After years of anticipation, a new version of the Apple TV 4K. The announcement came during the company's Spring Loaded hardware event, where the new Apple TV 4K was also ed by the new iMacs, upgraded iPad Pro, and even a brand new purple color for the iPhone 12.
Before this latest 2021 model, the most recent Apple TV release was the original Apple TV 4K back in 2017. That's been the flagship streaming box Apple has continued to sell in the years since then, and while it's remained a strong contender in the streaming landscape, some kind of refresh for it has been long overdue. While this latest Apple TV 4K doesn't check all the boxes that fans were hoping for, it does look like a strong new addition to the Apple ecosystem.
the Apple TV uses the iPhone's light sensor to compare and adjust the color balance between it and the TV. Once the process is complete, Apple TV 4K automatically "tailors its video output to deliver much more accurate colors and improved contrast — without customers ever having to adjust their television settings." It's something that no other streaming device offers right now, and it could be an absolute game-changer in helping people see their content in the best way possible.
The Redesigned Siri Remote Has A Lot Of Changes
While all of that's great, the real star of the show with Apple TV 4K 2021 is its redesigned Siri Remote. One of the biggest complaints about the previous Apple TV was that the remote was slippery, too thin, and not comfortable to use. With this new model, Apple appears to have addressed (almost) all of those things.
Right off the bat, the touchpad area from the previous remote is gone. It's now been replaced with a circular d-pad and a select/enter button, but Apple has still retained some touch functionality. s can swipe up and down to quickly scroll through vertical lists, in addition to swiping around the outer ring to fast-forward and rewind. Also new is a back button, mute button, power on/off button, and the Siri button has been moved to the side. While the remote still looks quite slim, there's no denying this is a big step forward compared to the previous design. Furthermore, the new remote will also now be included with the existing Apple TV HD.
Finally, there's pricing and availability. The Apple TV 4K 2021 costs $179 for 32GB of storage or $199 for 64GB. Official sales begin on April 30, with Apple saying the box should be available for shipping in the second half of May. For existing Apple TV owners that want the new Siri Remote, that'll be available as a standalone purchase for $59.
Source: Apple