Word in town is that Nvidia is going to unveil a refreshed Shield Android TV set-top box this January at CES 2017.
After more than a year since the first device was introduced, reports of a successor are now in the offing.
What's New: Improvements Across The Board
Talking to an unidentified source with insider info, SlashGear found out what the new Shield Android TV will have in store.
First off, the device itself is going to sport the same name as the original one. Second, it's getting a few upgrades here and there, particularly 802.11ac Wi-Fi support and MIMO antennas to deliver fast and stable wireless connectivity.
Meanwhile, the Shield Controller will no longer depend on Wi-Fi Direct to connect to the set-top box. Instead, it'll take advantage of Bluetooth Low Energy.
The same is also expected for the Shield Remote, but it's a bit more unlikely to happen.
In terms of efficiency and form factor, the two will have a longer battery life compared with the current brood, but only the Shield Controller is said to be slimming down.
Last but not least, the Shield Android TV will continue to have 4K support, which doesn't really come across as much of a surprise.
More On 4K
Aside from potentially taking the wraps off the Shield Android TV, Nvidia is going to give more details regarding 4K content integration.
As SlashGear points out, it's interesting to see that the recent steps that Google took for 4K content on Play Movies & TV mentioned support for a few devices, including Chromecast Ultra, Sony Bravia Android TV and Xiaomi Mi Box 3, except for the Shield Android TV.
Pricing
Now, aside from what the unnamed source said, details are scarce at best at this point.
That means there's still no info about pricing and whether the second-generation Shield Android TV will be more expensive or cost the same as today's models — $199.99 for the standard version and $299.99 for the Pro.
On that note, it's also unclear if there's a Pro variant of the refreshed device.
The Bottom Line
Considering how the Shield Android TV from 2015 has a prominent position in the scene, it's not really a mystery why Nvidia isn't implementing major changes — assuming that the abovementioned points are all the upgrades, that is.
With all said and done, are you excited to see Nvidia unwrap a refreshed Shield Android TV at CES 2017? Hit us up in the comments section below and tell us what you think.
