Apple has opened pre-orders for the new Apple TV, a more apps-friendly version of the over-the-top video and gaming platform.
Introduced last month, the new Apple TV will come in two models – a 32 GB version for $149 and a 64 GB edition that fetches $199. The fourth-gen device will join the most recent version of the Apple TV, which currently sells for $69. The new Apple TV runs a fresh user interface, a new operating system (tvOS), and comes with a remote with a glass-based touch interface, Siri integration, is capable of streaming in 1080p at 60 frames per second, plus the ability to search across the libraries of iTunes, Netflix, Showtime, HBO and Hulu.
The new entry will be dueling in the market with new streaming products that include new 4K-capable entries from Roku and Amazon, a refreshed Google Chromecast adapter, and a lineup of Android TV-powered devices that have been tacking on content partners in recent weeks.
One place consumers won’t be able to buy the new Apple TV is at Amazon, which said it will stop selling the Apple TV and the Google Chromecast adapter on October 29, opting instead to focus on platforms that “interact well” with Amazon’s won streaming service, such as its own Fire TV box and Fire TV Stick and Roku players.
