It is the end of the road for my Apple TV

Like many of you, I updated my Apple TV to tvOS 26 to celebrate the launch of the big update. A big UI overhaul is the driving force behind the update, with Liquid Glass, and many people were excited to get their hands on it. This update brings the Apple TV in line with other Apple devices, such as the iPhone and iPad, and now everything’s on the same page.

However, there’s just one issue with all this that’s stopping me from joining in on the excitement. My Apple TV 4K says it was updated to tvOS 26, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. My Apple TV 4K, a first-gen model from 2017, doesn’t have Liquid Glass. After installing the update, I couldn’t point out any differences to you. I’m sure some things changed, but it feels like the same Apple TV I’ve been using for the past few years.

My Apple TV feels like it’s maxed out

It could be time for a change

Credit: Apple / Pocket-lint

There are currently three generations of Apple TV 4K, and a fourth one is rumored to arrive sometime this year, so there’s no question that mine’s getting closer to the end of its life. While that end isn’t here yet, and it works perfectly fine for the most part, it’s missing out on quite a few features. It started off being things I wasn’t too interested in, like Snoopy backgrounds, but as time has gone on, I’m starting to feel like I’m missing out. I don’t have additional aspect ratios, I can’t use Apple Music Sing, and the list continues to go on. The first-generation Apple TV 4K seems to be getting little to no love, which is understandable considering its age.

The best thing it has going for it right now is that it works. It hasn’t stopped receiving updates for apps, so while it’s not getting many of the cool things Apple has been rolling out, things like Netflix and HBO Max still work just fine. I imagine I’ll keep using it as long as it has access to those apps, but I do find myself yearning for an upgrade. I still plan to wait for a 4th-gen model as that’s rumored to arrive at some point this year, but the clock is ticking.

It’s no surprise that technology approaching 10 years old doesn’t perform the way it did when it was brand new, and my Apple TV hasn’t been exempt from that. I find myself having to force close apps more often than before, and my remote often has a mind of its own. I don’t think I’d have issues like this if I upgraded to even a second-gen model, as those are far newer, but I’m going to ride it out as long as I can. The Apple TV 4K is the most expensive streaming box on the market, so I don’t want to pull the trigger on an upgrade just for a new model to come out. However, with the end of the year being so close, I’m starting to wonder if there’s even an upgrade coming this year.

The wait for a new Apple TV could be long

I hope you’re comfortable

As you might’ve gathered by now, Apple doesn’t put as many hardware refreshes into the Apple TV line as the iPhone line. There are multiple iPhone models coming out each year, but it’s typically a few years between a refresh for the Apple TV 4K. This makes a lot of sense as there are fewer leaps to make in the streaming box realm, but it does leave the install base expecting bigger upgrades since the changes are few and far between.

My first-gen model is so far behind the third-gen in updates that it’d likely feel like a big jump if I ever made it. I plan to do that sometime next year if there’s not another generation coming out this year. Many credible sources have pointed toward 2025 being the year of another Apple TV, but there’s nothing official from Apple as of yet. There should be at least one more Apple event before the end of the year, and that leaves time for a new Apple TV model to come out in time for the holidays. If that doesn’t happen, then it’s anybody’s guess as to when another refresh could happen.

I hope it’s not a long wait for a new model, because I’ve been purposely holding off on an upgrade based on the rumor that a new one is coming this year. So far, there’s been no harm, no foul, but I’m feeling a bit left out by not having Liquid Glass on my Apple TV 4K right now. I know it means little in the grand scheme of things, but as new tvOS updates continue to release, I know I’ll just be falling further and further behind. The only thing I truly miss is the expanded aspect ratios, and aside from those, there’s just been a number of cool updates that aren’t really game-changers for me. However, I’d still prefer having a device that gets them instead of being left out, especially considering my device still has to update to the latest OS like the rest of them.

We haven’t exactly gotten many updates on when Apple plans to release another device outside of the initial flurry of rumors. It would make a lot of sense to have something in time for the holidays, since it can be a good gift for anybody looking to upgrade their viewing experience. If it doesn’t happen, then I’m sure somebody else will do something to drum up the rumor mill, because it’s obvious Apple still has faith in the Apple TV as a product. It’s hard to believe it would have lasted as long as it did if that wasn’t the case. Sure, it’s been a long wait for the fourth generation, but those concerns will all go away if Apple comes out swinging with a new model that supports the latest tech such as Apple Intelligence and includes an updated chip for faster browsing and gaming. I can dream, can’t I?