The latest Apple TV was launched in October of this year following a 3 year gap since Cupertino released its predecessor. Now, it seems like the company is about to step up its game in the TV hardware business as it plans to unleash a new version of the fifth-generation Apple TV in 2016. According to reports, the new version will feature an updated hardware to deliver an improved hardware performance as well as newly added functions.
According to a report published by Digitimes, the fifth-generation Apple TV will be going into trial production in December, while volume production will be covered in the first quarter of next year. Apple will also be adopting a heat dissipation solution for the Apple TV for the first time to make it capable of handling a new CPU.
Also, some market watchers are expecting that the new version of the fifth-generation Apple TV will achieve about 20 million units shipped next year. Its production is also outsourced to Quanta Computer instead of Apple's usual partner, Foxconn Electronics.
Furthermore, Apple is reportedly planning to adopt a new CPU for the new version of the fifth-generation Apple TV in order to improve the device's hardware performance dramatically. While the report indicated that it will also come with new functions, it was somehow vague on what they specifically are.
However, other reports suggest that the new version of the fifth-generation Apple TV will unlikely hit a release date in the near future. Furthermore, Apple's long-rumored streaming channel service for the Apple TV is also expected to be released next year, and it may be possible that the company is planning to prepare a new hardware that will be released alongside the set top box. Apple will also likely launch the new hardware at a media event to be held in March or April if the report holds true.
