Latest rumors about Apple TV 5: Release date, prices, features, specifications

In this article, we take a look at what the company Apple is planning for Apple TV, a set-top boxing that combines a digital media player, game console and app platform with the ability to stream content. from devices iOS and Mac computers to TV. We're researching rumors and speculating about when Apple will update the device and introduce new features and software features that Apple is currently working on.

When will Apple TV 5 be released?

According to Bloomberg, a new Apple TV capable of playing 4K content may appear as early as this year. According to Bloomberg sources, the fifth generation Apple TV, codenamed J105, will come in 'brighter' colors.

Thanks to developer logs discovered in March 2017 showing a mysterious new device Apple, there is reason to think that Apple TV 5 is in development.

The co-founder of Firi Games discovered new hardware that appeared in magazines under the name 'Apple TV6,2'. Most likely the current fourth Apple TV has the ID Apple TV5,3, so this could very well be a logical step forward. The new device is also reported to be running tvOS 11.0, adding to the assumption that it is a brand new device Apple TV.

As for the release date of the new Apple TV in 2017, most likely in September there will be a new one Apple TV along with new iPhone and a new operating system iOS (since it is likely that the new Apple TV will use new features in iOS 11, read about iOS 11 here.)

How much will Apple TV 5 cost in Russia?

Apple TV is currently on sale at a price of 10,500 rubles. for the 32 GB version and 13 600 rubles. for the 64GB version. This is more than double the price of its predecessor, which cost RUB 4,500 until it was discontinued in 2016. This device had less functionality than the newer model (lacks TV App Store and a large number of purchased applications), but its price was close to that of competing set-top boxes.

As mentioned in the article above, competing gadgets such as Fire TV from Amazon (RUB 6,000), Google Chromecast Ultra (RUB 5,200), Nexus Player (RUB 6,000) and Streaming Stick from Roku (3000 rub.) cost a lot less than the offer from Apple. We believe that Apple should lower the price of the new model.

Three set-top boxes Apple TV are predicted to be available in three different price tiers based on the idea that Apple will offer a cheaper entry-level model to compensate for the fact that it no longer sells the model third generation:

32GB RUB 7600

64GB 10 600 rub.

128GB RUB 13,700

One of the customs Apple is to keep selling the older model as a cheaper entry-level option. For this reason, we expect Apple to continue selling Apple TV 2015 as an entry-level model.

What are the rumors about changes in the device?

While we don't expect the box itself to look anything different, there will still be some changes inside the device itself to make the new box support 4K.

Will Apple TV 5 have 4K video support?

The Bloomberg report mentioned above claims Apple is working on a 4K launch Apple TV.

There has been some criticism that the current Apple TV is not capable of supporting 4K video, especially considering that the iPhone 6s can shoot 4K video and other competing devices support this resolution (Amazon, Roku, etc.).

However, there are a number of reasons why the timing could be considered just bad – until today – for 4K Apple TV. To name a few: Movies on iTunes are currently in 1080p; capacity Apple TV limited to 64 GB; 4K uses H.265 rather than H.254 (HEVC, which is still new and unfinished); 4K content will overload our servers Apple as well as our broadband providers (4K downloads require much more bandwidth); 4K requires HDMI 2.0 – some 4K TVs don't even support it, and the current one Apple TV only has HDMI 1.4. Perhaps most importantly, there has been very little 4K content so far, and due to the high price of 4K TVs, there has really been no demand for this content.

However, prices for 4K TVs are coming down now, so now the time is right for creating 4K Apple TV.

Will the hard drive be bigger?

If Apple offers 4K capabilities in the new Apple TV, then most likely the device storage will be increased. We expect Apple to add a higher capacity model to the lineup, lowering prices for existing models.

It is expected that Apple will add a 128GB version to the line, but it is possible that a 256GB version will also be added, although there is speculation that Apple will most likely consider that its customers no more storage space is required as they transmit and store content in iCloud.

Will Apple TV 5th Gen have a faster processor?

Another requirement for 4K Apple TV will be a faster processor. Apple TV now uses the A8 chip, which launched with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in September 2014. We expect Apple to use the new chip in the new Apple TV, the A10 Fusion, introduced with iPhone 7 and become even more competitive.

Will the device support AirPods and Siri?

It is possible to use headphones Bluetooth with Apple TV, however there are some restrictions on how many Bluetooth – devices can be paired with Apple TV, especially if one of them is an audio accessory. You can at least concatenate Apple AirPods, and although at the moment this does not happen automatically via iCloud as with iPhone and other devices iOS, automatic pairing is coming soon to tvOS 11.

Unfortunately you cannot activate Siri to Apple TV via AirPods, however we assume this will change in future updates.

Will Apple create their own game controller?

Currently Apple offers Siri Remote with Apple TV. Apple have tried to make their own controller for games on Apple TV. According to some gamers, games available for Apple TV are hindered by Apple insistence that games should work with Siri Remote, but it is still unlikely that Apple will create its own controller.

What software changes might we see?

