At the iPhone 8 launch on Tuesday, Apple also announced the new Apple TV set-top box, now capable of playing content at 4K Ultra HD resolution. The upgrade is timely, seeing UHD TVs and 4K content becoming more widespread.
The Apple TV 4K’s entry also puts it on equal ground with devices like Roku, Google Chromecast and Amazon.
The latest Apple TV will hit retail channels on 22 September 2017 with pre-orders starting today, 15 September 2017.
There are a couple of cool things the new Apple TV 4K brings to the plate. Firstly, it now supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision high dynamic range technologies. The improvement in visual quality and overall experience is substantial. Whites are whiter, and blacks are blacker, with enhanced contrast as a whole.
Apple has also revamped the set-top box’s user interface, redesigned for 4K resolution.
Under the hood, the little Apple TV 4K is powered by the Apple A10X Fusion processor, rocks 3GB of RAM and comes with either 32GB or 64GB of storage.
With great 4K-capable hardware, comes great 4K content. You can enjoy Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, and soon Amazon Prime Video.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior VP of internet software and services, said in his product presentation, that major Hollywood studios are bringing 4K movies to the iTunes Store.
The great news is that customers who’ve purchased HD content will be upgrade to 4K versions for free.
Hello, live sports
But perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Apple TV announcement is the support for live sports. You’ll find your favourite sports from NBA and MLB, as well as breaking news from Bloomberg and CNN.
Sports fans will love the new Apple TV 4K has a dedicated sports tab that displays every live and upcoming game. There will also be live scores. There’s also notifications for games.
Content is king, as they say. Apple TV lets you browse and watch content from over 60 videos services.
But wait, Apple TV isn’t just about watching and streaming videos. You can also share photos, live photos, 4K videos from your iPhone, iPad, and iCloud to the Apple TV via AirPlay.
Apple Music, with over 40 million songs and counting, can be streamed to the Apple TV, as well.
Apple TV also allows your iOS device to control HomeKit-enabled accessories remotely with the Home app.
Lastly, you’ll have access to thousands of gams and apps on the App Store.
Apple demoed a new game called “Sky” by ThatGameCompany, which is played with the new Siri Remote. Speaking about Siri, you’ll be able to ask Siri to search for a movie, show, genre, and more. Say, “Show me sci-fi movies in 4K.”
Pricing and availability
The new Apple TV is available for pre-order today, 15 September 2017, and retails for USD179/MYR750 for the 32GB, while the 64GB costs USD199/MYR834. The non-4K Apple TV is retained in the lineup for USD149/MYR624. It hits stores starting 22 September 2017.
