New Apple TV launched – Game on!

The new Apple TV has been announced and it is Apple’s biggest upgrade to their TV platform for some time.

The design of the new Apple TV is not a million miles away from how the current device looks. It’s just got considerably taller and comes bundled with a new remote which has a wider range of features.

The new Apple TV measures 1.3-inches tall, compared to the 0.9-inch shorty version. The new model also measures 3.9-inches wide and 3.9-inches deep, tipping the scales at 425 grams.

The device is powered by Apple’s dual core A8 processor, there are no details on how much RAM it comes with, I guess we will have to wait for the folks with screwdrivers to discover that bit.

For storage there are two different options 32GB and 64GB and it also features Dolby Digital 7.1 sound and can play video in Full HD in 1080p.

Connectivity comes in the form of HDMI 1.4, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, there is also an IR receiver and a USB-C connector, although this is not accessible.

The remote on the device comes with some interesting features, it is called the Siri Remote and it features a Class Touch surface for navigation, a dual microphone to use with Siri, an acceleration sensor and gyroscope. There’s Bluetooth 4.0, an IR transmitter and a Lightning connector to recharge the device also onboard.

Apple has said that the typical battery life of the remote on a single charge is around 3 months.

Most of the new features on the updated Apple TV come by way of the software, it now comes with a new OS which is called tvOS and apps and games will be available on the platform.

There will be a dedicated apps store on the device to purchase apps and games which have been designed specifically for the platform. Siri will play a major part in the new device, it can be used to search for movies and TV shows and will search multiple apps to find out exactly what you are looking for.

The new Apple TV has a dedicated app store where users can add and delete apps at will. The company also says “universal apps” are a possibility, so you could buy an app once and access it from an iPad, iPhone and the Apple TV.

The company showed a few apps in its demo on stage, including Gilt, an online shopping site; a redesigned MLB.com app; Zillow; AirBNB and PlayKids. It also showed numerous games, including Guitar Hero, Disney Infinity, Crossy Road, ShadowMatic and more.

The company hasn’t announce a dedicated controller, like those offered for the Amazon Fire TV and Google Nexus Player, but it does support third-party controllers.

The first controller to show itself is the Steel Series Nimbus (above) which has more than a touch of the Xbox One controller about it. A red ‘A’ and green ‘B’ though? This controller will cost $49.99 – so I’m guessing £49.

Apple obviously has big plans for their TV platform, the company is rumored to be in talks with the major TV networks in order to launch a new subscription service for the platform some time in the future.

Apple will launch their Apple TV in October, the 32GB model will be available for £149 and the 64GB model will be available for £199 – those are guesstimates based on swapping $ for £.