Developer alleges spotting new Apple TV model, unannounced 'tvOS 11' in use logs

Developer Firi Games claims to have seen a single instance of an unreleased Apple TV, running a new version of tvOS — which may be the postulated 4K version of the product thought to be in testing.

First reported by MacRumors, developer Firi Games claims that it has seen a Cupertino IP address using an "AppleTV6,2" running "tvOS 11.0" to play one of their games. Apple's fourth-generation Apple TV with Siri Remote is an "AppleTV5,3."

The device ID, OS version, and IP address could be faked, so the veracity of the report is unverified.

However, a report in February claimed that a new 4K Apple TV is being tested by Apple, and is codenamed "J105." The device is said to debut as soon as this year, is said by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman to feature the higher resolution, and "more vivid colors." Internal hardware designation and product family identifications differ.

Apple's set-top box has been stuck at 1080p resolution since March 2012, when the third generation of the device was revealed to customers. Presumably, a 4K bump would also include a an upgrade to the A8 processor in the current model to handle the higher resolution — even though the A8 can reportedly handle 4K.

The October 2015 update of the Apple TV to the fourth generation added the aforementioned A8 processor, Siri search, and the ability for the device to run apps rather than rely on pre-installed services. Apple released tvOS 10 in September 2016 for the $149 device, and the latest beta release of tvOS 10.2 was released on Tuesday.

45 Comments

jason98 768 comments · 14 Years

About 7 years ago

sog35 said:

Friken finally.

I got a 4k tv last year and are dying to run 4k media on it.

It really was unacceptable that ATV4 did not have 4k.

The bizarre part here is that Apple sells 4k recording devices since iPhone 6s...

melgross 33607 comments · 20 Years

Well, you know that Apple follows, they don't lead in many things.

Sometimes they do, but not as much as they used to. I guess they have been waiting for more 4K Tvs to be sold, and for more 4K content to come out. I'm not so sure that's a great plan though, because they give up that market to others, even if the new standard isn't really usable at the time.

People are remarkably cheap, and won't buy one unit, only to buy a new one two, or three, years later, even if it doesn't cost much. That's why the Google and Amazon USB Tv devices have done so well. They're extremely cheap, and seem to work well enough. Apple needs a really cheap device for this too.

bells 140 comments · 8 Years

sog35 said:

Friken finally.

I got a 4k tv last year and are dying to run 4k media on it.

It really was unacceptable that ATV4 did not have 4k.

Engineering is about balance. At the time 4G didn't make sense from Apples perspective for variety reasons. I bought one and found it perfectly acceptable.

StrangeDays 12959 comments · 8 Years

sog35 said:

It really was unacceptable that ATV4 did not have 4k.

Complete nonsense. 15 months ago even fewer people cared about 4k than they do today. The mass market consumer is still happy w/ 1080p (anecdotally, I'm an enterprise developer and I have no plans to replace my 1080p plasma any time soon, especially with a crummier LCD tv). iTunes doesn't even offer any 4k content and nobody is crying about it, they certainly weren't 15 months ago.

Will the new ATV offer it? Very likely. But that doesn't mean Apple needed to be engaged in the spec wars at its earliest opportunity. Ain't how Apple rolls, bubba. You should know that, but not knowing it is why you're a poor investor.

neilm 1000 comments · 16 Years

melgross said:

Apple needs a really cheap device for this too.

Which isn't going to happen, any more than it has with any other product line.
Apple doesn't do cheap.