The new Apple TV 4K can hear “Siri” or “Hey Siri” without anyone touching the remote. It has a three far-field microphones with voice isolation, and it keeps listening while a movie or show is playing.
Until now, Siri on Apple TV has depended on the Siri button on the remote. The fourth-generation model keeps that button, so you can still press and hold it, but the three-microphone array adds hands-free listening from across the room.
Three microphones and echo cancellation let Siri hear you over the TV
Apple says advanced echo cancellation separates your voice from background sound, so Siri can pick up a request over the TV’s own audio. That matters on a streaming box, where the TV is usually playing sound during the request.
The A19 chip includes Secure Exclaves, which process microphone data in a protected environment separate from the rest of the system. Data processed there cannot be accessed by tvOS, apps, the user, or Apple.
The microphones also work for smart home control. You can ask Siri to turn scenes on or off and to control compatible accessories without picking up the remote.
Hands-free Siri supports nine languages when tvOS is set to match
Far-field Siri support varies by region and language. It works when the primary tvOS language is set to English, Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, or Swedish, so owners who use another language still rely on the remote.
The Siri button still works for everyone, and the new Siri Remote adds Find My with Precision Finding plus an option to play a sound when it goes missing.
Siri AI turns hands-free requests into full-screen answers
Siri AI runs as a beta on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) or later, so older Apple TV 4K models get Siri AI without the microphones. On the new box, a request such as asking which Apple TV shows won at the Emmy Awards returns poster art from the Apple TV app, along with follow-up suggestions.
While you are watching, you can ask follow-up questions such as where a show was filmed, and the answer appears in a compact overlay that leaves the video playing. With an Apple Intelligence iPhone, Siri AI can also use personal context for requests like playing a show a friend recommended.
The new Apple TV 4K also serves as a home hub, and Apple Intelligence generates camera activity descriptions and summarized notifications for the Home app. With a compatible doorbell, a notification appears on the TV so you can see who is at the door and speak with them without leaving what you are watching.
The new Apple TV 4K costs $299, or $49.83 a month for six months, and ships on Friday, November 13.
