Apple Excludes Older Apple TV Models from tvOS 17 Update
Apple will not provide its upcoming tvOS 17 update to the Apple TV HD (2015) and the first-generation Apple TV 4K (2017). This marks the first time in four years Apple has dropped hardware support for a major tvOS release, affecting users with older devices who will continue to use tvOS 16.
Key points
- Apple is discontinuing support for tvOS 17 for the Apple TV HD (2015) and the first-generation Apple TV 4K (2017).
- These older models will continue to receive updates for tvOS 16.
- The second-generation Apple TV 4K (2021) and both iterations of the third-generation Apple TV 4K (2022) will support tvOS 17.
- This is the first time in four years Apple has excluded Apple TV hardware from a significant operating system upgrade.
- The move affects users who have owned their devices for up to ten years.
Apple has announced that its forthcoming tvOS 17 software update will not be available for two of its older streaming devices: the Apple TV HD released in 2015 and the first-generation Apple TV 4K from 2017.
Users of these models will remain on tvOS 16. While Apple has generally maintained software support for its Apple TV hardware for extended periods, this decision marks the first instance in four years where specific Apple TV models have been excluded from a major operating system upgrade. This could impact users who have relied on their devices for nearly a decade.
Compatibility for tvOS 17 will extend to newer devices, including the second-generation Apple TV 4K (2021) and both the 2022 versions of the third-generation Apple TV 4K. Although these supported models are expected to receive new features, it is not guaranteed that they will incorporate the advanced AI integrations recently previewed by Apple at WWDC 2026.
Sources
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