New Apple TV 4K Device Hinted in tvOS 13.4 Beta Code, Could Launch in March: Report

Apple recently released its latest round of developer beta software for the iPhone, iPad, MacBooks, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, which gives us a good insight on what new features we can expect in the stable rollout. Developer betas are also a great place to find clues about upcoming products, which is exactly what 9to5Mac did. The beta code of tvOS reveals a new codename for an Apple TV device, which means it's possible that we could see a new model soon. Apple normally hosts a spring event, sometime in March, which is when we could see a new Apple TV 4K model.

The latest tvOS 13.4 beta code reportedly mentions a codename ‘T1125' that is very different from the current ‘J105a' codename for the 4K model and ‘J42d' for the HD model. The reports states that the 'T' in the codename could be an internal name only, since it's possible that the device is not a final production-ready unit yet. Furthermore, the internal files of tvOS 13.4 beta seem to suggest that the processor will be based on the ARM64e architecture that is the same one used in the A12 Bionic and A13 Bionic chipsets, according to the report. The new device, if it launches, is also believed to support a maximum resolution of 4K, with HDR. We don't see Apple jumping on the 8K bandwagon just yet.

As for its launch, we expect the new model (if it even exists) to launch sometime in March. Apple has had a spring event, at least for the past two years, but it's not a guarantee as the company has skipped this event a few times in the past. We could very well see a soft launch, in the way the AirPods Pro and the MacBook Pro 16-inch were announced.

In any case, having a more powerful processor in the next Apple TV device makes sense, especially since it would enable a better gaming experience that Apple can use to further promote Apple Arcade, game subscription service.

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