New Apple TV, more powerful and without Ethernet in the basic model

Apple TV is launching a new model, with a better processor, HDR10+ compatibility and a more affordable price, although with some significant flaws.

Apple keeps the design of its Apple TV but improves it inside. Now it features the A15 Bionic processor, the same as the iPhone 13 (and 14 or 14 Plus), which increases its power to display the best 4K content on your TV. In addition to Dolby Vision support, now also supports HDR10+

to enjoy with maximum quality the series and films of all the streaming platforms, which are increasingly committed to this type of content. Additionally, the Siri Remote now includes a USB-C port instead of Lightning. And the good news is that the price of the new Apple TV has been reduced, which is rare these days.

The the base model, 64GB, is priced at $169, much more attractive than the 199 $ of the previous model, but this reduction comes at the cost of two important flaws. On the one hand, it does not include an Ethernet connection, which for some may be a point important enough to exclude its purchase, while for others (including myself) it is irrelevant because they opt for wireless connections. The other flaw may be important to many, as this input model is not compatible with Thread.

What is the thread? It is a standard that reaches HomeKit and will also reach Amazon and Google, and will be essential in the development of home automation in the years to come. The previous Apple TV 4K includes it, as does the HomePod mini, so why remove it from the base model of a 2022 device? It doesn’t make much sense. The good news is that if you want Ethernet port and Thread support, you will have to pay 20 $ more (189 $) and you’ll also get 128GB of storage, up from the base model’s 64GB. This new Apple TV can be reserved today on the Apple website, and will be available in physical stores from November 4.