Before Apple went ahead and unveiled the new AirPods Max, it was rumored the company could launch a new, upgraded Apple TV before the end of 2020. That didn’t pan out, so all eyes are turned to 2021, where Apple could finally upgrade the set- top box in some worthwhile ways.
And, indeed, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg has reiterated that idea. In a story about the Apple TV as a whole, Gurman adds at the end that Apple plans on upgrading the set-top box sometime in 2021. Gurman doesn’t divulge an exact date (it’s possible Apple hasn’t even nailed this down quite yet), but simply states that “next year” we’ll get a new set-top box with Apple’s log on the top.
Gurman says the Apple TV needs to take “another big leap” if it wants to stay competitive with the streaming TV market at this point. And, indeed, he notes that a lack of an upgraded set-top box right now is a potential misfire on Apple’s part. However, the company could alleviate some of the pressure from a competitive market by finally unveiling a new Apple TV next year.
As far as what’s new? Well, Gurman states matter-of-factly that the new Apple TV will feature a “new processor”, which feels like a given. This could be an A13 Bionic. Or, especially if the new device launches next year, it could even be an A14 Bionic under the hood as Apple itself transitions to that processor’s follow-up in 2021 for other devices.
As far as other upgrades, Gurman says Apple will introduce the new Apple TV with an “updated remote”, too.
More interestingly, the new Apple TV will also reportedly feature a “stronger gaming focus”, which, again, seems like a safe bet at this point. One of Apple’s more promising subscription services is Apple Arcade, which provides access to a rotating library of games of all genres. A gaming-focused Apple TV just makes sense.
But, we’ll have to wait and see how it pans out.
If Apple upgrades the Apple TV next year, are you already planning on upgrading?