What to expect from the new Apple TV
After two years without an update, Apple is expected to introduce a new version of Apple TV at its big fall press event on September 9. While much of the attention surrounding the event has focused on changes coming to the iPhone, CNET's Dan Ackerman says the upcoming Apple TV 4 is worth watching.
"The Apple TV is kind of a cult hit -- a lot of people love it," Ackerman told CBS News. "It streams stuff to your TV from the Internet. And this new version, according to some leaks that we've seen, it's going to be a little bit bigger, a little bit more powerful."
Among the new features that may be in the pipeline: "Maybe you'll be able to talk to it through Siri. Maybe you'll be able to play more iOS apps on it," Ackerman said, "They want to make it a bigger, more mainstream, more expensive product."
Some of the new features may be available as an update for owners of previous Apple TV models, but for full access, consumers will most likely need to spring for a new Apple TV 4.
Industry watchers are also anxious to see whether Apple will roll out its own streaming service.
"That's the real key here. Everyone has these online streaming services with live TV that enable you to cut the cord, get rid of the cable company and get a lot of the same channels," Ackerman said. "Apple's been working on one of these for a while. We don't think they're going to have it at this September event, but if they do have it, you're probably going to need this new box in order to use it."
Apple TV competes with other set-top boxes reviewed on our partner site CNET, such as the Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Google's Android TV. They all allow users to stream shows and movies from services such as Netflix and Hulu, while Apple's device also lets you watch videos from the iTunes store on your TV.
The Apple-obsessed tech site 9to5Mac reports the company is still debating how much to charge for the Apple TV 4. Citing information from anonymous sources, 9to5Mac says Apple may price it at either $149 or $199 -- well above the $69 retail price of the current model of Apple TV.