Apple TV Pro rumors point to A17 Pro chip and Siri AI

Before the launch, reports described a more premium Apple TV built around Apple Intelligence, with a faster chip, more memory for AI features and the same compact, puck-like design. Some suggested the A17 Pro chip and a possible Pro name for a higher-end model.

Here is how that held up:

• The name: wrong. It is the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, sold in one configuration. There is no Pro tier.
• The chip: better than the A17 Pro rumor. It uses the A19, the chip from the iPhone 17. Closer to launch, reports had predicted an A19 or A19 Pro.
• Siri AI: right. Apple’s reworked assistant is on board, with microphones built into the box.
• The design: right. A leaked image showed no outside changes, and apart from new microphones and a centered status light, the box looks the same.

The A19 replaces the A15 Bionic from the 2022 model. Apple says it delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance. Apple didn’t list memory, but the A19 likely brings 8GB of RAM, up from 4GB. A dedicated AV1 decoder should stream high-quality video more efficiently, using less bandwidth.

• Storage: 128GB, the only option. The old lineup offered 64GB and 128GB.
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, up from Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, likely thanks to Apple’s N1 chip, though Apple hasn’t confirmed that.
• Ports: Gigabit Ethernet on every unit, plus a rear HDMI 2.1 port.
• Smart home: Thread support on every model. It was previously limited to the 128GB version.
• Voice: three far-field microphones for hands-free “Siri” or “Hey Siri” requests.

The updated Siri Remote keeps its design and USB-C port but adds Find My with Precision Finding and a speaker you can ping when it’s lost. It sells separately for $59 and works with older Apple TV 4K models.

Siri AI, powered by Apple Intelligence, is the headline software feature. It aims to understand personal context and take more actions across apps. Apple’s examples include asking which Apple TV shows won at the Emmy Awards this year, then seeing poster art from the Apple TV app.

The far-field microphones use echo cancellation to pick out your voice even while a show is playing. You can still hold the Siri button on the remote instead. Requests that involve your personal information need a paired iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence.

The new box also adds four-speaker surround sound with HomePods. You can place HomePod mini 2 or second-generation HomePod speakers as front and rear pairs, mixing models as long as each pair matches. That feature is exclusive to the new Apple TV 4K.

The price story started before the launch. In June, Apple raised the old Apple TV 4K’s US starting price from $129 to $199 as memory chip costs surged. The new model now starts at $299 with 128GB of storage.

That is well above the $199 base price some earlier rumors had floated for a new model. In other words, the cheapest new Apple TV now costs more than double what the old one did before the June increase, although you do get twice the base storage.

The good news for current owners: you don’t have to buy the new box to get the smarter Siri. Apple says Siri AI is coming to the second- and third-generation Apple TV 4K through tvOS 27.2. At launch it supports English in the US, the UK, Canada and a handful of other countries.

So the reasons to upgrade come down to hands-free microphones, HomePod surround sound, a much faster chip and Wi-Fi 7. If your current box feels slow, if you use HomePods for TV audio, or if you’re still on a much older Apple TV, the new model is a real step up. If you mainly lose the remote, the $59 Siri Remote is a far cheaper fix.

Pre-orders opened on announcement day, and the new Apple TV 4K goes on sale Friday, November 13. Apple released tvOS 27.2 in late October with features such as new profile characters and a Shuffle option for screen savers, and says Siri AI and the HomePod surround feature are coming soon.