A cheaper Apple TV could be happening

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

The Apple TV could be on the market by the end of the year. In the second half of 2022, Apple will launch a new Apple TV that improves cost structure, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

It's about time.

Apple sells three Apple TV models. The Apple TV comes in two capacities, 32 and 64 gigabytes, and retails for $179 and $199. It's a good deal for the 4K Apple TV. The Apple TV 4K supports a wide range of home theater standards and formats, but no set-top box does. It is the gold standard for professional home theater installation and is praised for its EDID capabilities.

Related

Apple TV 4K (2021) review: much better remote, slightly faster box

What kind of display you plugged in to your set-top box, or other device, is known as an extended display identification data. If your TV can't support it or you think it's incapable of it, your device may try and play the content, even if it's not supported by your TV. A lot of set-top boxes can be bad at giving your TV the best signal it can handle from any streaming source. Apple is very good at it.

The budget-friendly Apple TV HD doesn't have all the extras that make the 4K a must- buy for home theater nerds. It's a terrible buy because it only supports up to1080p. You're better off saving your money.

Which is a problem for Apple. The company wants to sell its services to you, including Apple Fitness and Apple TV Plus. It's worked diligently with other set-top box providers and TV makers to get those products on their devices, but that's not enough to compete with the set-top boxes that start at well under $50 and have most of them.

The ability to tackle fitness and excellent EDID handling would be more appealing with an Apple TV stick that starts at $99 or lower. That is closer to the sticks offered by Amazon and Roku. At least it would be under $100.

What the heck is the point of the Apple TV HD if it's cheaper? Is it possible to part money from people who aren't paying attention? It doesn't make sense to sell it at its current price because of its high price and lower resolution output. A new device with 4K support could take its place in the middle, if it ends up getting a price drop to under $100.

It isn't clear where this new device would sit in the Apple TV lineup, so it is anyone's guess at this point. Drop us a line at tips@theverge.com if you know. It could replace the Apple TV HD.

Let's hope that the new product is cheaper than the current offerings and that it has a better name. We have Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, Apple TV Plus, and the Apple TV Up Next app, but if we add Apple TV Stick or something, I worry about the search results.