Posted Mon Aug 7, 2017 at 06:00 AM PDT by Steven Cohen
New leaked firmware indicates an upcoming 4K Apple TV with high dynamic range playback is on the way.
According to posts made on the Twitter account of developer Guilherme Rambo, Apple may have just inadvertently revealed details on its latest Apple TV model. Potential info on the rumored device was discovered by examining the firmware for Apple's upcoming HomePod Smart Speaker.
After examining the HomePod code, Guilherme Rambo came across a few different references to new Apple TV features, including lines that indicate support for 4K Ultra HD playback, along with HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) high dynamic range formats. In addition, some iTunes users recently discovered several titles in their purchase history, including Passengers and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, listed as 4K HDR. Though the service still only supports HD content at this time, these listings hint that iTunes is gearing up to launch support for Ultra HD titles with HDR, which meshes well with news of a potential 4K Apple TV.
While there are several 4K HDR media players on the market now, including the Roku Ultra and NVIDIA Shield TV, Apple's current 4th Generation Apple TV is only capable of Full HD playback. Under the hood, the player is powered by a 64-bit A8 chip with Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi. The device also comes with an advanced remote with Bluetooth 4.0, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a glass touch surface for intuitive navigation, and a Siri voice search feature for comprehensive voice search results.
Official confirmation from Apple about a new 4K HDR Apple TV is still forthcoming.
Sources: Guilherme Rambo Twitter via Engadget, 9to5Mac, Apple Insider
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