frame-rate HDR, explicitly for improving sports and action movies, and which can also be streamed from your iPhone via AirPlay.
Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio are here again, but both were already supported in the previous model. Other key iOS features like Apple AirPlay (for casting from other iOS devices), Apple HomeKit (for smart home connectivity), and the Siri voice assistant all naturally return here too – as does Audio Sharing for connecting two sets of AirPods.
One major change is what the ability to “automatically tailor color balance” of your smart TV using your iPhone. If you have a compatible iPhone (we expect this will be limited to more recent models) you’ll be able to use it to measure the color output on your TV screen and then calibrate the video output of the Apple TV 4K.
We got a good look at the new Siri remote that will accompany the 2021 Apple TV 4K. It’s a sleek little thing, with a “one piece aluminium design”, and the Siri button moved onto the side. There’s also a “five-way directional button” that can also rewind or fast-forward when used in a scrolling motion.
This new remote also, though, comes with TV controls, meaning you can use it to turn on your smart TV too.
for gaming, you can connect PlayStation and Xbox Wireless controllers, as with the previous Apple TV 4K, with support for the PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X gamepad both having come to the Apple tvOS 14.5 beta earlier this year.
New Apple TV 4K 2021 UAE price and release date
The Apple TV 4K (2021) will be releasing in “the second half of May” – with units being available to pre-order from April 30. So there’s nowhere you can go to order right now, but it’ll be on its way very soon. It’ll be launching ahead of Ted Lasso season 2 (coming July), though the show will be available on any device with the Apple TV app, provided you have an Apple TV Plus subscription.
We have confirmed pricing for the Apple TV 4K too, with an AED 729 price tag for the 32GB version and AED 819 price tag for the 64GB version.
We’re also told that “The new Siri Remote will be available separately for AED 249 and is compatible with the previous-generation Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.”