This Apple TV 4K rumor fooled so many individuals, together with me

The Apple TV 4K is my favourite streaming field available on the market by margin. The Apple TV 4K can also be the oldest streaming field I personal. I am nonetheless utilizing the first-gen field that dates again to 2017, and this implies it is near a decade previous. It nonetheless works, but it surely’s undoubtedly exhibiting its age. I’ve needed to power shut apps far more than I did a couple of years in the past, so the writing feels prefer it’s on the wall.

I plan to maintain on utilizing my Apple TV 4K till it lastly bites the mud, however I used to be trying to improve it in 2025. I had my eyes on the third-gen mannequin, however rumors saved indicating a brand new, fourth-gen mannequin was right around the corner. Because it seems, that wasn’t the case, and I used to be left holding the bag for one thing that wasn’t coming. The rumor mill has already began up once more about this elusive fourth-gen Apple TV 4K, however I am achieved ready for it. I do not plan on shopping for a third-gen mannequin straight away since mine is working superb, however I do not see myself ready round for brand new tech like this once more. There is no level in ready, particularly for the reason that third-gen mannequin would’ve been a giant improve. With the good thing about hindsight, I actually ought to’ve simply grabbed that new Apple TV 4K once I wished to.

Ready round is not price it

They will not get me once more

My Apple TV 4K stopped receiving notable updates. It would not have Liquid Glass. It would not have further side ratios. It someway did not get the Snoopy backgrounds both. Though it nonetheless works with all my apps, it feels prefer it’s been left behind in a means that the third and second-generation Apple TV 4K fashions have not. I’ve purpose to improve, and I may’ve achieved it months in the past as a substitute of being locked in a cycle of ready. My drawback was that I saved seeing articles and totally different folks saying {that a} new Apple TV 4K was deliberate for 2025. I had no purpose to not belief that info, however right here we’re in 2026 and there is no new mannequin to talk of.

What I ought to’ve achieved to ease my considerations is look towards the second-generation Apple TV 4K. It is nonetheless getting updates, so it is not like Apple has simply deserted it. The third-gen mannequin will seemingly be very related for years to come back, so I may’ve simply gotten that one and known as it a day. A fourth-gen mannequin can be quicker, but it surely’s not just like the third and even second-generation fashions are slouches. My first-gen gadget nonetheless feels quicker than the 2024 Roku Extremely I’ve in my bed room.

New tech at all times feels prefer it’s on the best way, so it is easy to get paralyzed by at all times ready. I’ve discovered over time, particularly with this Apple TV 4K scenario, that it is higher to only get what you need straight away. I may’ve been utilizing this gadget for a yr now and have been completely joyful. As a substitute, I am caught utilizing one thing that is nearly a decade previous and wishing it have been one thing newer.

This line of considering will be utilized to all expertise. I see it usually within the PC gaming area the place any person asks if they need to improve to the newest CPU or GPU solely to be informed that the brand new era is only a few days away. It is good recommendation on the floor, however you run the chance of the present scenario we discover ourselves in the place the RAM costs skyrocketed, and now it is a dangerous concept to construct a PC. For those who had simply purchased one thing once you wanted it, you may not have run into this difficulty.

Mainly, when you’re one thing you intend on utilizing straight away, there is no sense in ready except you are a couple of days earlier than Black Friday or one thing like that. For those who wait round, you will simply run right into a scenario like I discovered myself in the place you are simply ready all yr for completely nothing to come back. I do not need to have that feeling once more, so the following time I need one thing, I am simply going to purchase it with out considering too onerous about it.

A brand new Apple TV 4K is nowhere in sight

What might be taking so lengthy?

I do not need to say the rumors have been incorrect as a result of it is not just like the details about a brand new gadget did not come from credible sources. There may really be fairly a bit happening behind the scenes that led to a delay, and it could be the identical factor inflicting the next-gen consoles from being launched.

With RAM costs being the best way they’re, it may simply make the worth of a brand new Apple TV 4K shoot up as properly. The Apple TV 4K is already the costliest streaming field by margin, and bloated RAM costs may make that even greater. Coupled with tariffs elevating the worth of every little thing, it would simply be a relentless state of dangerous timing for the discharge of latest {hardware}.

This is not affecting simply Apple, but it surely’s an issue throughout all of tech. Graphics card costs are extraordinarily excessive, and we have already seen the price of the Xbox get raised due to the tariffs. I am not sure that is what’s occurring with Apple and the discharge of the Apple TV 4K, but it surely is sensible to me.

For those who’re prepared to stay it out and keep affected person, you would possibly see a brand new launch a while this yr. With what number of rumors there have been, it actually seems like there is a smoking gun, however there’s actually no technique to know for sure. Each time any person was adamant there can be an announcement on the subsequent Apple occasion, it at all times got here and went with none launch.

I hope Apple drops a brand new mannequin out of nowhere so I will not immediately really feel burned if I decide up a third-gen gadget. Based mostly on my luck, I will purchase a brand new Apple TV after ready for over a yr for a brand new one, after which Apple will announce the fourth-generation. If I took my very own recommendation, I would not even be upset about that, for the reason that third-gen will probably be supported for years to come back.