It's been 1219 days since Apple announced the current version of the Apple TV 4K.
Since then, the five-star streamer has won four What Hi-Fi? Awards (including three coveted Product of the Year Awards), and it fended off competition from the likes of the Amazon Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation and Google TV Streamer.
More processing power
The most prominent rumour surrounding the supposed 2026 Apple TV 4K is that it will feature a much newer processor compared to the chipset found in the current model.
The Apple TV 4K (2022) features the A15 Bionic processor, which can also be found in the iPhone 14; however, insiders and rumours seem to be mostly pointing towards this being replaced by the A17 Pro from iPhone 15 Pro Max.
That might not sound like a huge upgrade, but considering that the A17 Pro chip gave the iPhone 15 Pro the ability to play console-quality games and access Apple Intelligence, it could be the perfect fit for the new Apple TV 4K.
Furthermore, this processor has recently found a home in the latest iPad Mini, meaning Apple clearly deems it to be powerful and future-proof enough to feature it in newer products.
HDMI passthrough
The Amazon Fire TV Cube 3rd Generation is far from a perfect streamer, but it does have one feature that I think every streaming box should accommodate; that being an HDMI passthrough socket.
Considering many will choose a streaming box to completely bypass their TV's built-in operating system, it would be nice for Apple to add a passthrough socket so users can select another input device – a games console or 4K Blu-ray player, for example – directly from the rather lovely, ad-free tvOS home page.
This will, of course, require Apple to tweak the chassis of the TV 4K, though we should remember that it has done this before. Despite looking similar, the latest and previous generation boxes sport different dimensions, with the newer model removing the fan and shrinking the casework slightly.
As for the port-selection, Apple already offers two different options for the TV 4K. The 64GB version only includes power and HDMI connections, whereas the 128GB model adds an Ethernet socket.
An additional HDMI socket may be a bridge too far, and could result in a bulkier box, but considering the current model is already fairly petite and non-obtrusive in my media unit, I'd take a bigger box for added functionality.
A new (but still premium) remote
If there's one thing I truly do love about the Apple TV 4K, it’s the premium aluminium remote. Compared to the plastic handsets found on the Google TV Streamer or Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2nd Generation, the Siri Remote blows them clean out of the water thanks to its luxurious feel and satisfyingly clicky buttons.
And I couldn't forget about the capacitive swipe-enabled touchpad at the top of the remote. If you're a fan of the old iPod click wheels, then this interface should feel right at home, and it works a treat to scroll through the tvOS interface.
That all being said, I'd love for Apple to take things up a notch with the next-generation TV 4K. A motion-activated backlight would be a nice touch, and a customisable shortcut button that I could assign to a streaming app of my choice would be a bonus, too.
Currently, the TV button on the Siri Remote can only be customised to either take you to the Apple TV app or the home screen.
Only time will tell if Apple decides to finally launch a new streamer at its "special Apple Experience" on the 4th of March. While my hopes are high, I've been let down by many Apple Events before.
MORE:
Check out our picks for the best streaming devices
Read our full Apple TV 4K (2022) review
And here are the best OLED TVs
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