Is there a new Apple TV on its way early next year?

It seems like we've only just had the latest Apple TV arrive in our homes – and now we're hearing rumours that there's a new version on the way.

The rumours about a new 5th-generation Apple TV stem from a report on Taiwanese site Digitimes, citing Taiwan-based techies. It's claiming the new Apple TV is going into trial production this month, with a full-volume production run starting in the first quarter of next year.

It took Apple around three years to move from the old Apple TV to its latest design, replete with new tvOS software, lots of storage and a boatload of apps. For the new Apple TV generation to last only a matter of months seems a strange move, making this rumour sound like it needs swallowing with a fistful of sodium chloride.

The report also states that Apple is looking to use a new processor design for the 5th-generation Apple TV to 'dramatically improve the device's hardware performance.' That, in turn, will mean it needs to adopt a heat-dissipation solution too.

All in the timing

If accurate, the timescale Digitimes is talking about could possibly mean a June launch for the new Apple TV to coincide with WWDC 2016 (Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference).

Given that the current Apple TV is rocking hardware which feels slightly out of date, compared with the 4K stylings of the Amazon Fire TV and Nvidia Shield boxes, having an Apple TV with advanced hardware capable of coping with Ultra HD resolutions would be a win.

If we do indeed see the new, 4K Apple TV launched at next year's WWDC it would sit alongside the current HD version, offering a two-tiered approach.

But we'll have to wait and see if these rumours solidify any further.

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