First-Gen Apple TV 4K Classified as Vintage as Fourth-Gen Model Looms

Apple has officially updated its vintage products catalog to include the original 2017 Apple TV 4K. Following this designation, owners of the streaming box may face greater challenges when seeking official repairs, as replacement parts will now depend strictly on remaining inventory availability.

According to Apple's official hardware guidelines, devices are categorized as vintage when they have been off the retail market for more than five years but fewer than seven years. Once a product enters this phase, standard repair support begins to wind down ahead of ultimate obsolete classification.

The 2017 unit was bundled with the first-generation Siri Remote, which featured a glass touch interface that Apple later retired starting with the second-generation model. Furthermore, the original device lacked support for HDMI ARC and eARC, a capability that allows audio from other television-connected equipment to be routed through the Apple TV to external speakers.

As the first-generation box approaches the end of its product lifecycle, a successor may be right around the corner. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to host a "Welcome Home" media event on October 13, where the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K could make its official debut.

Is your current Apple TV still pulling its weight, or are you ready to upgrade the moment the new model drops? What feature would make it a must-buy for you — a faster chip, a better remote, or finally an HDMI 2.1 upgrade? Let us know in the comments!