News Apple TV 6 (2018) release date, price & specs rumours

We round up all the rumours and leaks about the release date, new features, specs and pricing of the new Apple TV 6 model that will be launched in 2018... or possibly 2019

The Apple TV 4K was unveiled in September 2017, and it's pretty great, but we're never satisfied with what we've got now. Instead, we're looking ahead to the next version of the Apple TV: the sixth-generation model, which we're optimistically hoping will appear in 2018.

What's next for the Apple TV, Apple's set-top box combining a digital media player, a games machine and a platform for apps with the ability to stream content from iOS devices and Macs to a TV? When will Apple launch the sixth model? Is the Apple TV still a 'hobby' product (as Steve Jobs once described it), or has the company started taking television seriously?

In this article we gather and analyse the latest rumours and leaks related to the Apple TV 6: its release date, new features, specs and price.

If you're looking for information about the current range, we've got plenty of details, including pricing and the best places to buy in our Apple TV buying guide.

We also have a guide showing how to set up the Apple TV and some Apple TV tips.

Release date

The fifth-gen Apple TV came out in September 2017 so we shouldn't expect the next model for a year and quite possibly more. Here's when each of the models came out:

Apple TV (first gen): Jan 2007

Apple TV (second gen): Sep 2010

Apple TV (third gen): Mar 2012

Apple TV (fourth gen): Oct 2015

Apple TV (fifth gen, 4K): Sep 2017

Based on past behaviour autumn 2018 really is the earliest it could possibly come out, and it seems likely that we'll have to wait until 2019 for the next model. The only way we can see an update arriving earlier than that is if Apple rolls out a very minor or incremental update with few significant changes - a little like the minor update to the third-gen model released in Jan 2013.

New features

The new Apple TV is likely to feature an array of new hardware features, which we outline in this section. This is without mentioning the significant software updates that will be added in tvOS 12.

tvOS is the version of iOS that works on the Apple TV. It was introduced with the Apple TV in 2015 and brought with it the Apple TV Store. We expect to see an update to the tvOS in September 2018 alongside iOS 12.

AirPod Siri support

It is possible to use Bluetooth headphones with the Apple TV, but there are some limitations as to how many Bluetooth devices can be paired, especially if one of them is an audio accessory. You can at least pair the Apple AirPods, but unfortunately you can't activate Siri on the Apple TV via the AirPods - something we imagine will change in future updates.

Face recognition

Apple's recent forays into facial recognition tech found fruition in the unlocking method used by the iPhone X. Some, however, suggest the technology could also come to the Apple TV.

A future Apple TV could include face recognition technology so that once your Apple TV 'sees' you it could automatically pull up your specific preferences for music, TV and - should HomeKit be integrated into the Apple TV - your IoT devices such as heating and lighting.

While it's an interesting idea, we don't think it'll be a key feature of the sixth-generation Apple TV.

Will Apple make its own game controller?

Apple currently offers the Siri Remote with the Apple TV. There have been calls for Apple to make its own controller for gaming on the Apple TV, especially as some gamers feel that the games available for the Apple TV are hampered by Apple's insistence that games work with the Siri Remote, but it is unlikely that Apple would develop its own controller.

Specs

Here's what we're expecting in terms of spec updates.

Bigger hard drive

Given the 4K capabilities in the most recent Apple TV, we felt that an increased storage allocation was likely, but instead it comes in 32GB and 64GB models, the same as on the 4th-gen model.

We expect that Apple will add a 128GB offering at some point, and it is conceivable that a 256GB version could be added. Mind you, we suspect that Apple's customers don't need so much, since they are streaming content and storing content in iCloud.

One idea we've always thought would be great is if Apple combined the Mac mini with the Apple TV so that you could have a media centre in your living room with all the features of both Mac and Apple TV - except it's more likely to combine the features of an iPad/iPhone since it runs a version of iOS... How about a Mac mini that runs iOS? ... (Read our 2018 Mac mini rumours here).

Processor

The 4K Apple TV needed a faster processor, and sure enough it got an upgrade from the A8 chip, which was launched with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in September 2014 to the A10X Fusion. Another upgrade is a possibility for the sixth model.

Price

The Apple TV 4K currently sells for £179 (with 32GB of storage) or £199 (64GB). The next generation should be priced at a similar point, although note that one of Apple's customs is to continue to sell an older model as the lower priced entry level option. For that reason we anticipate that Apple may continue to sell the 2017 Apple TV as an entry-level model.