Streamers eagerly anticipate the release of the new Apple TV, expected next month at WWDC, as it promises significant upgrades like the A17 Pro chip and potentially lower prices, making the current 4K 3rd Gen model obsolete. Picture: Google Gemini
Image: Google Gemini
It’s been four years now since Apple last released a new Apple TV, and it will surely be coming next month according to speculation.
Personally, this is great news for me as my Xiaomi media box 2nd gen, which was released in 2023, is driving me up the wall. It frequently crashes, and often battles to keep a consistent Wi-Fi signal, which can make streaming apps like Netflix a nightmare to use. The Apple TV, even the old one, still runs quite well despite its age, and a new model will be quite enticing.
Apple is believed to be releasing a number of new products at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which will be held from June 8 to June 12.
While new laptops like the new redesigned MacBook Ultra will likely take centre stage, it’s a forgotten product like the Apple TV that is in desperate need of an update.
The Apple TV was last updated in 2022, when the 4K 3rd Gen was released. The base model 64GB version costs R2,999 at the iStore, while the 128GB is R3,599.
When you try to find out more details about the 3rd Gen on the iStore, nowhere does it tell you that this product is now actually four years old.
The biggest news though is that the new model is expected imminently.
The current Apple TV uses an A15 chip, which was also found in the iPhone 13 series. In fact, when the Apple TV 4K 3rd Gen was released in November 2022, the A15 chip was already over a year old.
That means if you buy an Apple TV today, you’re forking over your hard-earned cash for a chip that is almost five years old.
The new Apple TV will reportedly have an A17 Pro chip, which was first used in the iPhone 15 range in 2023. There’s also a good chance the base storage size will be increased, while the price may actually be dropped.
For all these reasons, it means it makes no sense at all to buy the Apple TV 4K 3rd Gen right now.