The rumor mill has been hinting at a major Apple TV refresh for a long time, and today Apple finally launched that very device.
Apple’s new TV box comes with a new remote that has a glass touch surface up top for navigating through its new OS, as well as a dedicated Siri button that you can use to search for stuff to watch on your Apple TV. The touch surface can also be used for things like scrubbing through video that’s being played back. The remote has a Play/Pause button and volume controls, too.
The new Apple TV hardware is powered by an A8 processor, and the remote operates using Bluetooth 4.0, meaning that you don’t have to point the remote at the box to control it. The Apple TV includes HDMI and Ethernet ports on its backside. As for the remote, you’ll recharge it using a Lightning cable, and Apple says that it’ll last for 3 months on a single charge with typical use.
The new Apple TV runs a refreshed operating system called tvOS. Included is an App Store that’ll let you play games like Crossy Road and Asphalt 8. The OS will also let you search for content across services, including iTunes, HBO, and Showtime. Apple says that it has refreshed its own apps for tvOS and that other major companies are revamping their apps as well.
Apple also showed off a couple of special apps for its new Apple TV. First up was Gilt, which will let you view search for products, view their details, and buy them from your couch. Also shown was a new MLB app. In addition to watching games normally, the app can let you view the game in a window while viewing all kinds of stats, or watch two games side-by-side.
The new Apple TV will launch in late October and will be available in 100 countries by the end of 2015. Pricing will be set at $149 for 32GB of storage or 64GB for $199.