The rumor: Apple is preparing upgrades to Apple TV, tvOS and Apple Arcade in 2021, according to The Verifier (54.3% accurate).
For the next Apple TV:
- New remote
- Game controller in development
- Processor faster than A12
- 64/128GB storage (with higher tiers potentially coming in the future)
- More than 3GB RAM
- Launch at a TV+ event in the fourth quarter of 2021
Rumored details about ‘Apple Arcade+’:
- “Preliminary details reveal that the company is in advanced contacts with major and well-known gaming players in order to offer their games outside of the Xbox, PlayStation and PC consoles” The Verifier says
- The expanded service may launch as soon as later this year
And for the reported changes coming in tvOS 15:
- Major design refresh; App Store will see upgraded UI
- Kids mode with better parental controls
- Screen Time
- Upgraded broadcast schedule, improved recording management and channel subscription bundles
Our take: Wild to hear that the new Apple TV could still be 9 months away. Expecting some pretty big things from this 6th-gen version after seeing it delayed time and time again. As for Apple Arcade+, call me skeptical: I think we might see a price bump and I certainly see a future where AAA games make their way to the platform. But it would be a bit odd to have 2 different tiers.