Apple today announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, with Siri AI, three far-field microphones for hands-free voice control and the A19 chip. It costs £299 in the UK and $299 in the US. Pre-orders are open in 31 countries and regions; UK stores receive it on 30 October, while Apple lists 13 November for the US, Australia and Canada.
Siri AI turns searching into a full-screen conversation: viewers can ask which Apple TV shows won Emmys and get poster art from the Apple TV app, or ask follow-up questions about a show while it plays, with answers in a small overlay. With an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, it can also use personal context, for example to play a show a friend recommended in Messages. Echo cancellation picks out “Hey Siri” or “Siri” even with audio playing, so the remote is no longer needed for voice.
Faster chip, findable remote
Apple says the A19 is up to 50 per cent faster on the CPU and up to twice as fast on the GPU than the previous model, and adds a dedicated AV1 decoder for more efficient streaming. The Siri Remote looks the same but now works with Find My, so it can be located with Precision Finding or made to play a sound. The new remote also works with Apple TV HD and older Apple TV 4K models and is sold separately.
Four-speaker surround sound
For the first time, Apple TV 4K can drive a four-speaker surround setup using four HomePod mini 2 or four HomePod (2nd generation) speakers, as long as the front and rear pairs match. The speakers detect their positions in the room and calibrate timing and levels automatically.
As a home hub with Wi-Fi and Thread, it now adds Apple Intelligence descriptions of camera activity and summarised Home notifications. Doorbell alerts appear on the TV, where viewers can talk to the visitor and unlock the door without stopping what they are watching.
Prices and international availability
Apple TV 4K costs £299 in the UK, $299 in the US, C$429 in Canada, A$449 including GST in Australia and ₹39,900 in India. The UK price includes VAT, while the US price excludes sales tax. Apple says pre-orders are open in the US and 30 other countries and regions.
Apple’s regional releases give different store dates: 30 October in the UK and 13 November in the US, Australia and Canada. Siri AI is available at launch in English in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK and the US. It is not initially available in the EU on iOS or iPadOS, so EU customers can buy the box but will not get its full headline Siri experience at launch.
The Apple TV 4K was one of four home announcements Apple posted as press releases today, alongside HomeView and the HomePod mini 2, rather than at the keynote some had expected after the “Welcome home” teaser.
Why it matters
The built-in microphones and Find My remote match what Bloomberg reported on 11 October. In our view, the £299 price is the surprise: it moves Apple TV well above rival streaming boxes and only makes sense if buyers see it as the hub of an Apple home rather than a way to watch television.