My 2017 Apple TV 4K is so old that it's now considered to be a vintage product, but that's fine, because there's a new model on the horizon with some features that I can't wait to try out.
Apple routinely adds products to its vintage list when it last sold them more than five years ago, but less than seven years ago. It means that those products might be harder to get parts for, should a repair be needed.
As of October 9, 2026, the 2017 Apple TV 4K has been added to that list. I already knew that this thing was showing its age, and that it was probably time for an upgrade.
But years of lackluster Apple TV hardware updates left me waiting for something new and exciting. On the hardware front, that never really happened, but with the 4th-gen Apple TV 4K rumored to be days away, I can't wait to see what Apple has been cooking up.
To be very honest, the rumors have so far pointed to the new model looking very much like the old one. And it'll, of course, run tvOS, like all other Apple TV 4K generations.
But as the not-so-proud owner of an Apple TV that's almost a decade old, there are some key features I'm keen to try out. The new model can't come soon enough for me.
Living with a 9-year-old Apple TV 4K
I think it would be a good idea to remind everyone just what the original Apple TV 4K had to offer. At the time, it was pretty great, but it's severely limited in 2026.
The first thing I want to call out is the Siri Remote that my family and I have been subjected to for so long. The 1st-gen Apple TV 4K came with a glass Siri Remote. The one with a huge touch surface at the top.
It sucked in 2017, and it sucks in 2026. There's a reason Apple ditched it with the 2nd-gen Apple TV 4K.
On a more positive note, the Apple TV 4K was the first Apple TV to support 4K video. The name might have given that away.
On the inside, the whole thing was powered by an A10X Fusion chip straight out of the iPad Pros of the time. 32GB and 64GB models were offered.
Connectivity-wise, HDMI 2.0a included support for 4K with Dolby Vision and HDR10. A Gigabit Ethernet port was a welcome sight for those of us running home media servers, too. Dual-band 802.11ac WiFi was offered for those not willing to run cables everywhere.
In short, the Apple TV 4K was a product of its time. But that time is long gone.
Exciting new stuff
With the stage set, it should be clear why I'm keen to upgrade. There are a few reasons, if we're going to be specific about things.
The Siri Remote
I think there's a world where I'd seriously consider upgrading to a new Apple TV 4K generation just to get a new Siri Remote. Yes, I know I could just buy one of the newer models and use it with my old box, but I can't bring myself to spend that kind of money when the old one still kinda sorta works.
The new Apple TV 4K can't come soon enough
Sure, our current Siri Remote is cracked, and every time I try to seek through a movie, I want to hurl it at the TV, but still. $59 for a new remote was never going to happen until this one got lost or embedded into a screen somewhere.
I look forward to clicky buttons. I look forward to instantly knowing which way up the remote is without having to look at it even more.
But as annoying as the Siri Remote is, it's far from the only reason I'm ready for a new Apple TV 4K.
Raiders of the Lost eARC
Our Apple TV 4K is hooked up to a pair of HomePod minis, which makes for a pretty great audio experience. Watching movies and TV shows sounds impossibly better than using the TV's small, tinny speakers.
But I don't just watch movies and TV shows. Look behind our TV, and you'll find an Xbox Series X and a PS5. Look beside it, and there's a Nintendo Switch 2 and a Steam Deck.
But playing games on any of these things means using those crappy TV speakers or resorting to headphones. I enjoy using headphones for late-night gaming sessions as much as the next guy, but I don't want to use them exclusively.
That's where HDMI ARC, or eARC, comes in. Already supported by every Apple TV 4K except my 1st-gen unit, eARC is nothing short of magical.
The TL;DR of it all is this: eARC can send audio from any device that's connected to a compatible TV to the Apple TV 4K instead. And thus, to whatever they use as their audio output.
In my case, that's those HomePod minis. And I cannot wait to play Cyberpunk 2077 on my PlayStation through those.
Playing games locally
Every so often, Apple reminds everyone that the Apple TV 4K can play games downloaded from the App Store. And it's right, but the 1st-gen Apple TV 4K's A10X Fusion chip just isn't up to the task and hasn't been since the COVID lockdown.
The 4th-gen Apple TV 4K is upon us
If the rumors are accurate, the 4th-gen model will use at least an A19-class chip. And that's a huge upgrade.
Whether that's an A19 or A19 Pro remains to be seen, but if I had to put money on it, I'd go with the latter, just given economies of scale.
The more premium chip just makes sense when we remember that the new Apple TV 4K will support Siri AI. An A19 Pro will give it plenty of vital headroom, considering these things don't get updated very often.
We've already seen what the A19 Pro can do in terms of gaming, and the prospect of an Apple TV 4K with one beating at its heart could be a boon for Apple Arcade and beyond.
Four-HomePod surround sound
Recent rumors suggest Apple will add support for using four HomePods with an Apple TV 4K in some kind of surround sound setup. As someone already using two HomePod minis, this intrigues me.
There are plenty of questions, though. We don't know if this feature will be limited to the new Apple TV 4K, although I doubt it will come to the 1st-gen model regardless. After all, it doesn't even support tvOS 27.
We also don't know which HomePods will work with this rumored feature. Not only is it unclear whether it will require full-fat HomePods or just HomePod minis, but we don't know if it will require new smart speakers.
We'll find out soon enough, but for now, the idea is enough to whet my appetite.
An overdue upgrade
By now, it should be clear why the 4th-gen Apple TV 4K has my attention. Upgrading from one generation of Apple TV 4K to another is rarely warranted. But after nine years, it's time.
If everything goes the way we expect it to, Apple will announce the 4th-gen Apple TV 4K on October 13, 2026. It'll be joined by Apple's other "Welcome Home" products, including a new HomePod mini (possibly just new colors) and the oft-rumored Apple home hub device.
The countdown is on. My Siri Remote is on notice. And maybe, finally, my TV will feel safe once more.
