Apple TV 4K, now with more pixels… and HDR

At a quick glance, the new Apple TV looks just like the previous one, but it’s actually a very different piece of tech, and a far more desirable one. The updated version, aptly called the Apple TV 4K now includes the eponymous support for 4K content along with both common variants of HDR (High Dynamic Range), HDR 10 and Dolby Vision.

You also get the same A10X chip that first appeared in the iPad Pro to provide the extra grunt needed to render all of those extra pixels and the new “immersive gaming experiences”. Primarily, though the new box is all about TV content. Apple’s going to be offering 4K video on iTunes for the same price as HD fare, and if you’ve already built a library of Apple video content you’ll get upgraded to the new higher-res and HDR-boosted content for free.

What we’re less sure about is how many of the new features we’ll see in South Africa. The TV app is coming to new markets like the UK, but SA isn’t on the list. It’s also unlikely we’ll be getting the live sports and news content, and we’ll have to wait and see what it costs. With the UK price set at £179 we wouldn’t be surprised if it reaches and breaches the R4,000 mark. Yes, we know a straight conversion is closer to R3,000… but it’s never a straight conversion, now is it?

Still, with 4K/HDR TVs becoming both more affordable and more commonplace as a result, perhaps this Apple TV will be one South African goggle-box watchers will actually want to buy.