Fourth-Generation 1080p Apple TV Gets a New 'Apple TV HD' Name

[MacRumors]

Following the announcement of Apple's upcoming revamped TV app and new Apple TV+ subscription service for original content, Apple today updated the branding on its fourth-generation 2015 1080p Apple TV set-top box, renaming it "Apple TV HD."

The new Apple TV HD is being offered alongside the more expensive Apple TV 4K, which is the fifth-generation Apple TV released in 2017.

Apple has continued selling the 32GB $149 fourth-generation Apple TV alongside the 4K model for those who don't need 4K content. The Apple TV 4K is $30 more expensive, starting at $179 for 32GB of storage.

Both the Apple TV 4K and the rebranded Apple TV HD will provide access to the revamped TV app, which will house Apple's upcoming Apple TV+ subscription service for its original content and offer access to TV "Channels" right within the TV app.

With the redesigned TV app, you won't need to swap between different TV apps to access your favorite shows, as your subscriptions to services like HBO, Starz, SHOWTIME, CBS All Access, Smithsonian Channel, EPIX, Tastemade, and Noggin and will let you watch content from those services in the TV app. If you're not already a subscriber, you can even subscribe to those "Channels" in the TV app.

Apple TV Channels will be limited to a handful of cable channels at launch, though Apple plans to add more in the future. Hulu and Netflix will not be participating, so you will still need to open up the Hulu and Netflix apps to watch that content.

The updated TV app will be even better at recommending content to you that you might want to watch, and it will incorporate more than 150 streaming apps, including Amazon Prime, Hulu, and all of the Apple TV Channels for personalization and content recommendation purposes. As mentioned above, some of the content will be watchable right in the TV app, while other content will bring you to a third-party app.

The TV app will be home to Apple's TV+ service, which is launching this fall. TV+ will offer up access to all of Apple's original programming, and the company has more than 30 shows in the works.

Apple plans to introduce its revamped Apple TV app through an iOS and tvOS update coming this May. Apple also plans to bring the TV app to the Mac this fall.

Article Link: Fourth-Generation 1080p Apple TV Gets a New 'Apple TV HD' Name

 

[lunarworks]

Would have been nice if they'd taken the opportunity to drop the price, seeing as it's no longer going to be required for accessing Apple's services.

 

[alexandr]

these should come free with the service like a cable box)

 

[zorinlynx]

I wonder how much longer they plan to sell this.

I can't recommend that anybody buy this instead of the 4K version, even if you don't have a 4K TV; for an extra $30 you get a much faster CPU and 4K support for if you upgrade your TV in the future.

These things can't be that expensive to make; Apple really should discontinue this model and lower the price of the 4K version to match. They're gonna make far more money on the content anyway.

 

[HiRez]

I can't believe they're still charging $150 for a non-4K ATV, that's absurd.

 

[Focusx0131]

Since when has the 4th gen version come with the newer remote. My Apple TV HD’s remote doesn’t have the white ring around the menu button.

 

[dannyyankou]

It would be nice if they updated the hardware, the chip is already 4.5 years old.

 

[mtneer]

Does the 4K still not support YouTube 4K?

 

[BJMRamage]

this makes sense when you have 2 different AppleTV streaming boxes that look the same but offer different definitions.
I thought the whit/silver Ring was 4K only....until now I guess.

 

[abrantes09]

Since when has the 4th gen version come with the newer remote. My Apple TV HD’s remote doesn’t have the white ring around the menu button.

Its been like this for the past few generations.

 

[Gasu E.]

Since when has the 4th gen version come with the newer remote. My Apple TV HD’s remote doesn’t have the white ring around the menu button.

Since now. It's part of the rebranding. This picture is directly off the new Apple product page.

P.S. You don't have an Apple TV HD unless you bought it like 5 minutes ago.

 

[macduke]

Revolutionary. A renamed $150 1080p streaming box in 2019. I bet that took all the courage they have left, lol.

 

[dazz87]

2019 and apple is charging $149.99 for a 1080P box.............SMH

 

[adamjackson]

The name change is appropriate given the capabilities but I think the business move Apple should have made as an armchair quarter back would be to show investors they truly give a crap about growing services revenue would be to:

Make the 1080P Box $49, 4K Box, $99 for anyone who signs up for AppleTV+ for one year and maybe they will do this but if AppleTV the box is a hobby and the service is what they want to boast to investors, they need to move more units.

 

[dazz87]

a device from 2015 for $150.00 the way..........

 

[zorinlynx]

Since when has the 4th gen version come with the newer remote. My Apple TV HD’s remote doesn’t have the white ring around the menu button.

This was 100% a cosmetic change made to all remotes being manufactured; as soon as the 4K came out they started packing these same updated remotes with the non-4K version.

 

[Richdmoore]

Since when has the 4th gen version come with the newer remote. My Apple TV HD’s remote doesn’t have the white ring around the menu button.

I think they updated it around the time the 4k model was released. In addition to the white ring, I think there is a motion sensor that was added.


Edit: Here it is:

Update: Apple notes in its overview on developing apps for the Apple TV 4K that the new Siri Remote is able to provide apps with data on attitude and rotation rate, in addition to the acceleration and gravity data generated by the original version.

 

[apolloa]

Haha both Apple TV models are way overpriced, not really surprising they don’t sell well, they’ll sell even less now!

Apple could have easily launched a cheaper 4K stick today and ditched this 1080P box but noooo, in typical Apple style the price and specs remain, and it renamed it.

All other streaming devices go on sale too, especially around Black Friday? The Apple TV does not.. so no one buys it.

 

[TTTedP]

my 4th generation has been much more reliable than my 5th gen 4k. The 4k one has been a glitchy POS.

 

[Vanilla35]

It would be nice if they updated the hardware, the chip is already 4.5 years old.

Yeah the fact that they renamed it to make it seem like it's been updated is a joke. If they really cared about it they would put out new hardware and have a real full revamped TV product release. They put out what I would consider below the bare minimum amount of effort into most of their products.

 

[videosoul]

Surely when the new becomes an app that works across devices these will no longer serve any function other than as a transmission link between Mac/iPhone/iPad and TV - i.e. Video over IP to HDMI convertor. Thus price should drop do similar to Chromecast.

 

[Richdmoore]

This was 100% a cosmetic change made to all remotes being manufactured; as soon as the 4K came out they started packing these same updated remotes with the non-4K version.

Actually, they added a rotation and attitude sensor to the original remote. (See my post above for the link to the apple developer information.)

I have no idea if any apps bother to use that information however.

 

[neuropsychguy]

my 4th generation has been much more reliable than my 5th gen 4k. The 4k one has been a glitchy POS.

I've had no problems with any of my 3 Apple TVs (3rd, 4th, or 5th gen).

 

[skorpeon]

2019 and apple is charging $149.99 for a 1080P box.............SMH

you pay for forcing grocery at once $100 and you complaining having this technology for few years ?
[doublepost=1553544543][/doublepost]where is the AirPort and iOS 12 support for it ????????????????????

 

[dazz87]

you pay for forcing grocery at once $100 and you complaining having this technology for few years ?

huh? what are you even talking about?