The moment is finally here as Apple took to the stage to announce its yearly updates to its products. As expected through various rumors, Apple has announced a 4K HDR capable Apple TV.
The new Apple TV will be powered by the A10X Fusion chip, the same as in the iPad Pro. Apple claims it's twice as fast as the current Apple TV with graphics that are four times as fast. The addition of 3GB of RAM will allow for a smooth 4K picture at 60 frames per second. That extra power also makes the Apple TV a capable gaming console as well. ThatGameCompany, the developer of Journey, is creating a new online multiplayer game called Sky exclusively for the Apple TV.
One of the surprise announcements was that 4K movies and TV shows will be the same price as current HD content. Previous reports regarding the new Apple TV said that Apple was having trouble convincing content providers to price 4K media the same as regular HD. As an added bonus, any HD content that was previously purchased by the customer will get an automatic upgrade to the 4K HDR version at no extra cost.
The new Apple TV will also include live sports from providers such as ESPN. There will be a separate sports tab that contains content on sports that changes depending which sports are in season. Users will be able to get notifications on their favorite teams with suggestions being shown on the Watch Now section.
The latest Apple TV will be available on September 22 for $179 with 32GB of internal storage or $199 with 64GB. Pre-orders start September 15.