Apple has dropped another hint that a fourth-generation Apple TV 4K could be close to launch, just days after an image of the unreleased device appeared online.
The latest clue comes directly from an Apple support document covering lossless audio in Apple Music, which the company updated this week.
Under the requirements for Hi-Res Lossless playback, Apple now says the feature is available on “Apple TV 4K (3rd generation or later).”
That wording is noteworthy because there currently isn’t a later Apple TV 4K available to buy. The third-generation Apple TV 4K, introduced in 2022, remains Apple’s latest model.
On its own, the wording isn’t confirmation of new hardware. Apple could simply be future-proofing its support documentation ahead of eventual products, or the wording could have been added routinely without any connection to an imminent launch.
But it arrives alongside considerably stronger evidence that a fourth-generation Apple TV 4K is approaching.
Last week, an image file uncovered from Apple specifically referenced an unreleased “Apple TV 4K (4th generation).” The image showed a device that appears externally almost identical to the current model, suggesting Apple’s biggest changes will be inside.
As The Apple Post reported over the weekend, the Apple TV leak appeared alongside evidence of a new iPad mini and HomePod mini 2, strengthening expectations that Apple is preparing another wave of hardware announcements.
Separate evidence found in Apple’s software has pointed toward an A19-generation chip for the next Apple TV 4K.
An A19 or A19 Pro would represent a substantial upgrade over the A15 Bionic used by the current model and would provide enough memory and processing capability to support Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.
The next Apple TV is also expected to use Apple’s N1 wireless networking chip, potentially bringing Wi-Fi 7 support, alongside an updated Siri Remote.
Apple has not announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K or confirmed when it will arrive.
October remains an obvious possibility. Apple has a long history of using the month for hardware announcements, and the current Apple TV 4K itself was unveiled in October 2022.
Our analysis of Apple’s previous October events points toward the latter half of the month as the most interesting period to watch if Apple decides to hold another presentation, although the company could just as easily introduce its remaining hardware through press releases.
Apple’s latest support-document wording doesn’t prove that announcement is imminent, but combined with last week’s fourth-generation image and previous code discoveries, the evidence for a new Apple TV 4K is continuing to build.