Apple today began taking orders for the new Apple TV that it showed off in early September. You’ve got the option of either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, with the former model carrying a price tag of $149 and the latter getting priced at $199. Both models are expected to be delivered as early at October 30.
No matter which Apple TV model you select, you’ll get a new Siri Remote that lets you use your voice to search for programs to watch. The remote also has a touch surface up top to make navigating through Apple TV’s tvOS easier or play through games. The Apple TV also includes a power cable and Lightning-to-USB cable for charging the Siri Remote, but note that no HDMI cable is included, so you’ll need to buy one if you don’t already have an extra. Apple is offering HDMI cables for $19.
You can also buy AppleCare Protection for the Apple TV for $29. AppleCare includes technical support and repair coverage for 2 years. The included technical support calls last for 90 days, while repair coverage is 1 year.
Rounding out the add-ons available for the Apple TV, Apple is selling additional Siri Remotes for $79 apiece and Remote Loops for $12.99 each that’ll strap the remote to your wrist and prevent you from throwing it into your TV during heated gaming sessions.
The new Apple TV is a major upgrade over the last model. It offers tvOS, a new operating system that will run apps, much like your smartphone. That includes entertainment apps like Netflix and WatchESPN as well as games that can include multiplayer when you add additional iOS devices or game controllers. It remains to be seen what kind of app support the Apple TV gets from developers, but with tvOS and its upgraded hardware — which includes an Apple A8 processor and much-improved remote — so far the new Apple TV looks like a solid upgrade over its predecessor.
