The first network traffic from what seems to be a fifth-generation Apple TV capable of streaming 4K video has been captured in developer logs. The device is said to be codenamed “J105” and could launch as soon as this year.
Firi Games, the developers behind arcade games Phoenix HD and Phoenix II, stated they have seen a single device identified as “AppleTV6,2” and running “tvOS 11.0” connect to Phoenix HD for Apple TV from the United States in its logs. The IP address falls within a range linked to Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino.
The current Apple TV has a model identifier of AppleTV5,3, and Apple TV6,2 does not correspond with any released model.
While this should be taken with a grain of salt, as details can be faked, similar evidence of an iPhone 5s running iOS 7 showed up in January 2013, around nine months before the device was announced. If Apple is following its past history, this could indicate a new Apple TV, as the current generation unit launched in October 2015.
No other details about a fifth-generation Apple TV device have been confirmed. In December 2015, it was rumored that the next-generation Apple TV would feature a new CPU with dramatically improved performance.
Last quarter, Apple financial chief Luca Maestri stated that the Apple TV remains something of a hobby for Apple, which reportedly shelved its rumored streaming TV service and only has its “toe in the water” with original content.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.