I am nervous concerning the new Apple TV 4K, and Siri is a part of the issue

Ever since Apple launched its final Apple TV 4K again in 2022, there was a flood of rumors about when the following mannequin would finally launch. At one level, a 2025 launch appeared seemingly, and there have been months of hypothesis and leaks that it could occur, however it by no means did. Now, rumors level to 2026 because the 12 months the new Apple TV 4K will lastly launch. Nonetheless, current developments at Apple have me nervous that we can’t really see it anytime quickly, and all of it comes down to at least one key issue: Siri.

Again in November, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the Apple TV 4K is ready to get “new chips and in-house wi-fi parts,” and if it did not launch in 2025, it “shouldn’t be far off.” However there’s one other necessary element: Gurman famous that Apple is tying the brand new Apple TV 4K to its updated Siri, with the system anticipated to “assist showcase the brand new Siri and Apple Intelligence options” that Apple has lengthy deliberate to roll out this 12 months.

Whereas Apple hasn’t publicly acknowledged an actual launch date for its up to date Siri, apart from broadly saying 2026, it is lengthy been reported that the Cupertino-based firm was aiming for its new Siri to launch alongside iOS 26.4, seemingly coming in March.

Nonetheless, Bloomberg lately reported that Apple has “run into snags” whereas testing its new Siri, and that it may very well be pushed again even additional, with elements of it probably launching with iOS 26.5 now as a substitute, and even with iOS 27, which is anticipated to reach within the fall.

Admittedly, I wasn’t stunned by this information, as Apple has been struggling to get its new Siri prepared because it debuted at WWDC 2024 practically two years in the past. However as somebody who has been eagerly awaiting the brand new Apple TV 4K, my rapid concern was that this Siri delay might imply the next-generation Apple TV 4K has been pushed again as nicely.

The following Apple TV 4K might have two main upgrades

Assist for Apple Intelligence is certainly one of them

One main leak concerning the new Apple TV 4K that garnered a variety of consideration final 12 months was that it may very well be powered by Apple’s A17 Pro chipset, which first debuted within the iPhone 15 Professional and 15 Professional Max in 2023.

Whereas this may be a big efficiency improve over the A15 Bionic chip within the present Apple TV 4K, one key function of the A17 Professional affords a transparent trace at what the brand new Apple TV 4K is perhaps able to: help for Apple Intelligence.

When Apple Intelligence debuted in 2024, the minimal requirement was the A17 Professional chip, discovered within the iPhone 15 Professional and 15 Professional Max, which has since been used within the iPad Mini as nicely. With an increasing number of streaming platforms now supporting some type of AI, whether or not it is Hearth TV with Alexa+, Google TV with Gemini, or Roku with its AI-enhanced voice assistant, it could make sense for Apple to do the identical and convey Apple Intelligence to the brand new Apple TV 4K.

As I discussed earlier, based mostly on Mark Gurman’s reporting, a good supply for Apple leaks, it actually appears that one of many new Apple TV 4K’s headline options will probably be help for Apple Intelligence, which makes the usage of the A17 Professional more and more seemingly.

As for what Apple Intelligence and Siri on the brand new Apple TV 4K might seem like, I think about it could be a Siri that helps you navigate your TV, change settings, and discover one thing to observe, much like what Gemini and Alexa+ can do. Once more, this is not confirmed by Apple and is my hypothesis.

Siri’s delay might straight have an effect on the brand new Apple TV 4K

You may need to carry on to your present Apple TV 4K for a bit of longer

So if Apple has delayed its up to date Siri as soon as once more, as Bloomberg studies, and if the brand new Apple TV 4K is supposed to showcase Apple’s upgraded Siri, I concern that Siri’s delay will have an effect on the brand new Apple TV 4K as nicely.

I need to be clear that that is hypothesis on my half, however given all of the reporting about a few of Siri’s new AI options being delayed, I simply can’t see the way it would not have an effect on the possibilities of a brand new Apple TV 4K launching quickly. That is on prime of different main issues proper now, like the continuing RAM and memory shortages, which may very well be affecting Apple’s want to launch a brand new Apple TV 4K as nicely.

All in all, I genuinely hope I am unsuitable about this and {that a} new Apple TV 4K launches sooner relatively than later, even when the brand new Siri is not totally prepared but. Nonetheless, I simply can’t assist however really feel that, with out Siri being prepared and with the continuing RAM and reminiscence shortages, Apple might choose to delay launching a brand new Apple TV 4K for the foreseeable future.

In all equity, regardless of its age, the current-generation Apple TV 4K from 2022 nonetheless packs a punch in 2026, and the A15 Bionic chip inside it’s nonetheless leaps and bounds higher than what most streaming gadgets have, such because the Roku Extremely, Hearth TV Dice, and Google TV Streamer. So it isn’t like the present mannequin is struggling in any approach.

Apple is ready to host an ” Apple Experience” occasion on March 4, the place it is anticipated to debut the brand new iPhone 17e, together with presumably new Macs and iPads. Maybe we would hear extra a few new Apple TV 4K then and when it could be coming, however I am making an attempt to not get my hopes up.