New predictions from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggest Apple could be prepping a slew of new devices, including an upgraded Apple TV. In his Power On newsletter, Gurman claims a new-and-improved version of the company’s dedicated streaming box could sport a slightly newer A-series chip and extra RAM, which could potentially boost its gaming capabilities.
The rumored upgrade reportedly goes by the internal codename J255 and Gurman says it sports an A14 chip at its heart. That compares to the A12 found in the 2021 Apple TV 4K. For reference, the A14 first appeared in late 2020, powering the fourth-generation iPad Air as well as the iPhone 12 series. The earlier A12 series made its debut in 2018, and served as the core of the iPhone XR/XS series. Beyond the chip update, Gurman predicts this newer Apple TV will pack another gigabyte of onboard RAM.
As for why Apple would choose to update the still relatively new Apple TV 4K, Gurman suggests that new horsepower could come in handy for uses beyond traditional streaming apps. After all, the 2021-era Apple TV 4K has proven itself more than capable of handling streaming duties. In fact, it still reigns supreme when it comes to our app-loading benchmarks.
Instead, Gurman says that additional power could be leveraged for new gaming features, which could make sense given the game-friendly SharePlay updates found in the upcoming iOS 16 software update.
As for when such a device might make it to market, Gurman suggests Apple’s slate of new devices could start appearing between fall of 2022 (when new iPhones usually launch) and the first half of 2023. And it remains to be seen where an upgraded Apple TV 4K might fall within that release window.