It has been rumored that the next generation Apple TV will be capable of streaming 4K video for months. Finally this expectation will probably come true in the near future as one MacRumors forum member from the UK noticed iTunes is listing some of his movie purchases as supporting 4K and HDR in the receipt of the purchase. Although Apple doesn't offer any access for him to download the 4K or HDR through iTunes at this time, what we can confirm now is that Apple may be gearing up for what's around the corner — 4K and HDR support for both iTunes movies and a new Apple TV that is supposed to come this fall.
Upon further investigation, we found that currently "4K, HDR" only appears in a few iTunes movies in UK and Canada. But it's hard to imagine that Apple would even unintentionally have added the tags if it wasn't working to offer 4K and HDR videos sometime in the future.
New 4K Apple TV: What to Look for?
As Google Play Movies and Netflix have already begun supporting the new 4K UHD movies in their respective libraries since last year, it's unsurprisingly to see Apple get in on the action with iTunes starts selling 4K movies and videos. Back in February, Bloomberg reported Apple was testing a new, fifth-generation Apple TV capable of streaming 4K video, adding that it may be released as soon as this year. The report also said the new Apple TV, allegedly codenamed "J105" internally, would display more vivid colors, suggesting HDR support.
While a 4K Apple TV media streamer would be great — and we have no doubt some of Apple's processors could handle the resolution — the really exciting part could be if Apple automatically adds 4K support for HD iTunes films and TV shows that have already been purchased, increasing content libraries dramatically.
If in any chance Apple isn't prepared to launch the new 4K Apple TV streaming video device, another feasible possibility is that it's loading up its iTunes video store for an influx of new Macbook Pro or iMac users, many of whom might be upgrading to 4K HDR laptops and desktops in the coming months and years.
Unfortunately, there's still no official word yet on if this is happening, making this only a rumour that happens to be connected with receipts suggesting 4K media is coming. But don' worry. We'll follow up the situation closely and post update once we get a reason for this.
More Tips: How to Easily Stream iTunes Movies to Apple TV
The most up-to-date Apple TV is the 4th generation that is able to support streaming iTunes movies in HD versions. iTunes users can easily stream movies to Apple TV by using Home Sharing or AirPlay. If you are not familiar on how to stream iTunes to Apple TV, you can simply read on this tutorial: How to Stream and Play iTunes Movies on Apple TV that explains the steps in details.
User Comments
Leave a Comment