The sad truth about not upgrading my Apple TV 4K

The Struggle of Sticking with an Outdated Apple TV 4K

My Apple TV 4K is so old that it no longer receives meaningful updates. Even though it did get the much-anticipated tvOS 26 update, it's a first-generation model, and that means it missed out on several key features. I don’t have Liquid Glass, I don’t have any new aspect ratios to play around with, and I don’t even have the Snoopy backgrounds.

I know it’s time to upgrade if I want to keep up with the latest features, but rumors about a new Apple TV 4K have kept me waiting. This started at the beginning of the year, and as the months passed, I continued to wait. Rumors about a new Apple TV 4K kept swirling throughout 2025. Now that we're in December, I don't see a world where Apple releases one. This has left me in a holding pattern, and at this point, I don’t know whether I should just keep waiting for a new Apple TV 4K or finally take the plunge and get a third-gen model. It's almost a paralyzing decision since I've waited this long already, and I don’t know what to do.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Not a good place to be

I like to stay up to date with my technology, so I'm surprised by how long I've stuck with the first-gen Apple TV 4K. Part of this is because it still works just fine. I don’t particularly need any extra aspect ratios, considering I’m using a 16:9 TV, but it’d still be cool to have modern features. Liquid Glass isn’t exactly a game-changer or a reason to upgrade, but I’d rather have access to it than not.

This is a similar problem people face when it comes to upgrading their PCs. New CPUs and GPUs always seem to be right around the corner, and we know that because they typically run on a predictable schedule. The Apple TV 4K used to follow that pattern with a release every couple of years, but we’ve been on the third-gen Apple TV 4K longer than any of the ones that came before. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess when a new one will arrive. I’m growing impatient, and it feels like if I finally pony up the $150 needed to get the newest model, Apple will just announce a new one.

The good thing is that’s not the end of the world, as a third-gen model is still a big upgrade over my first-gen one. I’ll instantly get access to more features, and hopefully, it’ll run faster than my current model. I’m sure many people have had to make tough decisions like this in the past, so I’m not alone here. I just wish it weren’t the case, and a new Apple TV 4K was officially announced.

The Wait Continues, and There’s No End in Sight

It might be time to move on

As the goalposts continue to shift and the same rumor mills begin to insist it’ll just be early 2026 before an Apple TV 4K is released, it might just be time to move on instead. A third-gen Apple TV 4K is more than capable, and I imagine it’ll keep being supported for years to come. While the second-gen model is still receiving updates, it’s starting to slow down in comparison to its newer brother.

If you are going to give up waiting, I’d recommend snagging the third-gen model. Speaking for myself, I’m leaning more toward digging in and waiting for a new model. It’s been years at this point, and I’ll just keep using my device until it finally croaks. I hope that day is far away because I plan on moving my first-gen model to another room when I upgrade.