A new report suggests the second-generation Apple TV may arrive as early as September. It was initially expected that the entertainment streaming device would make an appearance during the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but it didn’t happen. The Apple TV is a small box designed for streaming high-definition content movies, television shows and music videos through a variety of apps and streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and HBO Now.
What to expect from the next-gen Apple TV
The Apple TV’s second generation is expected to feature an A8 processor, revamped operating system and more storage capacity. It may also include support for Siri, the voice-activated personal assistant for iOS. There is further speculation that Apple will roll out a separate App Store to encourage developers to create more apps specifically for the system.
The Apple TV debuted in 2007, and the device received only one update that year. The only potential problem the Cupertino-based tech giant might now face with the rumored Apple TV update is competition. There are already plenty of entertainment streaming boxes on the market, including Roku, Google’s Chromecast and Nexus Player, and Amazon’s Fire TV.
Apple TV service rumors
Apple was also rumored to be planning to launch a streaming service similar to those offered by Netflix and Hulu. Previous rumors indicated that the company talked to major television networks ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. Apple’s purported TV service has been rumored for years, but it seems highly unlikely Apple will actually launch a competing service in the near future.
Tech Crunch’s Romain Dillet questions the tech giant’s rumored content strategy: “The current interface of the Apple TV is cumbersome and the company knows that it has to do something to fix it. Using Siri for voice queries would be a first step as both Google and Amazon provide a similar feature with the Nexus Player and Fire TV.”
