Latest evidence for new Apple TV gaming powers? A patent, of course

With Amazon Fire TV out, it looks like Apple is planning on a few new features of its own to rival Fire TV's gaming abilities.

Talk of incorporating gaming with the next-gen Apple TV has surfaced before and Patently Apple's recent snooping seems to have uncovered more on the matter.

A patent for a larger heat sink was stealthily filed by Apple and suggests that a future set-top model is making way for a larger and faster A7 processor to allow gaming through the box.

Bluetooth gaming controllers have also been linked to the Apple box but so far nothing has been officially verified by Apple.

Boxes and boxes everywhere

The current-gen Apple TV can stream games through AirPlay but hasn't provided good experiences, so a fresh take on gaming would be a much needed improvement.

But with the PS4, Xbox One and soon Steam Machines crowding the living room and the addition of Amazon Fire TV as well as the other set-top boxes out there, it makes a gaming-ready Apple TV seem unwieldy.

Still, the interest in Fire TV gaming abilities is growing, and we won't be surprised to hear more about Apple's continuing efforts to put you in the set-top box game.

• Have too many boxes? Try a Chromecast or Roku Streaming Stick instead!