Were you planning on buying a new Apple TV for $69 in the near future? Maybe you wanted it so you can get access to HBO Now before the premiere of "Game of Thrones." If recent rumors are correct, you may want to wait.
Sources inside Apple told Buzzfeed News that Apple currently plans to unveil a new version of Apple TV at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, which will take place this summer. According to these sources, the tech giant wants to "raise the table stakes in a set-top box market cluttered with barely differentiated devices from Amazon, Roku, and others".
The new device will use an A8 chip, which will significantly increase the device's computing power and increase memory. The new Apple TV will also support Siri-based voice control and be compatible with Apple's new Homeplay feature, which lets users access a variety of smart home devices with their iPhones or iPads. Apple is also giving the device a new remote.
The sources were unable to reveal what the new price scheme would be, or if Apple would continue to sell the original version at a reduced price.
Apple originally announced the Apple TV in 2009, but the device has had a hard time developing a significant place in the streaming media market. It wasn't until the company significantly updated the device and lowered the price in 2012 that the Apple TV become a major player.
The sources also said that Apple plans to announce a new Apple TV App Store this year, as well as an app development kit.
