Amazon has begun taking preorders for the new Apple TV 4K at $289.99, $9 below its listed price, marking the first discount on the streaming box since Apple announced it earlier this week. The device is scheduled to be released on November 13th. The small price cut comes just days after Amazon discounted Apple's new smart display for the first time.
The new Apple TV 4K carries a price tag nearly twice that of the 2022 model at launch. It runs on the new A19 chip and supports Siri AI out of the box. That same Siri AI capability is arriving on older Apple TV 4K models through a software update.
A key hardware change sets the new model apart from its predecessors: far-field microphones that allow hands-free requests. Users can ask for recommendations, such as nature documentaries available on Apple TV, or ask questions about what they are watching. Siri AI can also understand personal context when an iPhone or iPad signed in to the same account supports Apple Intelligence.
Apple has made other upgrades as well, though John Higgins, a colleague of the reporter who covered the announcement, noted there are not as many as some may have expected. The company skipped features that had been hoped for on a $300 streamer, including audio passthrough and support for 120fps output. The Siri Remote now supports Find My precision tracking, which lets users make it ring when it goes missing or locate it with the Find My app on an iPhone. The new Apple TV 4K also supports a more expansive surround-sound setup, allowing up to four compatible HomePod speakers to be paired instead of just two.
The discount is small relative to the device's higher price, but it represents the first price reduction offered on the product since its announcement. Amazon's move follows its earlier discount on Apple's new smart display, suggesting early promotional activity around Apple's latest living-room hardware ahead of the November 13th release.
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