All Apple TV boxes running tvOS continue to receive updates – and will all get tvOS 26 – but an increasing number of features are limited to the newer Apple TV 4K models.
Many owners likely noticed the development when Apple recently introduced its new Liquid Glass interface in tvOS 26, which is exclusive to Apple TV 4K (2nd Gen) and newer.
However, the trend began in earnest in 2023 with tvOS 17, when new features started to skip older models due to hardware limitations.
Feature differences
Naturally, there are some expected differences like 4K and HDR support, which the now 10-year-old Apple TV HD does not support.
But many other software features also require a more recent box. Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio, for example, are only supported on Apple TV 4K.
With tvOS 17 and tvOS 18, we have seen a growing list of features requiring Apple TV 4K (2nd Gen) or even the latest Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen). These include HDMI 2.1 capabilities, 21:9 aspect ratio support, HDR10+, FaceTime, new screensavers, and various Apple Music features.
FlatpanelsHD has compiled an overview below. We have only included features where there are actual differences between generations – of course, tvOS includes many more features.
Did we miss something? Are there features you wish your Apple TV supported?
Apple TV 4K exclusive features
| Apple TV HD | Apple TV 4K
(1st Gen) | Apple TV 4K
(2nd Gen) | Apple TV 4K
(3rd Gen) |
|---|
| Liquid Glass UI | | | | |
| 4K HDR |
(max 4K30 HDR) |
(max 4K60 HDR) |
(max 4K60 HDR) | |
| HDR10+ | | | | |
| Dolby Atmos | | | | |
| Spatial Audio (w/ AirPods) | | | | |
| HomePod pairing | | | | |
| AirPlay speaker pairing | | | | |
| Enhance Dialogue | | | | |
| Share Audio with AirPods | | | | |
| HDMI 2.1 eARC | | | | |
| HDMI 2.1 QMS | | | | |
| 21:9 and other aspect ratios | | | | |
| HEVC |
(only software-decode) | | | |
| VP9 (for YouTube 4K) | |
(4K30 HDR, 4K60 SDR) |
(4K60 HDR) |
(4K60 HDR) |
| AV1 | | |
(only software-decode) |
(only software-decode) |
| Snoopy screensaver | | | | |
| Portrait screensavers | | | | |
| Apple Music vocal volume | | | | |
| Apple Music Sing | | | | |
| Apple Music Sing Karaoke | | | | |
| Matter over Thread | | | | (only 128GB box) |
| Metal 4 game support | | | | |
| FaceTime (Continuity Camera) | | | | |
| Dedicated camera | | | | |
| FaceTime live subtitles | | | | |
| Find Siri Remote | | | | |
| Siri on-device | | | | |
| Apple Fitness+ new features | | | | |
| Multiview (Apple TV app) | | | | |
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