"Apple believes the future of TV is apps." Those were the words from Apple CEO, Tim Cook last night at the company's Special Event, held in the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. To that end, Apple debuted a revamped version of its Apple TV set top box and accompanying Siri Remote.

Bringing it together

Apple TV now serves as a television screen-based platform to bring all of Apple's entertainment services into one. With the new Apple TV, a tvOS operating system has been developed. The layout is similar to the one currently available on the Apple TV, but does however feature a look and feel more in line with iOS 8. Users will not only be able to access the types of TV show and movie content they currently can on iTunes, but also an app store which Apple has already opened up to developers. Added to this is Apple Music, which enables users to both listen to and discover music on the recently debuted service.

One of the interesting aspects to Apple TV is gaming. We covered rumours of a gaming-specific focus for the Apple TV earlier in the week, but the actual reveal is a bit less intense than anticipated. There are a number of iOS games, like Crossy Road, that will port over to the Apple TV platform. For those hoping for something more akin to next-gen consoles, a wait is certainly in store, as Apple still tries to flesh out its gaming service on the Apple TV.

Hey Siri?

Along with the new set top box, which is only slightly thicker but styled very much like its predecessor, there is a new Siri Remote. It’s powered by Bluetooth 4.0 and offers up to three months of battery life in between charges, according to Apple. The Remote features a touch sensitive pad on the top portion to navigate through Apple TV, with a voice-activated Siri integrated as well. The latter will give users the ability to search, filter and control visual content, but also provide access to news and weather feeds.    

The new Apple TV will arrive for purchase in the US at the end of October, according to Apple, with pricing advised at $150 for the 32 GB model and $200 for the 64 GB version.

Cost and availability outside the States remains unconfirmed, but South African consumers should expect it in coming months, given the fact that previous versions of Apple TV are already in the country.