Apple Said to be Phasing Out Third-Generation Apple TV

[MacRumors]

Apple is said to be in the process of phasing out the third-generation Apple TV, according to 9to5Mac.

A source who spoke to the tech news site has indicated that Apple is pulling the device from its brick-and-mortar retail stores, with staff instructed to remove any remaining models from store shelves.

The claim comes despite the fact that the third-generation device is still available to purchase under the TV heading of Apple's online store, albeit at the bottom of the section page, with the option to compare the model with the fourth-generation device also still listed.

The third-generation Apple TV was released back in 2012 and received a spec bump the following year, but the model lacks the App Store native to tvOS, which also benefits from deep Siri integration and a touch-based remote that doubles as a controller.

Article Link: Apple Said to be Phasing Out Third-Generation Apple TV

 

[entropys]

I was wondering if we were going to get a UHD version of the Apple TV4

 

[jonnysods]

When they get 4k content and a 4k device I'll get rid of my third gen

 

[iapplelove]

I'm still using a 3rd gen. It does everything I need it to do.

I can see myself keeping it for a long time too.

 

[decimortis]

I'm still using a 3rd gen. It does everything I need it to do.

I can see myself keeping it for a long time too.

Same. We've had ours since 2012 and it continues to provide everything we need. We're not heavy aTV users: so long as it does YouTube, Netflix, and AirPlay, we're good.

 

[hipnetic]

I still don't even know what the 4th gen does that my 3rd gen can't. Games? Ha.

As far as apps are concerned, I don't think that there is anything the 4th gen does that an iPhone w/AirPlay + a 3rd gen can't do.

Meanwhile, VUDU support is still awful. No native app and no AirPlay support.

 

[73b]

I have 2 3rd gens and a 4th. The 4th is faster and easier to use but the two 3s do everything I use my 4th for (Netflix, AirPlay). Not that I would ever buy another 3 now that the the 4th is available, so I'm not complaining.

 

[OllyW]

I'm still using a 3rd gen. It does everything I need it to do.

I can see myself keeping it for a long time too.

Same here, the 4th gen doesn't seem to offer a great deal extra for UK customers and the £10 price hike makes it even less appealing.

 

[err404]

What the aTV4 does is more in potential. It allows other content providers to offer native apps w/o needing a special deal with Apple.
However in reality, the aTV3 hits most of the big requirements for a streaming device.

 

[tennisproha]

I'm hoping this is more in line with an imminent Apple TV 5 release, as I mentioned in a previous post just a while ago:

Since there was really no word of tvOS 10 today, what's the possibility of it being announced with the presumed Mac event later this fall along with a new Apple TV 5?

It's weird that tvOS 10 wasn't included in the launch dates given today but the only reason I can think of is to maybe launch it with a brand new Apple TV tbh. It doesn't make sense to announce that with Macs on the other hand so idk.

 

[Stella]

4k support wont happen until iTunes has 4k content.

When they get 4k content and a 4k device I'll get rid of my third gen

 

[Brenster]

Same here, the 4th gen doesn't seem to offer a great deal extra for UK customers and the £10 price hike makes it even less appealing.

Good grief! So, along with the iPhones and the Watches and accessories, Apple TV now goes up in price too? I wasn't aware that Apple TV was succeeding so wildly over Amazon's Fire TV & Fire TV Stick, Now TV and every other costs less, does more box out there.

I love my 4th gen aTV, especially for movie rentals, NowTV, Netflix, YouTube and photo browsing but our Fire TV gets more use for better UK terrestrial content app support and also has Netflix. I know plenty of people with Fire TVs and sticks, Roku boxes, Now TV boxes etc and just myself with Apple TV. Guess it helps that the competition is significantly cheaper, even more so with the latest Apple price hikes.

 

[Loge]

Still using the 2nd generation here. Works fine for iTunes streaming and airplay.

 

[OllyW]

Good grief! So, along with the iPhones and the Watches and accessories, Apple TV now goes up in price too?

It looks like everything that runs on iOS received a price hike yesterday.
[doublepost=1473335353][/doublepost]

Still using the 2nd generation here. Works fine for iTunes streaming and airplay.

I've still got one of those in the bedroom.

 

[Sasparilla]

Hopefully we'll see a gen 5 at 4k (with iTunes announcement at the time) with the Mac announcements.

