Apple launches fourth-generation Apple TV 4K at $299 with A19 chip and hands-free mics

Apple is releasing the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K on November 13, 2026, introducing its iPhone 17-class A19 processor, Wi-Fi 7, and three built-in microphones for hands-free assistant control. The streamer drops the previous lower-cost entry options in favor of a single 128GB configuration priced at $299, £299, or AU$449. That steep increase follows prior mid-year price jumps and pushes the box well above competing hardware. [3][1][2]

The revamped hardware retains the familiar compact black cube design, shifting its status light to the center while adding Bluetooth 6, Thread, and an AV1 decoder. Its companion remote integrates Find My Precision Finding alongside an internal speaker to emit audio when lost. For home audio, the box now links up to four matching pairs of second-generation HomePods or HomePod mini 2s for surround sound. However, Netflix still skips Apple's unified hub and voice search, and Apple's platform policies continue to prohibit cloud game streaming. [3][1][2]

Apple claims the A19 brings 50 percent faster CPU performance and double the graphical speed, yet early tests show mixed results for its marquee Siri AI features. Reviewers found the assistant struggled with content filtering compared to Amazon Alexa+ and Google Gemini. Because older 4K hardware still delivers identical high-bitrate video, critics argue that the device is hard to justify for existing owners unless they require hands-free microphones or multi-speaker surround setups. [3][1][2]