The next Apple TV may double the refresh rate with a new 120Hz option that's unsupported on the current models, which max out at 60Hz due to hardware limitations.
Support for Higher Refresh Rates in tvOS 14.5
9to5Mac unearthed references to 120Hz support in the tvOS 14.5 beta code.
Multiple references to '120Hz' and 'supports120Hz' have been added to tvOS’ PineBoard in the latest beta release. For those unfamiliar with the matter, PineBoard is the internal name of the system that controls the Apple TV interface, similar to the SpringBoard on iPhone and iPad. These references strongly suggest that Apple is at least internally testing a 120Hz mode for Apple TV.
No Apple TV to this date has offered that option. This isn't something Apple could enable on the current Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models with a quick software update.
Supporting higher refresh rates would require a faster GPU along with faster RAM. Also, the current models have HDMI 2.0 which supports up to 4K resolution at 60Hz. Doubling the refresh rate to 120Hz would require a newer HDMI 2.1 port which the current models lack.
So why should you care about higher refresh rates?
A 120Hz Apple TV = Smoother Gaming
A refresh rate denotes the number of images that are drawn on a screen each second. Older TVs, as well as many notebooks and all iPhone models to date, use a refresh rate of 60Hz, meaning the frequency at which individual frames are shown is 60 images/second.
The higher the screen refresh rate, the smoother everything gets. On the iPad Pro, for example, a 120Hz refresh rate powers much smoother scrolling and gaming. The same should be expected from the next Apple TV, provided it does indeed get a 120Hz option.
At twice the images/second, navigating the user interface of the next Apple TV should be noticeably smoother. Games could benefit from higher refresh rates as well but will need to be optimized specifically to take advantage of this technology.
A 120Hz Apple TV would also enable smoother action for high-frame-rate video content, especially things such as sports videos along with compatible movies and TV shows. Of course, one would also need a 120Hz TV set to appreciate 120Hz content.
Great, When’s the Next Apple TV Launching?
Apple was supposed to release an upgraded Apple TV last year, but the current pandemic has delayed those plans, rumor has it. A refresh for the Apple TV is definitely long-overdue: the current Apple TV 4K model was released more than three and a half years ago.
With evidence of 120Hz support found in the tvOS 14.5 software, the next Apple TV could be right around the corner. Apple is currently testing tvOS 14.5 with developers ahead of a public release this spring, which is also when we're expecting the next Apple TV.
Credible publications like Bloomberg have said that an upgraded Apple TV with a "stronger gaming focus" is on the way, along with a redesigned remote and a standalone gaming controller. Apple will reportedly equip the refreshed device with a much beefier GPU, more RAM, and twice the storage to make it more suitable for gaming.
The current model can run Apple Arcade games, but visual fidelity leaves a lot to be desired. With a major GPU upgrade in the works, the next Apple TV won't leapfrog the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles, but that's not the point because Apple has always positioned the device as a casual gaming platform.