Apple TV 4K: What’s New and What Features Are Still Missing?

New Apple TV 4K: Smarter Streaming, But Is It Enough? Apple's latest Apple TV 4K brings faster performance, a more conversational Siri and improved smart-home controls. The A19 chip promises smoother navigation, while built-in microphones enable hands-free voice commands. However, some home-theatre enthusiasts may be disappointed by missing advanced audio and gaming features. Here's what changed and what remains absent.

A19 Chip Brings a Performance Boost: The new Apple TV 4K uses Apple's A19 chip for faster navigation, smoother animations and improved responsiveness. Apple claims up to 50% faster CPU performance and twice the GPU performance compared with the previous generation. A dedicated AV1 decoder also supports more efficient streaming. These upgrades make everyday viewing feel more future-ready.

Siri AI Makes Searching More Conversational: The new Siri AI lets viewers ask questions about shows, explore recommendations and request follow-up information without leaving the viewing experience. It can also use personal context through a compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Siri AI launches in English in supported markets, while some features may depend on software and device compatibility.

Find My Support Makes the Remote Easier to Locate: The refreshed Siri Remote adds Find My support with Precision Finding and an option to play a sound. This should make it easier to locate a remote hidden between sofa cushions or elsewhere in the room. The feature is a practical convenience upgrade. The remote retains its familiar overall design.

Hands-Free Voice Control Gets a Boost: Three far-field microphones let users control playback and search for entertainment without picking up the remote. Apple says echo cancellation helps Siri recognise voices even when audio is playing. The device also works as a smart-home hub, supporting compatible accessories, automations and security-camera notifications on the television.

Missing Feature: Audio Passthrough - Despite its home-theatre ambitions, the new Apple TV 4K lacks audio passthrough, a feature enthusiasts use to send unprocessed audio formats to a compatible receiver. This may matter to people with advanced surround-sound systems. HomePod-based surround sound is supported, but it is not a replacement for every receiver setup.

Missing Feature: 120Hz Output for Gaming - The new Apple TV 4K still lacks 120Hz video output, which could have helped appeal to gamers with compatible televisions. It also does not offer HDMI or digital optical audio outputs for more flexible home-theatre connections. Casual streaming remains its strength, but demanding gaming and audio enthusiasts may want more.