Apple has unveiled an updated Apple TV 4K that supports Siri AI, part of the company's broader smart home push. The streaming box brings a range of new features, not just for the voice assistant but also for the remote, voice and audio.
The most significant change is the overhaul for Siri AI. The assistant is mainly used for content discovery, but it can now also answer general questions on screen. Instead of spoken replies, answers appear in the corner of the TV so they don't block whatever is playing. Apple has also added far field microphones to the device, creating a fully hands-free Siri experience that doesn't require the remote. The new Apple TV draws on information from your iPhone, so requests like "Play that show Jeff texted me about" can be understood without further detail.
The remote gets practical upgrades too. You can ask Siri where the Apple TV remote is, and the device will play a sound from the accessory, a handy feature for households that often misplace it. Find My remains available as well. On the audio side, the Apple TV 4K now supports four HomePod speakers in a surround sound setup, where previously only two could be used as a stereo pair. The quartet requires either second-generation HomePods or HomePod mini 2 speakers, or a mix of the two, for more robust living room audio.
The Apple TV 4K will cost $299, which is $100 more than the starting price of the previous version, even after a price hike this year. It is available for pre-order starting today and reaches store shelves on November 13.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing