Over at the Apple “Spring Loaded” media event on Tuesday, the company unveiled a new Apple TV 4K, complete with a redesigned Siri Remote.
The unit, which retails for $179, will go on sale on Friday, April 30,and be available in the second half of May in more than 30 counties and regions, including the U.S. The new Siri Remote costs US$59 by itself or $149 with an Apple TV HD.
Where specs are concerned, the new Apple TV contains an A12 Bionic processor, which offers a boost in graphics performance, video decoding, and audio processing.
Per Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing:
Apple TV 4K is in a category of its own, leveraging a deep integration of Apple hardware, software, and services that deliver a massive upgrade to any TV for the very best cinematic experience. With the A12 Bionic and the all-new Siri Remote, Apple TV 4K lets customers enjoy their favorite shows, movies, and more in the highest quality, with simple and intuitive controls. And of course, Apple TV 4K offers easy access to Apple services, along with thousands of apps on the App Store for even more entertainment options.
The new Apple TV 4K will support high frame rate HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Dolby Vision video. This allows for 60 frames per second (fps) content to play more smoothly and also means users can AirPlay HDR videos shot on an iPhone 12 Pro and play them to a new Apple TV 4K and play them back in full 60-fps Dolby Vision. Apple has stated that it is working with the likes of FOX Sports, NBCUniversal, Paramount+, Red Bull TV, and Canal+ as they start to provide content in this fashion.
The new Apple TV also offers a new color balance feature in which it uses an iPhone’s light sensor to register nearby light balances, then automatically tailors its video output to deliver much more accurate colors and improved contrast.
The new Siri Remote functions as a clicked control with five-way navigation that is also touch-enabled. The outer ring of the clickpad now supports a circular gesture too so it can be used as a jog control. Its power button can also control a TV’s power, and there is another button mute for mute too, with the Siri button now on the side. Siri now works on Apple TV in Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand, alongside the existing 13 countries.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via The Mac Observer and Apple