Being an owner of said version of the Apple TV (also formerly of the 1st gen), I find this very disappointing, but not altogether unexpected. The second beta of iOS 8 dropped on Tuesday and according to those who like to dig out any hints of the future that new code may reveal, there is no sign of the 2nd generation Apple TV. For those of you who didn’t know, starting with the release of the first black, hockey puck sized Apple TV, Apple started using the same A4 chip (or a version of it) that was used in the iPhone 4.
1st Gen Apple TV
With that came the change from using a version of OS X, used in the first Apple TV, to a specialized version of iOS. The latest version of the Apple TV, or 3rd Gen, uses an A5 processor (first used in the iPhone 4S) and gained higher resolution output (1080p) and better sound quality. With Apple obviously phasing out the A4 chip, as indicated by the elimination of the iPhone 4 from iOS 8’s compatibility list, it was only natural that the A4 Apple TV would go as well. It is believed that the 2nd Gen Apple TVs will still be able to purchase content from the iTunes Store and stream video from services like Netflix, Hulu, or HBO Go, but there won’t be any of the new software features introduced with iOS 8. Whether Apple TV “channels” will be still be supported is anyone’s guess.