Rumors of a new Apple TV streaming device, expected to be announced at Apple’s iPhone event on September 9, have abounded for months. Today’s latest rumor, courtesy of 9to5Mac, suggests the fourth-generation Apple TV will be priced at either $149 or $199, and will be made available in October (previous rumors said September).
The third-generation Apple TV is currently priced at $69 (recently reduced from $99), so this is a sizeable price increase. Because offerings from competitors are much more affordable, Apple reportedly plans to keep selling the third-generation device alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV, which is expected to be thicker and slightly wider.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":1793834,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"bots,business,media,","session":"A"}']We continue to hear that the new Apple TV will include Apple’s App Store, Siri support, and a new remote control. Details on this last point are particularly interesting, as relayed by TechCrunch:
One thing that hasn’t been talked about yet is the fact that the new remote will be motion sensitive, likely including several axis’ worth of sensors that put its control on par with a Nintendo Wii remote. The possibilities, of course, are immediately evident.
A game controller with a microphone, physical buttons, a touchpad and motion sensitive controls would be extremely capable. While Apple is likely going to target the broad casual gaming market, I would not be shocked to see innovative gameplay blossom from that type of input possibility. Think, for instance, of multi-player gaming with several people using voice input, or many popular genres of party games that would do far better on the TV than on an iPad or iPhone.
Apple also has big plans for the Apple TV in 2016. The company is supposedly looking to secure the content it needs to replace the need for a cable subscription. Today’s 9to5Mac report suggests such an offering would be available for both third-generation and fourth-generation Apple TVs, priced at $40 per month.
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