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Reports surfaced on Sunday claim that a new version of the Apple TV is going to be released come October, at a way higher price than the original.
The official reveal is stated to happen in less than a fortnight, when Apple’s big event surrounding its next iPhone is scheduled. However, the same reports also claim that it’s not going to launch alone, but alongside a host of other redesigned gadgets meant to interact with it.
The new set-top box is rumored to cost anywhere between $149 and $199, which is quite the increase considering that the original Apple TV sold for just $99 at launch and quite rapidly dropped to $69. This means that the Silicon Valley giant is certainly going to cater in a host of new improvements and probably some surprises to justify upping the price.
9to5Mac were reportedly the first to break the news, and judging by the good ratio of Apple leaks which turned out to be the real deal shared by the site, you can expect most of the information to be accurate. The site also claims that it knows part of the improvements Apple will add to its new TV system, some of which sound outlandish: a touchpad remote control which support motion controls similar to the Wii-U and an in-built microphone for voice commands, of course controlled by Siri.
Still, coughing up $200 for a new set-top box – no matter how much it resembles 80’s sci-fi movies – will have even the most avid Apple fans questioning its worth. If there isn’t anything truly breathtaking with it, chances are it’s going to be catered more as a niche product for core fans, as the report also brought forth the idea that Apple might keep commercializing its current box as a cheaper alternative.
An important piece of information though is that Apple’s upcoming on-demand TV streaming service will be apparently available for both boxes – so at least we know that’s not going to be major selling point of the future Apple TV. But it will reportedly bring a host of technical improvements, stemming from it running the latest iOS 9 version, and also featuring a processor similar to the iPhone 6’s A8. In any case, the rumors are meant to be confirmed or dispelled in little more than 10 days, when we are going to have an official presentation of the box or a confirmation of misleading information.
Image Source: 9to5mac
