Apple Not Yet Ready to Show Major Revamp of Apple TV Hardware

apple_tv_roundup Following a Tweet last month in which he hinted at an updated Apple TV arriving sometime this month, former TechCrunch writer MG Siegler is now "pouring a small amount of water" on his own claim, suggesting that major changes to Apple's television-related hardware are not yet ready to be shown.

Well, now I feel the need to pour a little — just a little, mind you — cold water on the rumor fire. While I still haven’t heard anything concrete, the most recent whispers I have heard is that the Apple TV project has been delayed a bit.

That doesn’t mean we won’t see an Apple TV update at the event — we could see an updated unit with a spec bump or something. But the thing to be more excited about, the device with some sort of newfangled control system, doesn’t seem like it’s ready just yet.

Siegler notes that he had originally heard about a new Apple TV hardware (not a television set) targeted for a November launch, but that the information was not concrete enough to warrant a full article at the time. Given the publicity his original Tweet garnered, however, he has felt the need to address the issue now that it appears his original information is unlikely to pan out on that timetable.

Last month, 9to5Mac separately reported that Apple has been testing Xbox Kinect-like motion control for televisions, though it was unclear if that would make its way to the Apple TV set-top box or was being held for a standalone Apple television set farther in the future.

Apple will hold a media event this Tuesday, October 22 where it is expected to unveil both the fifth-generation iPad and the second-generation iPad mini, along with other Apple products such as OS X Mavericks, the new Mac Pro, and updated Retina MacBook Pros.

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

Popular Stories

iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 11, 2025 3:26 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumors Allegedly Refer to 'iPhone 17 Ultra' Model

Friday March 14, 2025 7:56 am PDT by
If you've been following iPhone rumors over the last few years, you may remember reading reports that Apple flirted with the idea of introducing a super high-end "Ultra" model that would either replace its Pro Max device or sit above it in Apple's smartphone hirearchy. These reports appeared in the pre-launch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumor cycles, but ultimately came to nothing. Now though, the...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

Ultra-Thin 'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Include These 12 Features

Saturday March 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Bent iPhone Air Feature

Apple Canned Larger iPhone 17 Air Model Over Fears of Bendgate 2.0

Monday March 17, 2025 4:07 am PDT by
Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending, according to a new report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: When it first started work on the phone, it prototyped a device with a 6.9-inch screen — matching...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday March 17, 2025 6:42 am PDT by
In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever. If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199. ...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Start at $899 With Surprisingly Good Battery Life, Camera Control, and More

Sunday March 16, 2025 9:05 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today shared some new details about the rumored iPhone 17 Air. In his Power On newsletter, Gurman said he was told that the device may start at roughly $899 in the U.S., which means that it would occupy the same price point as the iPhone 16 Plus. This would make sense, as it has been widely rumored that the Air model will take over the Plus model's spot in the iPhone...
apple surveyor app

Apple Launches 'Surveyor' App for Apple Maps Data Collection

Friday March 14, 2025 10:38 am PDT by
Apple today launched a new app called Surveyor, which is designed to allow users to collect data like images of street signs and roadside details to improve Apple Maps. The app is not public facing and appears to be for use with companies that Apple partners with to assign mapping tasks. Downloading the app and opening it up directs users to "Open Partner App" to choose a task. Tapping on...
iphone 16e usb c feature

'iPhone 17 Air' is Step Towards Slimmer iPhones Without USB-C Ports

Sunday March 16, 2025 9:36 am PDT by
Apple considered launching the iPhone 17 Air without a USB-C charging port, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said that while Apple ultimately decided against making the iPhone 17 Air its first iPhone model without a charging port, the idea is still on the table for future iPhone models. He said the iPhone 17 Air will "foreshadow a move to...

Top Rated Comments

arn Avatar
149 months ago
Seems to me that a lot of the front page speculation stories never have enough information to warrant a full article, half article, or even a mention on the front page. I know the site is MacRumors, but a little more real information, and a little less speculation would be highly appreciated.

So don't report on rumors.... got it. :)

Seriously though. It's not like rumors are published at the cost of "real" information.

arn
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
149 months ago
Maybe Tim will give us a little "One more thing" of his own on Tuesday. Apple TV is a great device that potentially can be something a lot better.

I'm hoping for a "Wait, what's this behind my ear?"
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
koban4max Avatar
149 months ago
Maybe Tim will give us a little "One more thing" of his own on Tuesday. Apple TV is a great device that potentially can be something a lot better.

there is no more "one more thing." It's more like, "Thank you folks, have a great day."
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
149 months ago
It was my friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago and he had treated himself to an Apple TV, which was sitting there in the plastic wrapping when I saw him. I had to tell him, 'You should know, an update is heavily rumoured to launch shortly'.

So he had to take his present, purchased with birthday money, back to the Apple store for a refund; and has no idea if a new one is out. It now looks like he will go back and buy it if it's not announced tomorrow, hoping it won't be updated before next year.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

If you had kept your mouth shut, your friend would have enjoyed his Apple TV for weeks and would have been quite happy and content. Because of you, he went through all the trouble going to the store, returning an item, then going back again, buying the same item, and looking like a right idiot, and all for nothing.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gasu E. Avatar
149 months ago
It was my friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago and he had treated himself to an Apple TV, which was sitting there in the plastic wrapping when I saw him. I had to tell him, 'You should know, an update is heavily rumoured to launch shortly'.

So he had to take his present, purchased with birthday money, back to the Apple store for a refund; and has no idea if a new one is out. It now looks like he will go back and buy it if it's not announced tomorrow, hoping it won't be updated before next year.

Boy, I am so glad I don't have friends like you. You are a killjoy. He would have set up the Apple TV, had fun with it, and would have cared very little that a marginally better version came out a few weeks later. Now you have convinced him it is not good enough to have 99%; he should not be satisfied without that absolutely latest speed bump. Thanks to you, "he had to" make multiple trips to the Apple store, for very little if any benefit. You have added sour to the sweet. You imagine you are being thoughtful, but you lack true empathy. Your friends will be happier people if you learn when not to open your mouth and "help" them.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JoshAlfie Avatar
149 months ago
I thought the person who I quoted was saying you could actually play them on the Apple TV somehow. I don't see how it's possible.

EDIT: Whoops, posted too soon.



Oh, you use the Computers feature. Clever!

Better than that is to use Plex. No need to convert to mp4.. You can run Full HD movies (mkv) on your iDevice and AirPlay it to your TV without quality loss.

That's what I do anyway :)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)