Mysterious 'Set Top Box' Shipment Records Hint at Refreshed Apple TV Coming Soon

Apple might be planning to unveil an upgraded Apple TV or similar television-related product at its upcoming September 10 iPhone event, according to global trade intelligence platform Panjiva (via GigaOM).

The company has shared three bills of lading from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that show Apple accepted three shipments labeled as "Set Top Boxes" during the month of August from one of its suppliers, BYD Precision Manufacture in Shenzhen, China.

On August 25th, Apple received a shipment described as "Set Top Box with Communication Function" from BYD Precision Manufacture in Shenzhen, China.

On August 18th, Apple received another shipment, again from BYD, described as "Set Top Boxes."

And on August 11th, Apple received its first shipment from BYD of "Set Top Box with Communication Function."

The shipments, received on August 11, 18, and 25, ranged in size from seven to 18 tons. Though the weight of the shipments were recorded, no information about the size or the dimension of the contents were noted, nor was a model number offered, so it is unclear what the boxes contain. An existing Apple TV weighs approximately one pound, which means the three shipments could contain approximately 90,000 Apple TVs.

apple tv
According to Panjiva, Apple last received a "set top box" shipment in December of 2012 from Foxconn, which turned out to be a shipment of the third-generation Apple TVs with a model number of A1427. It seems, however, that there may be missing records as Apple reported selling more than two million Apple TVs during the holiday quarter of 2012, likely necessitating regular shipments of the product.

Based on the historical lack of shipment records and the total size of the received shipments, it is unclear whether the records shared by Panjiva hint at a new product or if they simply reference a standard shipment of the existing Apple TV. Apple often shifts its supplies and suppliers, and BYD Precision Manufacture is a relatively new partner for the company. Apple has received just four shipments in total from BYD, the three "set top box" shipments and one shipment labeled "PC Portable" on August 18.

While it could be a standard product shipment, the Apple TV is due for an update. It was last refreshed in March of 2012, though the current Apple TV did receive a smaller A5 chip earlier this year. It is also possible that Apple is planning to introduce an entirely new product, though it is unlikely to be the much rumored Apple-branded television set.

Over the past several months, Apple has been working to fortify its Apple TV content offerings by introducing a number of new channels. In June, WatchESPN, HBO GO, Sky News, Crunchyroll, and Quello were added, and in August, Apple debuted channels for Vevo, the Smithsonian, and Disney. Deals with TWC and The CW are also said to be in the works.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Will Reportedly Be More Cautious About Announcing New Features Well in Advance

Sunday May 18, 2025 2:50 pm PDT by
Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today. This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...

Top Rated Comments

snebes Avatar
153 months ago
Eh. Couldn't really care less about the Apple TV. iTV, that's another story. Doesn't the Chromecast, that's 65% cheaper put the Apple TV to shame anyways, price-performance wise?

Considering Google 'broke' the Chromecast already via an update already, no. The AppleTV is a proven product with a large install base.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
infinitech Avatar
153 months ago
Eh. Couldn't really care less about the Apple TV. iTV, that's another story. Doesn't the Chromecast, that's 65% cheaper put the Apple TV to shame anyways, price-performance wise?
Simple answer; No.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
netvvork Avatar
153 months ago
Eh. Couldn't really care less about the Apple TV. iTV, that's another story. Doesn't the Chromecast, that's 65% cheaper put the Apple TV to shame anyways, price-performance wise?

chromecast is intriguing at best. its not even close to being ready for prime time yet. my friend who just bought one says that its slow as ***** and that anyone who is used to their electronics being "snappy" will want to pull their hair out while using this. 65% cheaper? sure. 65% less content? sure. 65% slower. possibly. puts the apple to shame? hardly.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gmanist1000 Avatar
153 months ago
A7 chip inside? An App Store finally?

What would they add?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmcgeejr Avatar
153 months ago
A7 chip inside? An App Store finally?

What would they add?

If it's an atv it's probably just a refresh to support AC wifi.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mmcxiiad Avatar
153 months ago
I would love to get an apple powered ip tv system and ditch "cable" TV. Please apple. Make it happen. Spend some of those billions to make the impossible possible. No more dvr. No more flipping channels.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)