Apple has launched the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K — not a smart display, not a HomeView successor, but a dedicated streaming box with an A19 chip, hands-free Siri, and 128GB of storage standard. It costs $199 in the US and Rs 24,900 in India, shipping Friday, October 18. No UK or EU pricing is confirmed yet. This is not the HomeView: that’s a separate device, announced earlier this month, and it does not run video apps natively, not even Apple TV. The Apple TV 4K does. And it’s the only one of the two that actually streams video from the box itself. So if you searched for 'smart display for home' or 'smart display compatible with Google Home', this isn’t it. But if you’re weighing a streaming hub that works across ecosystems. And want something faster, more responsive, and less reliant on your phone, this changes the math. Especially at $199. That’s $100 less than the HomeView, and $100 more than the outgoing third-gen Apple TV 4K was at launch. Still, it’s $299 for the 128GB model alone. No 64GB option anymore. Gigabit Ethernet is now standard, not optional. The new Siri Remote adds Find My with Precision Finding and a built-in speaker, $59, and works with older Apple TVs too. The three-microphone array means ‘Hey Siri’ works without pressing a button. That’s new. Siri AI arrives here first. Though Apple says it’s rolling out to second- and third-gen models via software update. The A19 chip delivers up to 50% faster CPU and double the GPU performance over the A15 in the 2022 model. It also includes a dedicated AV1 decoder, which matters for bandwidth-constrained households or those using services like YouTube or Netflix that increasingly stream AV1-encoded content. Android Authority notes some Google TV users may consider switching, not because Apple TV integrates with Android, but because its stability, privacy posture, and raw performance stand out in a category where lag and reboots are still common. Meanwhile, HomeView remains a locked-down companion screen: no App Store, no third-party video apps, and. Per AppleInsider, no native Apple TV app either. You need an iPhone or iPad to AirPlay Apple TV shows to it. Same for Apple Fitness+, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+. Apple Music plays natively, but Apple Music Classical does not. The HomeView runs an A18 chip. Capable enough for video playback (it’s in the iPhone 16), but apparently not approved for Apple’s own streaming apps. Why? Apple hasn’t said. Rumours point to widget-based architecture or unannounced APIs, but none of that is confirmed. What is confirmed: the fourth-gen Apple TV 4K is available to order now, ships Friday, and starts at $199. Pre-orders opened at 5 p.m. ET today. The Siri Remote ships separately. And if you’ve been waiting for a reason to upgrade from the 2022 model? The chip leap, hands-free Siri, and Ethernet inclusion make this the most consequential refresh since the A12-equipped 2017 version.