Apple TV 4K gets A19 chip and hands-free Siri AI
Apple unveiled its fourth-generation Apple TV 4K on October 13, 2026. Pre-orders opened that day in the US and 29 other countries and regions. The new box can hear voice commands without a remote and use as many as four HomePods for surround sound.
It runs on an A19 processor and comes in one configuration, with 128 GB of storage. The US price is $299, or $49.83 a month for six months. Retail sales begin November 13.
Three far-field microphones built into the box use echo cancellation to pick out voices over TV or speaker audio. Commands work while movies or music are playing. Direct voice control requires tvOS to be set to English or Chinese. Dutch and Finnish are supported too. French and German are available, as are Hebrew and Norwegian. Swedish completes the supported-language list.
Siri AI, powered by Apple Intelligence, can follow conversational context. It can search for series by awards or other criteria, and answer questions about films. During playback, replies appear in a small window over the video.
The beta requires a second-generation Apple TV 4K or later, plus a paired iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence. At launch, Siri AI is limited to English in the US and UK. Canada and Australia are included, as are India and New Zealand. Singapore and South Africa are also supported. Apple says Siri AI will come to second- and third-generation Apple TV 4K models as well.
Connect a compatible iPhone or iPad, and Siri AI can use available personal context, such as when finding a recommended series. The beta requires tvOS 27.2 and a compatible device with Siri AI enabled. Apple has not announced a launch date for the European Union.
Apple says the A19 delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance than the previous model's A15 Bionic. GPU performance is up to twice as fast. The chip includes a hardware AV1 decoder. Apple says it improves streaming efficiency and can cut bandwidth needs while maintaining image quality.
Video support reaches 4K at 60 frames per second. Dolby Vision is supported. The box also handles HDR10 and HDR10+, along with HLG. Audio formats include Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital 5.1. Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 is supported too.
HDMI Quick Media Switching reduces delays when video formats change. The box also supports a 21:9 aspect ratio for compatible screens and projectors. Its codecs include AV1 and VP9, as well as HEVC and H.264.
Owners can pair the fourth-generation box with up to four HomePods, arranged as front and rear stereo pairs. Compatible speakers include HomePod mini 2 and the second-generation HomePod. Apple says the system detects speaker placement, then adjusts latency and volume. Front and rear pairs can use different HomePod models, but the speakers within each pair must match. The feature requires current software.
The Siri Remote adds Find My. Precision Finding is also supported, and the remote can play a sound to help locate it. Apple describes the audio setup and remote features in its Apple TV 4K announcement.
Apple TV 4K can serve as a home hub, with support for Thread and Matter. A compatible video doorbell can show visitors on the TV. Viewers can speak with them without stopping playback, then unlock smart locks. The box also supports automation and guest access. HomeKit Secure Video is available as well. Apple Intelligence can describe security-camera events and summarize notifications, but these features require a compatible iPhone or iPad and an eligible iCloud+ subscription.
Apple says Secure Enclave protects microphone data. Siri AI requests are processed on the device or through Private Cloud Compute. The company says cloud data is not stored and cannot be accessed by Apple. HomeKit Secure Video recordings use end-to-end encryption.
The launch adds a living-room device to Apple's hardware coverage alongside NerdsMagazine's iPhone 18 Pro demand report. The Apple TV 4K includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. It has Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.1 and 128 GB of storage. The Siri Remote charges over USB-C. Find My can make it play a sound; Precision Finding requires a supported current iPhone.
The box measures 93.24 × 93.24 × 31 mm and weighs 217 grams. It supports Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness+. FaceTime works through an iPhone or iPad camera. The device also supports iCloud Photos and personalized screensavers. Apple sells the HDMI cable separately. The thermal module's aluminum is 80% recycled, while the remote chassis is entirely recycled aluminum.
Pre-orders opened October 13, 2026. The 128 GB model costs €349 in Germany and France, and £299 in the UK. Sales begin November 13 in the US, Germany and France.
