Four years after its last refresh, Apple is finally renewing its famous media box with the announcement of the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. On the menu for this 2026 vintage: the integration of the powerful A19 chip, the arrival of the voice-controlled Siri AI interface without a remote, and a bill that rises sharply to 349 euros !
It was time, some will say... Since the 2022 version, the apple brand had not touched its Apple TV 4K box. But a long renewal cycle is often the norm for this somewhat special product within Apple's catalog. As suspected for the past few weeks, the American company took advantage of its Welcome Home event held this October 13 to unveil the new Apple TV 4K, featuring an enclosure unchanged in shape but deeply revamped under the hood. The goal is clear: to turn Apple TV into a true nerve center of the connected home, designed to handle Siri AI conversational requests.
Apple TV 4K 2026, A19 chip and hardware AV1 decoding
Apple is therefore abandoning the aging A15 Bionic chip to graft in the A19 processor, directly inherited from the iPhone 17. The technical leap is clear: the company announces a CPU up to 50% faster and a GPU twice as fast compared with its predecessor. This outpouring of power comes with a brand-new hardware decoder dedicated to the [abc]AV1[/abc] codec, ideal for ensuring very high-definition video [abc]streaming[/abc] while reducing bandwidth consumption. On the connectivity side, the box is fully equipped with support for [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] 7, [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 6, and the essential Thread and Matter home automation protocols. Storage, meanwhile, stands at 128 GB on an internal SSD, twice that of the Apple TV 4K 2022 in its entry-level version.
Apple TV 4K 2026, three microphones for 100% hands-free control
But the real revolution concerns the use of the Apple TV 4K and lies in the integration of three Far Field technology microphones directly into the body of the box. Combined with an advanced echo-cancellation process, this new feature makes it possible to isolate the user's voice to summon Siri while watching a movie, without ever having to look for the remote control or own a HomePod speaker. To guarantee privacy, audio-capture data analysis is strictly isolated from the tvOS system and third-party apps via secure zones called Secure Exclaves. But there is a catch... If the microphones perfectly recognize French, you will nevertheless have to wait to enjoy Siri AI's full conversational capabilities, which are currently deployed in beta version in eight English-speaking countries. The Cupertino firm still runs up against the laws in force on personal data in Europe.
Siri Remote with tracking and four-speaker Home Cinema
The Siri Remote retains its distinctive design but finally gains the Find My function. If lost, the accessory uses precise Bluetooth technology from a recent iPhone and can emit a sound signal so it can be easily found. On the acoustic front, as presumed in our previous news, the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K reaches a new level: it allows two identical pairs of HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) to be combined to form a robust four-speaker surround system. The box automatically calibrates spatial audio according to the room's acoustics.
The only real disappointment for this new Apple TV 4K is its price, which reflects spectacular inflation compared with the 2022 model launched at 189 euros. Apple justifies its price by the integration of a 128 GB SSD, a flash memory component whose prices have recently skyrocketed.
Available for pre-order. Deliveries will begin on Friday, November 13, 2026. Indicative price: 349 euros.
Reminder of the key features of the Apple TV 4K (2026):
• Type: multimedia box and home automation hub
• Processor: A19 chip
• Video: dedicated [abc]AV1[/abc] hardware decoder
• Storage: 128 GB SSD
• Connectivity: [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] 7, [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 6, Thread and Matter
• Audio: support for four-speaker surround configurations (with HomePod)
• Voice control: 3 built-in far-field microphones (hands-free)
• Remote control: Siri Remote with Find My function (Bluetooth precision and sound emission)
• Smart features: Siri AI (beta), Secure Exclaves audio processing
