Apple TV (2021): Release date, price, features, and more

Apple revealed the new Apple TV 4K during the 'Spring loaded' event. This new sixth-generation Apple TV has a brand new processor and some amazing new features that enhance your overall home theater experience. Here is everything you need to know about the new Apple TV 4K.

What's the latest on the Apple TV 4K (2021)?

Apple revealed the next generation Apple TV 4K at the 'Spring loaded' event. This new Apple TV 4K has a brand new Siri remote, innovative color balance technology, and high frame rate HDR to give you the best home theater experience.

What are the specs for the Apple TV 4K (2021)?

The new Apple TV 4K features an A12 Bionic chip. This will give the device a significant boost in graphics performance, video decoding, and audio processing. It now also supports High Frame Rate HDR and Dolby Vision video, allowing video to play smoother at 60 frames-per-second. Apple is already working with major studios like FOX Sports, NBCUniversal, Paramount+, Red Bull TV, and Canal+, as they begin to stream in high frame rate HDR.

And with the new A12 Bionic and high frame rate support for AirPlay, videos that are shot on the iPhone 12 Pro can also be displayed in full 60fps Dolby Vision on the Apple TV 4k.

The new Color Balance process allows the Apple TV to work with the iPhone and its advanced sensors to improve the television's picture quality. This is done by utilizing the light sensor in the iPhone to compare the color balance to the industry-standard specifications used by cinematographers all over the world. WIth this data in hand, the Apple TV automatically adjusts video output to deliver much more accurate color and improved contrast. All without having to manually adjust the television settings.

What about the Apple TV 4K (2021) remote?

Source: Apple

Along with the new Apple TV 4K, Apple revealed the brand new Siri Remote. This updated remote features an innovative clickpad control with five-way navigation for better accuracy. It still retains touch-enabled controls for the directional gestures that Apple TV users are already used to. The outer ring of the clickpad also supports inutitive circular gesture that turns into a jog control, allowing for easier and faster scrubbing through a movie or television show.

The Siri Remote is now also a one-piece aluminum design with high contrast buttons so it's easy to tell what you're pressing or swiping on. A new feature is the power button that can be used to fully control your television set, as well as the mute for the tv. This makes it the only remote you need for your entire TV experience. And with Siri voice control, you can control HomeKit accessories, check weather or sports scores, and more. Siri works on Apple TV in Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand, which joins the other 13 countries and regions that already support Siri.

What version of tvOS can the Apple TV 4K (2021) run?

We aren't expecting an update to tvOS until WWDC 2021, so that means that the next Apple TV (2021) will continue to run tvOS 14. This was a significant update, though, and it brought some great new features for Apple TV owners.

With the next Apple TV (2021) and tvOS 14, we can expect better hardware for the new Control Center for the best HomeKit accessories, multiple Apple Arcade user support, more game controller support, and an amazing Picture-in-picture mode.

How much will the Apple TV 4K (2021) cost and when is it coming?

The new Apple TV 4K will cost $179 for the 32GB version, or $199 for 64GB. It will be available to pre-order on April 30, and will be available in the second half of May.