[DigitalToday reporter Hyunwoo Chu (추현우)] Apple will release the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K on Nov. 13, its first update in four years. It costs $299 (449,000 won in South Korea), up $100 from the previous lowest-priced model.

On Oct. 13 (local time), U.S. IT outlet Engadget compared and analysed the new product with the previous third-generation Apple TV 4K. The new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K uses an A19 chip instead of the A15 Bionic. Apple said CPU performance is up to 50 percent higher and graphics performance has doubled. Memory (RAM) has doubled, and it includes an AV1 hardware decoder for the first time. Wi-Fi 6 has been upgraded to Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5 to Bluetooth 6. Thread support is unchanged.

It has three built-in microphones, allowing users to call Siri without pressing a remote button. The new Siri Remote supports Precision Finding, which guides users to a lost location using an iPhone. It requires iPhone 17 and later models, iPhone Air and iPhone Duo, excluding the 17e. The remote is sold separately for $59, and can be used with all Apple TV 4K models and the 2015 Apple TV HD.

It also supports a surround setup pairing four HomePods into two front and two rear speakers for the first time. Users must have a matching pair of either HomePod mini 2 or second-generation HomePod units. Siri AI will be provided via an update to all Apple TV 4K models from the second generation onward.

With improved performance, the price burden has also increased. The 2022 model cost $129 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model and $149 for the 128GB Ethernet model. Apple raised them in June to $199 and $249, respectively, citing a surge in demand for memory and storage devices due to AI data centres. The new product comes only as a single 128GB Ethernet model. It is $50 more expensive than the 2022 Ethernet model.

Engadget said both generations are limited to 4K at 60fps, so users may not feel much benefit from the A19 if it is used simply for streaming. It added that the assessment could differ for those who often use games or Siri AI. The outlet said it would verify performance differences through a full review around the product’s release.