Wanting Apple to keep the 3's turned on for a long time though as I have one and don't see the 4 offering a compelling reason to upgrade.

 

[godrifle]

I still don't even know what the 4th gen does that my 3rd gen can't. Games? Ha.

As far as apps are concerned, I don't think that there is anything the 4th gen does that an iPhone w/AirPlay + a 3rd gen can't do.

Meanwhile, VUDU support is still awful. No native app and no AirPlay support.

Plex.

 

[oldmacs]

Very poor decision. The 4 is a big waste of money for many businesses who buy them, especially schools.

 

[tennisproha]

It looks like everything that runs on iOS received a price hike yesterday.

like what? the ATV 4 has always been $150. no hike there.

edit: oh wait, are you saying in the UK…

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

4k support wont happen until iTunes has 4k content.

It makes no business sense to add 4K versions for TV of up to EVERYTHING in the iTunes store before there is a 4KTV on which to play any of it. Hardware always must lead. Nobody can make $1 on software that runs on hardware that is not yet released to the public.

The best you can hope for is a simultaneous release of some 4K versions of stuff to watch when Apple rolls out a 4KTV. And note: if you look through the iTunes store, there is still plenty of stuff without a 1080p version, though Apple went ahead and rolled out a 1080p TV way back in 2012. And if you look harder, you can find some stuff without a 720p version even though Apple rolled out a 720p capability in the very first TV way back in 2007.

Again, hardware must lead and software "catches up" to what the hardware can do. Apple could easily launch a 4KTV without anything in the store available at 4K. It would play existing 1080p, 720p and SD versions to their very max... just as the "3" plays 720p and SD content to their max. However, once there are more and more 4KTVs in the wild, there is ever-greater temptation for Studios to test 4K content to see if they can make a buck with it. As is, no Studio can make a buck with 4K content for TV in the iTunes store today because there is no buyers already with 4KTVs.

 

[CarpalMac]

I'm still using a 3rd gen. It does everything I need it to do.

I can see myself keeping it for a long time too.

I have four. They play Plex and can mirror my Mac. Job done, thanks!

 

[OllyW]

like what? the ATV 4 has always been $150. no hike there.

There are other countries.
Apple Boosts Prices on iPhones and Other Products in Europe
They've added £10 to the cost of the Apple TV4.

 

[Juicy Box]

I'm still using a 3rd gen. It does everything I need it to do.

We've had ours since 2012 and it continues to provide everything we need.

As far as apps are concerned, I don't think that there is anything the 4th gen does that an iPhone w/AirPlay + a 3rd gen can't do.

The 4th is faster and easier to use but the two 3s do everything I use my 4th for (Netflix, AirPlay).

the aTV3 hits most of the big requirements for a streaming device.

One thing that should be added to these statements is that the ATV3 apps are superior to the ATV4 versions. Especially Netflix.

Netflix on the ATV4 looks nice, but trying to navigate it is strange. Why do they not have genres anymore like the ATV3 still does?

Also, YouTube on the ATV4 is horrible, it is very limited.

The only improvements of the ATV4 version of apps, other than eye candy, is Hulu's load time is a little faster on the ATV4.

 

[TallManNY]

About time to pull it.
Also Apple TV 4 should get a CPU bump from its current A8 to the A9. Hopefully that upgrade will be out by October to get into the Christmas gift giving season.
I will buy a new Apple TV for my second TV as soon as a new one comes out. It is a modest improvement of the 3rd generation for many of the most important things, but it is also a modest price.

 

[danieleilertsen]

About time to pull it.
Also Apple TV 4 should get a CPU bump from its current A8 to the A9. Hopefully that upgrade will be out by October to get into the Christmas gift giving season.
I will buy a new Apple TV for my second TV as soon as a new one comes out. It is a modest improvement of the 3rd generation for many of the most important things, but it is also a modest price.

I am sure they will upgrade the chip to A10. If they are going for 4k they should go with A10.

I think this will happen in october.

Release of Sierra and macOS.

Event with:

Upgraded Macbook air, macmini, mac pro and apple tv. Then, ONE MORE THING

Macbook Pro with amd gpu, kaby lake processer, new displey. Release date start of desember or late November.

 

[Rocketman]

like what? the ATV 4 has always been $150. no hike there.

edit: oh wait, are you saying in the UK…

They did have a bit of a currency collapse.