Apple customers have grown restless about the aging Apple TV 4K, which debuted in 2022 and shows no sign of a successor. At 1,304 days on the market, the set‑top box threatens to eclipse the 2017 A10X Fusion model’s record for longest‑selling hardware. The backlash highlights frustration with Apple’s unusually long refresh cadence.

Rumors suggest Apple already engineers a next‑gen Apple TV 4K, expected in 2026, but the launch may wait for an AI‑focused tvOS 27 update slated for the fall. Delaying the hardware until that software drop would push the current unit past the 1,337‑day benchmark, making it the longest‑available Apple TV model since the original 2017 version.

If Apple postpones a new device beyond July 4, the 2022 A15 Bionic Apple TV 4K will hold the record, underscoring a hardware cycle that outlasts many competitors. Consumers end up paying for a cheaper, re‑engineered chip rather than a fresh architecture, while developers must accommodate an aging platform for years to come.

The prolonged lifespan also gives rival streaming boxes a chance to gain market share, as they refresh hardware annually. For Apple, the trade‑off is reduced parts revenue but potentially higher margins on services that run on the existing platform. Ultimately, the record‑setting run may pressure Apple to accelerate future TV hardware updates.