New Apple TV 4K leak confirms a very familiar form factor

An image of the new Apple TV 4K hardware appears to have leaked, showing that there’s nothing new on the outside. But big changes are rumored for the inside.

The current Apple TV 4K was released in October 2022, and a new model has been rumored to be in the cards for some time. The model on store shelves today features an aging A15 Bionic chip and just 4GB of RAM.

Now, the image file reported by MacRumors has revealed the new Apple TV 4K’s upgrades will all be internal, with Apple choosing to stick with its tried and tested design of a small, featureless black box.

The good news is that previous leaks have suggested it will be a box very much ready for 2027 and beyond. Rumored upgrades will make the new Apple TV 4K a more capable streaming and gaming device while bringing Siri AI to the TV for the first time.

The presence of the image file also suggests that the new Apple TV 4K will be released sooner rather than later. It was already expected to launch at some point this fall.

Much-needed upgrades

Previous Apple TV 4K rumors have pointed to some big improvements in terms of performance. The iPhone 18 Pro’s A20 Pro is expected to be a huge upgrade for gamers, while a doubling of RAM to 8GB will also be beneficial for larger apps.

Both of these upgrades will also allow Apple to bring Siri AI to the Apple TV 4K. Users will be able to ask Siri questions and have it find content or launch apps with a reliability not currently offered by the ailing digital assistant.

On the connectivity front, Apple’s N1 chip is set to bring super-fast Wi-Fi 7 to the Apple TV 4K for the first time. The same chip will be responsible for Bluetooth 6 support, allowing for a stronger, more reliable connection to accessories. One of those accessories is also set to be a revised Siri Remote.

One aspect of the new Apple TV 4K that remains unknown is its price. Apple hiked the price of the current model to $199 in June 2026. Streaming fans will hope for a price cut when the new model launches.