Here we go again, folks. Remember the Apple TV refresh that was supposed to debut at WWDC, but then delayed prior to the event? Well, it’s now slated to debut in September, alongside new iPhones, reports BuzzFeed News:
Sources familiar with Apple’s plans tell BuzzFeed News that the company intends to announce its next-generation Apple TV in September, at the same event at which it typically unveils its new iPhones. The device itself is pretty much as we described it to you in March, sources say, but “more polished” after some additional tweaks. Expect a refreshed and slimmer chassis and new innards; Apple’s A8 system on chip; a new remote that sources say has been “drastically improved” by a touch-pad input; an increase in on-board storage; and an improved operating system that will support Siri voice control. Crucially, the new Apple TV will debut alongside a long-awaited App Store and the software development kit developers need to populate it.
So what we’ll see is new Apple TV hardware, a new remote, Apple TV SDK to support an App Store plus integrate the power of Siri.
Sources tell the well-connected John Paczkowski this will be a “significant overhaul” of the mini set-top box, but don’t expect it to debut alongside Apple’s rumoured Internet cable TV subscription service, anytime soon. Sources say the service could debut “Late this year—maybe, but more likely next year,” echoing a similar report by Re/code.
Back in March, Apple TV saw a $20 price drop in Canada, bringing down the price to $89 CAD.
