Oliver Haslam·

Apple TV 5 With A12 Chip Could Be Announced Next Week At iPhone 11 Event

The 2019 iPhones are going to be announced during an event next week, and it seems there’s also a good chance that an updated Apple TV might join them on-stage. We already expect new Apple Watch and iPad announcements either during the event or in the weeks after.

The Apple TV as the dark horse, however. The Apple TV 4K is now a couple of years old and a refresh may be due, but what would that entail?

As 9to5Mac points out, it’s possible that the new device might include support for HDMI 2.1, a specification designed for gaming and the improvement of lag. With Apple launching its Apple Arcade service, such a feature might make sense. Although you’d need a new TV to enable it.

Tom’s Guide outlines exactly what HDMI 2.1 would bring to the table.

HDMI 2.1 also comes with enhancements that allow for fast-moving content to be more accurately depicted on the screen to create more lifelike gaming experiences.

That’s achieved in part by a new technology called Auto Low-Latency Mode, which will automatically adjust the television’s settings to ensure fast-moving content isn’t slowed down. Lag, in other words, could be tossed aside.

Additionally, HDMI 2.1 comes with both variable refresh rates (VRR) and quick frame transport (QFT) technology. If you’ve heard of AMD’s FreeSync on gaming monitors, HDMI 2.1 brings that same technology to TVs and game consoles. With help from VRR, game consoles will be able to deliver video frames at the fastest speed possible, allowing it to stabilize and improve upon the visual experience. With help from QFT, latency will be reduced, ensuring your screen isn’t taking too much time to interpret what the game console or graphics card is sending it.

It’s easy to see why such a feature would be of benefit to the Apple TV.

Twitter leaker @never_released also claims that an Apple TV 11,1 model with an A12 processor is around the corner, and 9to5Mac also received a tip that the new machine will feature the aforementioned HDMI 2.1. Could all of this be a coincidence, or is Apple set to refresh the Apple TV next week?

We’ll find out on September 10th, with new iPhones very much the order of the day.

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