Sketchy Report Claims Apple Working on Redesigned Apple TV With Thinner Design and 'Plexiglass' Top

Apple is working on a redesigned Apple TV box that will feature a flatter, thinner footprint, and a "plexiglass" top, according to a questionable report from iDropNews.

apple tv 4k design
The report, citing "sources," claims that an ‌Apple TV‌ with a thinner and flatter design is in the works, eliminating the "horribly outdated and bulky" design of the current generation ‌Apple TV‌. According to the sketchy report, the ‌Apple TV‌ will feature a "plexiglass" top, a design feature that's expected to debut in an upcoming Mac mini. The redesign mentioned in the report is reminiscent of the design of the first-generation ‌Apple TV‌.

first gen apple tv
Neither iDropNews nor the author of this report has an established track record, so all of the information should be taken with a large pinch of salt. The report also states that the new ‌Apple TV‌ will have "sharp edges like the iPhone 13, iPad Pro, and iMac." The claim is somewhat moot, considering that the current ‌Apple TV‌ design is already flat-edged with hard edges.

Another rumor in the report is about Apple working on a "Nintendo Switch style gaming console." The information is a regurgitation of previous rumors, claiming that Apple is working on a gaming console to advance its gaming portfolio. Today's rumor states that it will be Apple's take on a "premium hybrid gaming console" and will have performance that "will outperform anything that Microsoft or Sony offers in 2021."

Reliable leaker L0vetodream in 2020 said that Apple is working on a gaming controller, but that's yet to be seen in a consumer product. Apple launched Apple Arcade, its gaming subscription service, in 2019 and has since promoted the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, Mac, and ‌Apple TV‌ as powerful devices to play games on. Earlier this year, Apple updated the ‌Apple TV‌ with an A12 Bionic chip, offering even more performance for ‌Apple Arcade‌ games.

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

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released. iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Apple Creator Studio

Apple's Next Launch is Today

Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available. Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
apple silicon 1 feature

Apple Responds to Skyrocketing RAM and Storage Chip Prices

Thursday January 29, 2026 2:40 pm PST by
On an earnings call with equity analysts today, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to fast-rising RAM and SSD storage chip prices in the supply chain. Prices for RAM and NAND storage chips are surging lately due to high demand from companies building out AI servers, resulting in supply constraints. Cook said that rising memory chip prices had a "minimal impact" on Apple's gross margin in the...

Top Rated Comments

ScrumpyDaniel Avatar
56 months ago
"Horribly outdated and bulky'. Really?! The design is absolutely fine and is easy to hide/sit by a TV and looks good.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darthbane2k Avatar
56 months ago
The entire point of the black Apple TV is for it to disappear in the dark. We don't need a fancy redesign, just new features.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bassanoclapper Avatar
56 months ago
The only improvement required is a cheaper price
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
theluggage Avatar
56 months ago

A HDMI stick surely would be better?
A tiny USB-powered HDMI stick vs. a box would be a reasonable option for someone who didn’t want wired Ethernet, had a TV with spare HDMI and a USB power outlet, and maybe just wanted basic streaming services, not sophisticated apps.

Otherwise, the Apple TV is as small as it needs to be - making it smaller will probably start with needing a power brick, and cramming the connectors closer together. The weight of the current unit is an *advantage* as it stays where it’s put and doesn’t get dragged around by the weight of cables.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Remy149 Avatar
56 months ago

Apple would ruin a gaming console with all their family friendly nonsense if they did get a true console… and there isn’t Macy here in allle arcade that’s true gaming console worthy
Family friendly content is literally the focus of Nintendo and they sell more hardware and software then anyone
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
10anta Avatar
56 months ago

The only improvement required is a cheaper price
And proper multi-user support i.e. I want my kids to have their own accounts that keeps their content separate, with no access to my watch list or mature themes
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)