New Apple TV 4K Adds Far-Field Microphones for Hands-Free Siri

Apple's latest Apple TV 4K model comes equipped with three built-in far-field microphones, enabling users to operate the device hands-free using Siri without the need for the Siri Remote. By uttering "Hey Siri" or "Siri," even during playback of a movie or TV show, users can activate the virtual assistant. Advanced echo cancellation technology ensures the system differentiates the user's voice from surrounding noise, allowing for accurate recognition of commands from the TV's audio.

These microphones also facilitate hands-free control over compatible smart home accessories and scenes. Leveraging Siri AI, users can perform conversational searches for entertainment options and ask follow-up questions about their chosen content, with pertinent responses displayed as a concise overlay on the video. Apple emphasizes the security of this feature by implementing Secure Exclaves, which are isolated processing areas designed to keep microphone data separate from the overall system.

This ensures the data processed and analyzed within these enclaves remains inaccessible to tvOS, apps, users, or Apple itself. The far-field Siri support is region and language-dependent, working when the primary tvOS language setting is English, Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, or Swedish. Pre-orders for the new Apple TV 4K are now open in the United States at a price of $299, with availability commencing on November 13.