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$99 Apple TV Might Make a Comeback Next Year

epox999 said:
Even at $99, it's triple the price of the Chromecast, and every TV has all the streaming apps built in now, what's the point of chasing this low margin market in 2025?
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brofkand said:
Exactly why I am surprised that Apple would want to continue to compete in this space. Nobody is buying apps for tvOS so there is no revenue generated by it, especially since Apple has released their TV app for most other smart TV platforms at this point.
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Even if they are selling it at cost I think it still creates value for the ecosystem by extending the capabilities and experience of other Apple devices and adding to the lock-in effect. They also make money on subscriptions and media purchases/rentals.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Greater if it not built into the box because possibly the majority don't place their AppleTV immediately above or below, center of their TV set. Anywhere else and what the other end sees of you would be you looking left, right, up or down (but not at them). For example, if your existing TV is not positioned center just above or just below, fire up video capture on your phone, go prop it up where you do store your AppleTV (as a standing for this camera concept) and then stare at your TV screen like you are looking at those on the other end of the conversation. Fake it for just a little while and then go watch the video to see what THEY would see if an AppleTV (box) camera was "over there."

And many store their AppleTV box in places where the camera could not see anyone at all, such as vertically behind their TV or inside of a cabinet. Mine is stored far right of my TV, so if I was trying to use it for FaceTime, the other end would be seeing me looking like I am looking far right of them, not back at them.

The better option beyond leaning on Continuity Camera is to perhaps utilize a "normal" USB port back on it again to which people could buy USB cameras that can affix to the top of their TV and be powered by that port (or their TVs USB port if it has one) and then wired or wirelessly send the video back to AppleTV. The wireless concept would be just like Continuity Camera except it would be dedicated to that use instead of variable based on if the phone or tablet is at home when someone wants to FaceTime.
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This - a USB port for a webcam would be the better approach. Then you can mount the camera wherever it works best for you (probably top of set).

Only case this doesn’t cover is if you have the ATV Nowhere near your TV, but then built in camera wouldn’t work either.
 
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Daul said:
A HomePod/Apple TV integrated in the form of a soundbar would be an instant buy
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But just like HomePods, the "smarts" (of AppleTV tech) would be made vintaged long before the speakers conk... so like iMac, you'd be throwing baby out with the bathwater every few years.

The technology of speakers is such that if you buy good speakers, they can sound just as good DECADES from now. No AppleTV tech is going to last much more than the usual "vintage" window.

Hopefully Apple does make a center channel HP (instead of a soundbar)... and develops HP software for surround speakers and a HP SUB too (though there's not been even 1 such rumor about any of that). But also hopefully, they keep all that separate from AppleTV technology... unless they want to plan their obsolescence and thus drive much more frequent speaker replacements than should be necessary if "smarts" and "speakers" are kept separated.
 
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I’ll believe it when I see an official announcement from Apple. I’ve waited for years and finally broke down and bought a 4K Apple TV 128gb version back in November.

I could see them build it into a smart centric hub for all your devices or allow more games to be played that are currently only playable on iOS or MacOS platforms.
 
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Daul said:
Even if they are selling it at cost I think it still creates value for the ecosystem by extending the capabilities and experience of other Apple devices and adding to the lock-in effect. They also make money on subscriptions and media purchases/rentals.
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The subscriptions and media purchases are possible on other smart platforms as well using the Apple TV app they provide. The vendor lock-in of a complete solution is really the only reason to continue offering TV hardware as you said. Things like being able to use your iPhone as a keyboard for your TV (even though I can do that with my Roku boxes as well) I guess.
 
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brofkand said:
The subscriptions and media purchases are possible on other smart platforms as well using the Apple TV app they provide. The vendor lock-in of a complete solution is really the only reason to continue offering TV hardware as you said. Things like being able to use your iPhone as a keyboard for your TV (even though I can do that with my Roku boxes as well) I guess.
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This entire thread: people explaining reasons for the hardware to exist beyond what you’re saying

You, probably: “I’m just not gonna read the thread”
 
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brofkand said:
The cheaper sticks that don't include Ethernet sell for like $20. The Apple TV is $100 more than that. There's no good excuse.
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The other streaming sticks are mostly, like smart tvs, subsidized heavily by data mining and ads.

Roku in particular just cane under fire for adding a giant pile of new telemetry and ads and seemingly testing the waters of even more including screen capping your content.

Amazon, which data mines heavily, is also famously losing money on their alexa gambles and is cutting back on staff among other things on that end, so I’d expect the fire tv line to get more expensive or get less features in the future to compensate.

I’ll happily pay a bit more for a bit more privacy, you do you
 
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brofkand said:
What else would it do?
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I don’t know what Apple is planning but off the top of my head it might play games, work as a smart home hub (have AI and the high RAM requirement) or have some router functionality built in.
 
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wanha said:
I don’t know what Apple is planning but off the top of my head it might play games, work as a smart home hub (have AI and the high RAM requirement) or have some router functionality built in.
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The current model already does that, well except for being a router anyway.
 
brofkand said:
I asked what more the device needs to do, not what it already does.
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That is a false statement. This whole comment exchange started when I replied to your comment that said:

“What additional features are needed to stream video?”
 
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seek3r said:
Among other things LG scans for all network devices and reports back to LG. They also report detailed viewing data, app usage, various edge metrics, user information, etc. That’s all monetized and sold to various data brokers including adtech companies, ISPs, the ad arms of social media companies, etc. You may not see ads directly on the TV but the data is tied to you and used to target ads on other platforms.
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Hmmm, honestly I haven’t seen any impact regarding what you’re warning. I haven’t received any call, email, message or pop up screen in my devices nor my TVs, not even in other platforms.

I don't doubt that LG has my data, although these days, who doesn't? Anyway, maybe they are wasting my data or maybe I don’t interest them too much since as I said, the true and what really worths to me is that I don’t see any impact of them having my data. Or maybe I’m not that paranoic.
 
aespana said:
Have one. One of the best Apple products imo

It works perfect for it purpuse
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Same here. First gen 4K ATV (and had the HD before it). At our home we prefer tvOS and Apple TV to the Android TV interface as it is a simple hub device to use - when the OS is working as intended, ugh - and we are able to manage pretty much all external subscription services via iOS. There are of course alternatives, exceptions and omissions but our AppleTV hardware works well driving stereo paired Homepods, pairing multiple AirPod Pro’s and Airplay continuity for music controlled from our devices. We don’t have any HomeKit appliances yet, but it’s easy to see why Apple would develop a more advanced hub device beyond/outside the ‘TV’ nomenclature.
 
I have to be honest, I'm really blown away by a Google Chromecast TV 4k (w/ remote) on the value and flexibility front.

It's so great to be able to install a third party launcher to fully dial things how you'd like and also a remote button customization App to, again, get it just how you want on the remote buttons. It's also, of course, nice to be able to install what I want on there with no "app store rules" nonsense from Apple

As much as I've enjoyed them overall, I'm not sure I'll be a long term Apple TV customer honestly.

Both on value and flexibility, these Android sticks have gotten really good.
Also, this thing I'm testing is old! Like 4 years old
 
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