Apple Announces New Apple TV 4K With Siri AI, A19 Chip and Four-Speaker Surround Sound Option

Apple today announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K. The company says it is its most immersive home theater experience yet. Pre-orders open today, and the device will be available from November 13.

The biggest change is Siri AI, which Apple describes as an entirely new version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence. Apple's own name for its AI features. On Apple TV 4K, Siri AI runs as a full-screen experience for searching and discovering movies and TV shows.

Apple gave a few examples of how it works. A user can ask, "What Apple TV shows won at the Emmy Awards this year?" and see poster art from the Apple TV app, plus suggestions such as "More award-winning comedies." While watching, users can ask follow-up questions like "Where was Pluribus filmed?" or "Is this appropriate for a 15-year-old?" Answers show up in a small overlay so the show keeps playing.

With an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, Siri AI can also use personal context. Apple's example is a request like "Play the show Alinda recommended."

The new box has three far-field microphones, which pick up voice from across a room. That lets people talk to Siri without touching the remote. Apple says advanced echo cancellation separates the user's voice from other sound, so "Hey Siri" or "Siri" should be recognized even while audio is playing.

Inside is the A19 chip. Apple says it offers up to 50 percent faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster GPU performance than the previous generation. The chip also has a dedicated AV1 decoder. AV1 is a video format, and Apple says the decoder allows more efficient, high-quality streaming that uses less bandwidth.

The Siri Remote keeps its familiar design. It now supports Find My with Precision Finding, and users can make the remote play a sound to help locate it.

Audio gets an upgrade too. For the first time, users can build a four-speaker surround sound setup using Apple TV 4K (4th generation) and HomePod mini 2. The speakers work with the Apple TV to work out where they sit in the room, and audio timing and levels are calibrated automatically. HomePod (2nd generation) can also be used in the four-speaker setup, as long as the front and rear speaker pairs match.

Apple TV 4K also remains a smart home hub. With a compatible doorbell, notifications appear on the TV so users can see who is at the door, speak with them, and control accessories such as unlocking the door. HomeKit Secure Video now includes Apple Intelligence-generated camera activity descriptions and summarized notifications. Users can also ask Siri AI to control accessories and turn scenes on or off by voice.

Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said in the announcement: "The new Apple TV 4K is our most immersive home theater experience yet." He added that Siri AI makes finding something to watch "a full-screen, conversational experience."

Apple also pointed to other features. These include Apple Fitness+, Apple Arcade, FaceTime calls with Continuity Camera, and live sports such as Formula 1 in the U.S., Major League Soccer and Friday Night Baseball. With an iPhone or iPad, users can now choose which iCloud photos appear in Memories & Slideshows or Portraits screen savers, without making their whole library visible. A new screen saver shuffle feature rotates between categories.