Hands-On With the New Apple TV: A Closer Look at the Hardware and tvOS

The new Apple TV officially became available for purchase today, with Apple selling the fourth-generation set-top box in retail stores around the world. We went hands-on with the Apple TV to give MacRumors readers who want to know more about the device a chance to get an overview of the hardware and the software.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

Apple's latest Apple TV marks a significant departure from the previous-generation Apple TV, with a thicker external design, a touch-based motion-enabled remote control that doubles as a gaming controller, and a more powerful A8 processor.

On the software side, it's running a new operating system called tvOS, which includes universal search features for finding television shows and movies across a wide variety of platforms, Siri integration for voice-based search, and a full App Store that's open to third-party developers. We're going to take a closer look at the App Store and the Siri/Search features in videos coming later this evening.

Earlier today, we shared a tidbits post on the new Apple TV, and our forum members have also been posting their first impressions and thoughts on the device, a thread that's well worth reading for those still trying to decide whether to make a purchase.

Apple is selling the new Apple TV in retail stores and from the online Apple Store. It's priced at $149 for 32GB of storage and $199 for 64GB of storage.

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

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...

Top Rated Comments

John.B Avatar
133 months ago
Would love to purchase this if Touch ID was featured.

The outdated way of entering passwords, instead of using Touch ID on the remote itself (as my hope for Apple TV 4 was) is a mistake. Perhaps the Apple Remote app will update to use Touch ID from iPhone, but they had the chance to put it on the actual remote. They added 3 extra buttons, but of course one of them couldn't be Touch ID. o_O
The lack of support for Bluetooth keyboards (or Apple's Remote app) is simply mind boggling! Did no one at Apple flick their way through a setup of their Netflix/Hulu/HBO accounts? Boxing mine back up for a return. I'll "try again" when Apple "tries again".
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trifid Avatar
133 months ago
Everyone has been waiting for the Apple TV to have an app store, (many have been waiting for half a decade for Plex app). I almost buy it but then I asked myself: do I really need this?

I already got used to airplay and taught this to everyone in my family, there is always an ipad or iphone available to airplay, with all the apps you can imagine. There is the games aspect, but 'lite' tv gaming is already available on so many devices already, including my old Roku 3.

It seems to me Apple TV 4 offers too little too late. The only thing I would find useful is if it served as a central homekit with always on Siri so I could say "hey siri turn off lights" without touching a remote, but it doesn't even have that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sshambles Avatar
133 months ago
Would love to purchase this if Touch ID was featured.

The outdated way of entering passwords, instead of using Touch ID on the remote itself (as my hope for Apple TV 4 was) is a mistake. Perhaps the Apple Remote app will update to use Touch ID from iPhone, but they had the chance to put it on the actual remote. They added 3 extra buttons, but of course one of them couldn't be Touch ID. o_O
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drewyboy Avatar
133 months ago
Seriously, what the crap have they been up to for the last 3-4 years? I find it absolutely pathetic that they showcased the the 3D view for a movie poster. I feel sorry for that gal that got stuck with showing off that "feature" and please don't even pass it off as that "attention to detail" bs.

I know it will sell well because there are some here that think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. I mean really what kind of update is this? There is nothing they couldn't have done 3-4 years ago. Definitely too little too late.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jazz1 Avatar
133 months ago
Would love to purchase this if Touch ID was featured.

The outdated way of entering passwords, instead of using Touch ID on the remote itself (as my hope for Apple TV 4 was) is a mistake. Perhaps the Apple Remote app will update to use Touch ID from iPhone, but they had the chance to put it on the actual remote. They added 3 extra buttons, but of course one of them couldn't be Touch ID. o_O
Adding passwords is pure Hell with the remote. Even worse if you use the voice! Like having a parrot squawking at you while your trying to remember what you entered.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ClaytonK Avatar
133 months ago
Is the iOS Remote app going to work at some point? I'm new to Apple TV and it was miserable typing in all my usernames and passwords for each app using the onscreen keyboard.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)