It looks like the Apple TV 4K is getting another upgrade, with one of the industry's top analysts predicting that a cheaper model will see the light of day in the second half of 2022, though exactly what that will look like remains unclear.
This comes from Ming-Chi Kuo, who is generally aware of Apple leaks. Apple's streaming media device was last updated in April 2021, when it received a faster processor and a redesigned remote control.
The new box may replace the Apple TV HD that launched in 2015 and is still on sale, which retails for $149 / £139 / AU$209 at the time of writing, compared to a starting price. $179 / £169 / AU$249 for the Apple TV 4K.
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The next Apple TV
Kuo doesn't offer any details about the next device, just saying it will appear in the second half of this year and improve the "cost structure" so we may get a smaller streaming device like the Amazon Fire TV. 4K stick.
We're guessing it will support 4K resolutions, 2022 and all, and it seems like a given that all the usual Apple tech will be on board, including AirPlay for streaming content from an iPhone or Mac.
Kuo's tweet mentions Apple's renewed focus on content and services, and any new hardware we get will of course be used to bring Apple TV Plus to more subscribers (and may well come with a free trial of the service).
Analysis: Apple needs a cheap streamer
You don't have to look far to find a cheap streaming stick you can plug into the back of your TV, whether it's $49.99 / £59.99 / AU99 Chromecast with Google TV, anything made by Roku, or the Amazon stick. we mentioned earlier.
These devices bring services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, Spotify and more right to the biggest screen in your home. Also, many modern televisions now integrate these services.
That's a bit of a problem for Apple: while the Apple TV 4K does come with plenty of extras (including tight integration with other Apple services like Apple Arcade), it's relatively expensive compared to competing hardware out there.
That's where a new Apple TV 4K HDMI Stick (or whatever it ends up being) will come in: everything you'd expect from a device running tvOS software, but in a smaller, cheaper form factor, which should end up being a winner. for Apple