Apple TV: major leak reveals pricing, specs and features ahead of launch

Apple TV’s update is a big deal, perhaps one of the biggest deals this year for the now 8 years old set top box, scheduled to reach obsolescence as early as next week. Apple has actually done a good job keeping a tight lid on the updated device, better than it had with previous product refreshes, including the 12 inch MacBook Retina, although in that case the general theory was that it would turn out to be a refresh of the MacBook Air (Imagine that!).

In this case, BuzzFeed seems to have the inside scoop on what we might see soon after Labor Day, including very specific details on pricing and features.

According to what we already know, Apple TV will be powered by an A8 chip, and will run a modified version of iOS 9. The new remote that will come with it, will most likely feature advanced touch controls and motion sensors, which will allow it to be used as a game controller.

What we didn’t know yet, was the Universal Search feature that will be part of the interface. This feature will allow Apple TV users to use a single search feature to retrieve content, such as shows, movies and games provided by different services and locations, including Apple’s own App store, iTunes, and a range of third party content providers, including Netflix, HBO Now and FX Now.

This feature will seem familiar to users of the early Google TV set top boxes manufactured by Sony, which provided a similar way of looking for content, powered by Sony’s own branded version of the Android-powered box.

The big difference is that Apple users will be able to use voice search to find what they want to watch, or play, through Siri, in a similar way as Amazon Fire TV.

Advanced features usually come at a premium, which means that the new Apple TV will be more expensive than its predecessor, with a price rumored to be set to $149. Apple TV users will also be able to access a subscription TV service, on which Apple has yet to comment.