Apple TV was one of the notable absences from Apple’s many product announcements this year. But new reports suggest that big changes could be coming for the next generation of the Apple box.
The future of Apple TV is gaming
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the next Apple TV will have a heavy focus on gaming.
“For next year, Apple is planning an upgraded box with a stronger gaming focus, an updated remote and a new processor.”
Gurman suggests that in order for the Apple TV to remain competitive with other streaming boxes, it needs to apply some big changes from the last model. Or drop the price. Gaming seems to be that change.
It also looks like the next-gen Apple TV will finally be released in 2021, after a 3-year absence.
The move to focus on gaming makes sense seeing as Apple has put a lot of work into its Apple Arcade platform. Apple Arcade offers a range of exclusive games often in party or mini-game genres. It can be accessed as a standalone subscription for $7.99 a month or can be bundled with the Apple One subscription.
Users can play Apple Arcade games via their desktop, mobile or third-party controllers – or they can use the Apple TV remote. But as many know, the Apple TV remote is quite restrictive and isn’t the easiest accessory to use, particularly for gaming. An updated remote is what the Apple TV desperately needs and one with better gaming functionality would be a logical step.
A new processor is also a promising sign for the next Apple TV. Earlier leaks from 9to5 Mac have suggested that the new Apple TV will feature an A14 chip, which is also used in the iPhone 12. This would significantly boost the Apple TV’s processing power and graphical performance.
With a lot of attention on the release of new consoles this year, it’s a smart move for Apple to play to its gaming strengths. It looks like Apple could potentially treat its new box as a gaming console and focus on better graphical power and a better ‘controller’ in 2021 to set itself apart.