Apple Intelligence on the Apple TV 4K 2026: What works and what doesn’t
Thanks to a new chip, Apple’s AI system is now also coming to the multimedia box. These features are to be expected. Older models will also be supported soon.
Apple TV 4K 2026: Got smarter.
(Image: Apple)
In addition to a hefty price increase to 350 Euros, a new remote control with “Precision Finding” and an integrated locator speaker, and a (significantly) improved interior with an A19 chip, the new Apple TV 4K 2026 offers primarily one thing: first-time support for Apple Intelligence including Siri AI. This brings chatbot-like (more) voice assistance to the multimedia box, allowing users to ask questions about content and access personal context. However, this has its limits. And, quite surprisingly, older Apple TV 4K models of the second (from 2021) and third generation (2022) will also receive Siri AI for the first time via a software update to tvOS 27.2, which will be released in the coming weeks. The manufacturer did not reveal exactly how this will be technically implemented.
The EU Problem and Other Limitations
First, it’s important: With the Apple TV 4K 2026, Apple is also playing its EU game and is not enabling Siri AI on the devices. The multimedia boxes, just like the Mac, are not classified as “gatekeepers” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and are therefore not regulated. However, similar to HomeView, which will not be available in the EU at all initially, Apple seems to be concerned here with the necessary connection (e.g., for setup) to an iPhone or an iPad, both of which fall under Brussels' control regime. This means that neither the Apple TV 4K 2026 nor the previous models from 2022 and 2021 will initially receive Siri AI in this country.
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In fact, Apple also states that Siri AI will only be active on the multimedia box if it is already running on the iPhone or iPad. In addition, it must be configured in one of the supported English languages, including those for the USA, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Siri AI in Apple TV Practice
To communicate with the Apple TV 4K 2026, users can for the first time use the far-field microphones integrated directly into the device, which are designed to capture voices even in larger rooms. Previously, this required using the built-in microphone in the remote control (Siri Remote), which recorded at the press of a button. With Siri AI, there is a new interface for finding movies and TV series, where users can also ask open-ended questions (“Which film won an Oscar?”) or get AI-powered recommendations. If a show is running, users can ask about filming locations and retrieve information from other devices (thanks to personal context). Apple cited the example of requesting to play a show that a friend had recommended (via the Messages app).
On the Apple TV 4K 2026, information from summaries of a HomeKit home will also be shown with AI support, including image descriptions from HomeKit Secure Video. Finally, Siri AI also allows for better smart home control; Apple emphasizes, for example, through natural language, which was not possible with the old Siri.
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