The next-generation Apple TV 4K was revealed today with new features set for release in the year 2021. This device effectively has the same name as its predecessor, but has a new A12 Bionic chip inside and enhanced features aplenty. This new device has enhanced AirPlay support with high frame rate HDR from iPhone 12 Pro and newer. It also has a new Apple TV Remote!
A report has surfaced that LG Electronics has begun quietly taking orders from the wealthy for one of the most expensive TVs it's ever produced, the 2021 OLED R. This is the OLED TV with a screen that's flexible enough to be rolled and stored away out of sight when not in use. According to reports, LG is taking orders from customers around the world, including in the US.
Google is notorious for having a handful of overlapping and sometimes redundant messaging platforms but it seems to be a trait shared by almost all of the company's digital content services. Until just last year, YouTube Music and Play Music competed for attention and subscriptions and Google also had multiple news and magazine apps. It has recently also been trying to consolidate its videos and movies catalog and it is Google Play Movies & TV that will be getting the short end of the stick, especially on some smart TV brands.
Sony has launched its new 2021 Bravia TV range, confirming pricing and adding the Cognitive Processor XR to its LED sets for the first time. Previously exclusive to the company's OLED models, the new AI processor promises to be more nuanced with how it delivers things like upscaling and video enhancement.
Although it has been investing heavily in its digital content services, like the Apple TV app and Apple TV+ streaming subscription, the Apple TV hardware itself hasn't exactly seen much action in the past years. The current 5th generation box, which launched nearly four years ago, only added 4K 2160p support and not much else. A refresh is definitely long-overdue and might finally be coming soon. A new feature spotted in the latest beta for tvOS 14.5 hints at this upgrade which, in turn, also means a major hardware upgrade as well.
It doesn't exactly have a premium subscription offering nor original video content under its name but that hasn't stopped Samsung from rolling out its own streaming service. Of course, Samsung TV Plus basically just collects shows, news, and content streamed by others but, at least for those with access to the service, the no-subscription free content is enough of an incentive. It does require that the streaming service be available in your country, not to mention your Smart TV, and Samsung just announced a big expansion to make sure that is the case.
LG's 2021 OLED TVs are finally hitting shelves, including the evo G1 "Gallery" series announced at CES 2021 which promises to look more like a framed picture on your wall. Altogether there are a dozen models in LG's 2021 OLED line-up, spanning 48-inches through to 83-inches, and with pricing kicking off at $1,299 as they go on sale this month and in early April.
Back in January, the WWE and NBC made a rather surprising announcement by revealing that the WWE Network would become an exclusive offering on Peacock. Today, we're getting a date for that transition, as well as a date for when standalone WWE Network subscribers are going to have to make the switch if they want to keep watching. Yes indeed, it seems that WWE Network subscribers are going to have to sign up for Peacock Premium if they want to keep their subscriptions to the WWE Network.
There are dozens of smart or Internet-connected TVs around that bring smartphone-like conveniences to living rooms. Unlike smartphones, most smart TV manufacturers focus on talking about software platforms, image and audio enhancement technologies, or AI-powered feats. All of these are, of course, made possible by a processor hiding deep inside the TV and MediaTek is making sure that everyone knows that its new MT9638 chip will be powering some of the 4K smart TVs that may be gracing your house in the near future.
Samsung made a number of announcements during its Unbox & Discover event today, and a few of those announcements were related to gaming. Specifically, Samsung says that it will update some of its TVs to offer gaming features that are traditionally only available in PC monitors. Speaking of PC monitors, Samsung has also updated its curved Odyssey G9 gaming monitor for 2021.
Samsung is bringing TikTok to its latest smart TVs, with a new app for the hit video social network one of a number of streaming media updates for its living room range. There'll also be new Apple-focused functionality for Samsung's The Sero rotating TV, intended to make casting video from an iPhone or other device more user-friendly.
Marvel Comics "M.O.D.O.K." is an adult-oriented television show that'll be released on HULU. But it's a superhero show, right? Why won't it be released on Disney+? Because Disney+ isn't aimed at adults, it's made to be almost entirely kid-friendly, while HULU has the freedom to release programs for ALL ages. Also, fun fact: Disney owns Hulu.