The 2017 Apple TV 4K is now vintage, and tvOS 27 already left it behind

Apple has added the first Apple TV 4K to its vintage list, weeks after tvOS 27 shipped without support for it.

Hardware · Macfolio · 10 October 2026

The 2017 Apple TV 4K is now vintage, and tvOS 27 already left it behind — Image: Apple

Apple has added the Apple TV 4K (2017), the first-generation model, to the Apple TV section of its vintage products list. MacRumors spotted the change on October 9. Older models, including the Apple TV HD, are already listed as obsolete.

What vintage status changes

Apple defines a product as vintage when it stopped distributing it for sale more than five and less than seven years ago. Vintage products can still be repaired, but only while parts last. After seven years, a product becomes obsolete and Apple stops all hardware service.

Model: Apple TV 4K (1st generation), model number A1842
Announced: September 12, 2017, at $179 (32GB) and $199 (64GB)
Chip: A10X Fusion
Replaced by: the second-generation model, introduced in 2021
Latest software: tvOS 26.6, released July 27, 2026
tvOS 27: not supported; Apple lists it for Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) and later

The software cutoff matters more than the vintage label. Apple's security releases page lists tvOS 27 only for the second-generation model and later, and shows no tvOS 26 update since tvOS 26.6 in July. Apple has not said how long the 2017 box will keep getting fixes.

This does not mean the box stops working, or that apps will vanish overnight. It also does not confirm a new Apple TV, although reports expect one at Apple's October 13 launch.

Who should replace one

If a 2017 Apple TV runs a conference room display, a lobby screen, or AirPlay for client presentations, plan a replacement now. You can find the model number in Settings, under General and About. Home users who only stream video can keep using it.

Our take: wait until after Tuesday rather than buying a current model today. If Apple announces a new Apple TV, you can choose between it and a discounted older one. Either way, budget to retire the 2017 box from work setups this year.

Repair options vary by country, and app support depends on each developer.

What vintage status changes

Who should replace one

Primary Sources