New Apple TV gets three built-in microphones
Apple enables voice control without a remote and links it to new privacy claims.
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Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K on Tuesday with three built-in microphones. This allows users to speak directly to Siri, while Apple says microphone data is processed in a separate secure environment.
The new Apple TV 4K is the first version of the device with built-in microphones. According to Apple, they are three so-called far-field microphones, which should also recognise speech when sound is coming from the television. Users will therefore no longer need to use the remote or a HomePod as a microphone.
Apple is linking the microphones to an updated version of Siri that uses Apple Intelligence. The assistant should be able not only to search for programmes, but also to understand follow-up questions and display information about films and series. Apple presents the feature as a way to make watching television and controlling a smart home easier.
The new media player will also get an A19 chip. Apple claims up to 50 per cent more processing power and up to twice the graphics performance of the previous generation. Those figures come from Apple itself; there has not yet been an independent real-world test of the new device.
The Siri Remote is also being updated. The remote will support Find My and have a built-in speaker, allowing users to make it beep when they have misplaced it. The new Apple TV can also work with four HomePod speakers for surround sound.
The microphones make privacy an important part of the product announcement. Apple says microphone data is processed in so-called Secure Exclaves, separate from tvOS, apps and the user. According to the company, Siri requests can be processed locally or run through Private Cloud Compute. These are technical and organisational claims by Apple, not an independent privacy audit.
The Apple TV 4K can be ordered from Tuesday and will be available on 13 November, according to Apple. In the United States, the price starts at $299. Availability, pricing and Siri AI support vary by country and language; Apple does list support for the Dutch-language microphone function, but not automatically the same AI features as in the United States.
With its built-in microphones, Apple is moving the television further towards being a permanent voice assistant in the living room. This may offer convenience for users, but it also means that a device traditionally used only to transmit images and sound can now actively listen for a wake word. How well the settings and options for disabling it work in practice will have to emerge from tests after release.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The factual product information was checked directly against Apple and TechCrunch. Claims about privacy and performance have been attributed as company claims and not presented as independent findings.
- confirmed The new Apple TV 4K has three built-in microphones. — Apple lists three far-field microphones; TechCrunch describes the same feature. source
- confirmed The Apple TV 4K uses an A19 chip. — This is stated in Apple's product announcement and TechCrunch's reporting. source
- confirmed Apple claims up to 50 per cent more processing power and up to twice the graphics performance. — Apple gives the figures as its own performance targets. source
- confirmed The new Apple TV 4K will be available on 13 November. — Apple names this date in the announcement. source
- confirmed Apple says microphone data is processed in Secure Exclaves. — This is Apple's privacy description; the text does not present it as an independent audit. source