My sensible TV killed any curiosity I had within the subsequent Apple TV

Once I first obtained my Apple TV 4K, I used to be in love. It did every part quicker than my TV, and I used to be in a position to navigate between apps in a short time with out having to cope with sluggish speeds or something of the kind. I used to be a cheerful camper, and for a few years, issues stayed that approach. As you may know, I am nonetheless utilizing a first-gen Apple TV 4K, and whereas it is nonetheless snappy, it has its share of issues. Apps crash often, and there are some slowdowns that do not repair themselves till I force-close the app or restart my system.

That is stuff I can nonetheless work round, however there’s one factor my Apple TV 4K cannot do this my TV can. For no matter purpose, Apple won’t add audio passthrough. On the floor, it isn’t an enormous deal because the Apple TV 4K can already deal with Dolby Atmos for you. What is the concern if the very best audio format is already coated? Properly, the issue is that there are many different codecs on the market apart from Atmos. I do not pay for the costliest tier for all my streaming providers, so I solely get to expertise Atmos for a handful of issues.

My sensible TV, alternatively, can move alongside DTS:X, Dolby Digital, and any of the frequent codecs I come throughout on to my receiver. One of many massive causes I’ve a receiver within the first place is for issues like this, so it is very annoying that my Apple TV 4K cannot do it. Sadly, it is led me to make use of my smart TV for extra issues, one thing I did not wish to do.

My sensible TV is gaining floor on my Apple TV

Not a perfect state of affairs

I do not like utilizing my sensible TV for something, and a giant purpose for that’s the truth that I must have a distant for my Apple TV, my precise TV, and my receiver to do something. It is simply annoying to have all of that round, however that drawback has since been solved by a universal remote.

My distant lets me management all of my gadgets with ease, and which means it isn’t a lot of a problem for me to make use of my TV’s Netflix over my Apple TV’s app, for instance. What I have been doing increasingly these days is noticing that my receiver is studying the audio as Multi In, which implies it isn’t recognizing the audio format, and switching to my TV’s app. By doing this, my receiver will routinely learn the audio format and provides me the very best sound that I can have.

It’s extremely unusual to search out myself on this state of affairs, contemplating how a lot I beloved utilizing the Apple TV 4K, however I’ve type of been compelled into this. It appears like a simple repair on Apple’s finish to simply permit audio passthrough. What’s worse is that the sound nonetheless sounds good even when it isn’t the proper format, however with just some button presses, I can ensure every part matches up, so there is no purpose for me to not do it.

I am left feeling like that is simply an outright backwards choice from Apple, as a result of I went out of my approach to purchase one thing to exchange my sensible TV UI, solely to search out myself begrudgingly utilizing it increasingly. This cannot be what Apple meant when the Apple TV was first launched, however sadly, it is what I discover myself doing.

Apple must launch one other Apple TV

However the wait continues

What might repair this concern is the discharge of a brand new Apple TV 4K that comes with audio passthrough. There was a quick second of hope that the function could be coming in a future tvOS replace, however that hope has since come and gone. Rumors have additionally been flying a few new Apple TV 4K, however that by no means occurred both. We’re now properly outdoors the window that Apple usually launched a brand new era of {hardware}, so there is no telling if it will ever occur. It is also onerous to have an interest if Apple would not add audio passtrhough and different fundamental options.

To be truthful, even the first-gen Apple TV 4K is a powerful performer in 2026, as evidenced by my nonetheless utilizing it, however I would prefer to see a {hardware} refresh however. It is unusual that there have been so many rumors swirling, just for there to by no means be an announcement. There are fairly a number of modifications that justify an improve, together with Apple Intelligence. The tvOS updates have basically put the writing on the wall for the first-gen because the main modifications do not come to the system.

I haven’t got Liquid Glass, and whereas that is not a large drawback, it exhibits that my system is sufficiently old to overlook out on nearly every part. Even the second-gen mannequin would not get every part, so the third-gen is your greatest wager to maintain your Apple TV 4K utterly updated. That is why a fourth-gen makes plenty of sense, but it surely’s anyone’s guess as to when that can occur.