Apple Tv 4k Adds Hands-free Siri AI And A Findable Remote
Apple’s $299 streaming box adds an A19 chip, built-in microphones and Siri AI, with preorders open ahead of its November 13 release.
Apple has unveiled a new Apple TV 4K, its first update to the streaming box in four years. The $299 device adds an A19 chip and built-in microphones for hands-free Siri AI commands. Preorders opened October 13, with availability set for November 13, according to TechCrunch and The Verge.
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What changed in the hardware
The new box has three far-field microphones, so viewers can speak to Siri without picking up a remote or using a paired HomePod, TechCrunch reports. The Verge says it also upgrades wireless connectivity to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 while retaining 128GB of storage, an Ethernet port, and Thread and Matter support from the prior top-of-the-line model.
Apple has updated the remote, too. According to TechCrunch, a built-in speaker lets it make a sound when misplaced. The Verge reports that users can ask Siri to find the remote or locate it through Find My on an iPhone.
For audio, the new Apple TV 4K can pair with four compatible HomePod speakers for surround sound, rather than the two supported by earlier Apple TV setups. The Verge says users can combine second-generation HomePods and HomePod mini 2 speakers in pairs, or use four of either model.
How Siri AI works on the TV
Siri AI is designed largely to help viewers find things to watch. The Verge says users can make natural-language requests for recommendations, while Engadget reports that the assistant can also answer general questions on screen. Responses appear as text rather than spoken replies: search results can fill the screen, and answers to other questions can appear in a corner, according to The Verge.
The assistant can also draw on information from a compatible iPhone to identify a show mentioned in a text message, The Verge and Engadget report. The Verge says Siri AI will launch in beta in English in eight countries, including the US.
The reports differ on support for older hardware. One Verge report says Siri AI will also work in beta on second-generation Apple TV 4K models and newer. Another describes the new, fourth-generation box as the first Apple TV 4K to support the assistant. Both identify the new model as offering Siri AI with built-in microphones.
Price and wider rollout
At $299, the new device costs $50 more than the outgoing top-of-the-line Apple TV 4K, according to The Verge. That outlet says Apple is currently the only place taking preorders. The launch came during Apple’s Welcome Home event, where the company also announced other smart-home products, including the HomeView display and HomePod mini 2.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.