An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming.

Updated A-Series Chip

The current ‌Apple TV‌ 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for an update. Apple doesn't design chips specifically for the ‌Apple TV‌, and it instead uses chips from the ‌iPhone‌.

If Apple wants to bring Apple Intelligence features to the ‌Apple TV‌, the next-generation model will have the A17 Pro or better along with at least 8GB RAM.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ makes sense for the ‌Apple TV‌ given that part of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is a new, smarter version of Siri. ‌Siri‌ has always been a specific focus on the ‌Apple TV‌, with Apple encouraging users to ask ‌Siri‌ to find content to watch.

The A17 Pro would also allow for higher-quality console-style games because it supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The ‌iPhone‌ and iPad can support console games like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, and those games are also likely to be playable on the next ‌Apple TV‌.

Wi-Fi 6E

Apple is expected to use a custom Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip for the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K. The chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, which will allow the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ to connect to faster 6GHz networks when available.

Right now, Apple offers both a Wi-Fi only ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K and a Wi-Fi + Ethernet model, and that could continue with the next-generation model. We could also see the next ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ adopt Bluetooth 5.3.

The ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ is expected to continue to offer Thread integration and support for Matter when used as a home hub for smart home products. Wi-Fi 6E could theoretically improve connectivity for smart home products because the 6GHz band typically has reduced signal interference and more bandwidth.

Design

It's looking like Apple has no plans to redesign the ‌Apple TV‌. We're not expecting form factor updates, and the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ will continue to feature the same slimmed-down black plastic body that the current model uses.

Pricing

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been saying that Apple might debut a cheaper ‌Apple TV‌, and that under $100 would be the "sweet spot." Apple may lower prices on the new model, but it's more likely that the current version will stick around and be sold at a discount.

The current ‌Apple TV‌ starts at $129 for 64GB of storage.

Launch Date

We're expecting the ‌Apple TV‌ to see a refresh sometime in late 2025, likely in September or October.

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

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...

Top Rated Comments

IronTek Avatar
10 months ago
As long as they keep the Ethernet option, I don't care if the price goes down or not.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alancostello Avatar
10 months ago
So are we just going to repost that it's coming with the same 3 bits of non-groundbreaking info (a new A-series chip? Who could guess!) every 3 days until it launches?
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
10 months ago
Don't forget the new powered-by-AI Snoopy screensavers that will work only on the new Apple TV.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
com.B Avatar
10 months ago
Unless they add the cooling fan back (current Apple TV starts overheating after merely half an hour of play), and allow games on tvOS to actually save your progress permanently (instead of only a temporary cache + iCloud, which often fails and erases your progress), it's still going to be useless for gaming.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
profwafflez Avatar
10 months ago

So are we just going to repost that it's coming with the same 3 bits of non-groundbreaking info (a new A-series chip? Who could guess!) every 3 days until it launches?
I'm pretty close to removing macrumors from my RSS. There's a lot of garbage filler posts coming from this site.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
code-m Avatar
10 months ago
I am finding it hard to understand why Apple keeps investing time and money when it puts no effort into making the AppleTV competitive.

With a $30 GoogleTV dongle I can add Ethernet, SD card and external storage options via USB-C for under $50. Have access to AppleTV+ including all the other Big Name streaming services and more so. Plus I can add a web browser and use it as an ultra portable computer in a pocket.

Apple seems to be lost when it comes to AppleTV, iPad/OS and VisionPro. Not sure what is happening in the spaceship.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)