Although the components cannot be changed, we expect significant improvements from the software side. The software Apple TV lays the foundation for the future Apple TV, according to CEO Apple Tim Cook, who made the following remark in a conference call Apple in third quarter of 2016 to announce the company's financial results:

'The rollout of Apple TV and tvOS last October [2015] and subsequent OS releases and what's coming this fall [2016] … think of it as laying the groundwork for what we think is maybe a more global business over time, ”he said and added:“ I don’t want to go into details, but you should not look at what is today and think that we did what we wanted. We have created a foundation from which we can make something more. '

One area that Apple takes full control of in Apple TV is original content. Cook said at a finance conference in the first quarter of 2017: 'We have come a long way this year and this gives us a foundation for future construction. We are learning a lot about the original content business and thinking about how we could play with it. '

Will Apple TV 5 have tvOS 11?

tvOS is the version iOS that runs on Apple TV. It was introduced with Apple TV in 2015 and acquired the Apple TV Store along with it.

Then tvOS 10 arrived in September 2016, adding a Dark Mode option to Apple TV as well as improved search Siri, a new design for Apple Music and added accessory control options HomeKit. Then, in January 2016, tvOS 10.1 added a TV app that combined all TV shows and movies from various apps on Apple TV in one place.

We expect to see tvOS update in September along with iOS 11. As reported above, developer logs discovered in March 2017 indicate that Apple has a development device running on tvOS 11, so it looks like the update will arrive later this year.

Although Apple did not focus on tvOS at WWDC 2017, the company has released a beta for developers to update and promises a public beta for the first time. It looks like whenever Apple TV 5 comes out, tvOS 11 will come out with it.

Will Apple expand the TV app?

As for the TV app, according to a Bloomberg report, it is a stripped down version of what it should have been. The app was supposed to be a portal for accessing live streaming of the show, but negotiations Apple with content providers have come to nothing.

However, Apple is now making its own shows and the TV app will allow users to discover this content.

The rollout of the TV app is proof that Apple wants to offer a more centralized media viewing experience, even if the content it wants to provide doesn't exist yet.

Will the device support face recognition?

In February 2017, it was revealed that Apple had acquired a company that specializes in facial recognition. While rumors suggest this tech could be used to unlock the future iPhone, some speculate that this tech could also appear on Apple TV.

A future device Apple TV may also include facial recognition technology, so as soon as your Apple TV 'sees' you, the device can automatically take into account your music, TV, and if HomeKit will be integrated into Apple TV, it can also take into account your preferences in your IOT devices such as heating and lighting.

While this is an interesting idea, we don't think it will be a key feature Apple TV of the fifth generation.

What will be the new TV content from Apple?

Apple is preparing to launch some TV shows and is working on original content.

Over the past several years, the company has tried to reach an agreement with a number of manufacturing companies – it was also rumored to be considering buying Time Warner, but negotiations Apple with manufacturing companies have failed, Bloomberg said.

The company hasn't given up on this idea, it just wants to let others do all the hard work for it. As Head of Service Apple Eddie Cue said: 'Whether we provide it or someone else, it really doesn't matter to us. What we are trying to do is build a platform that will allow anyone to deliver content to consumers. If Time Warner [Cable] or DirecTV wants to offer a bundle of their own, they must do so via Apple TV, iPad and iPhone '.

Apple may have changed its tactics in making content accessible for viewing to Apple TV, but the company is expected to rethink how it offers content over the next few months. We also expect to move away from the pay-per-view format and movie rentals on iTunes, as Netflix and other services now offer this content to subscribers themselves.

Is television still an important area for Apple?

Since iPhone is such a significant part of the business Apple and Apple Watch is potentially a device that builds it into the future, can Apple TV go into nothingness? In the past Apple allowed myself to leave the device without updating for several years, could the same have happened? Hardly.

As we mentioned above, the original Apple TV was announced in January 2007, the first delivery in March 2007, this year it celebrates its 10th anniversary (we think that Apple maybe plans to release a new one Apple TV to mark this event). A lot has changed over the past ten years, initially Apple called Apple TV a hobby product, but in recent years the device has become a much more significant part of the business Apple.

In fact, television was an area of ​​great interest to late co-founder Apple and CEO Steve Jobs, who told his biographer Walter Isaacson: 'I would like to create an integrated TV that is very easy to use … the simplest interface you could imagine. I've finally figured out this riddle. ' The appearance of this quote in the biography of Steve Jobs led to long reflections on what Apple will launch the creation of the TV. Despite these rumors, the TV Apple was never released, but Apple was still interested in this area.

CEO Apple Tim Cook stated in September 2014: “Think about how your life has changed and everything has changed, but not the TV. When you walk into the living room, or no matter where you have it to watch it, it feels like you are rewinding time, climbing into a time capsule and flying into the past. The interface is horrible, I mean, it's just disgusting … You only watch something when it is shown, unless you put it on record earlier. '

The first step Apple to create a new TV led to the release of an updated Apple TV in 2015, and with it tvOS and TV App Store. In the coming months Apple will provide users with some software updates, but there is no new device yet.

This does not mean that Apple does not consider Apple TV an important product. The recruitment of former Fire TV head Amazon Timothy D. Tverdahl indicates that television remains an important area for Apple. Tverdal is the new VP in charge of Apple TV. He previously led the Fire Air division from Amazon and previously held executive positions at both Roku and Netflix, so he has a lot of TV streaming experience.

However, a Bloomberg report says Apple has been forced to make many compromises, which mean that while the company cannot fulfill Steve Jobs's dream of re-inventing television or CEO Tim Cook's idea to change how we watch TV.