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  • Faster, smoother interface due to a much faster CPU
  • Tight integration with Apple services and devices
  • You can use iPhone as a remote in a pinch
  • Availability of some games, including most Apple Arcade games
  • Wider selection of apps (NBC, ABC, Crunchyroll, Plex, CBS News, you name it)
  • Now, the usability and convenience of the remote is far better than you'll find on any TV remore
  • Cast audio to HomePod stereo pair via AirPlay
  • AirPlay screen mirroring has significantly less lag and significantly fewer compression artifacts on Apple TV versus a smart TV

good list. You forgot:

++ Privacy
- - Library tab doesn’t work on stand alone units but does on smart tvs
 
All my mates have apple tv’s i love the interface, but I can’t fandom spending that much on a device that doesn’t allow me to bitstream lossless audio. While I do watch tv shows via streaming services, I like to watch my movies from my backup library. Until apple allows lossless audio bitstream the Nvidia shield will be the best device to plug into any home cinema setup
 
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Ew. This reminds me of the Facebook The White House page from 2016-2020.
 
By not connecting your TV to WiFi you can also save yourself from having everything you view tracked and sold to advertisers. I think companies like Vizio go a step further and actually record anything displayed on screen so they can track stuff that isn’t from a built-in app. And if you’re using a Samsung or LG, you’ll see no ads in the menus when there’s no network connected.
I loved the ads on my samsung TV, like as if I didn't already pay for the darn thing! Now wait for Facebook to both charge you for the service and still serve ads as a result of tracking...
 
So in this case, it is actually advantageous for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo to support Epic as it allows them to launch their own platforms on iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS, without impacting their own devices. I'm sure Microsoft and Sony will jump at the chance to launch xCloud and PlayStation Now on iOS, which they will surely do if Epic wins. Lots of $$$ to be made by them if iOS opens up.

Supporting Epic also means jeopardising the 30% cut that Epic currently pays them. You think Epic is going to stop at just Apple? If Epic can successfully argue the case for not needing to pay Apple 30%, why then should it continue to pay Sony or Nintendo for theirs?
 
I like my Apple TV and I use it for all my streaming, but saying it's a "tremendous value" is a joke. It's expensive and I'm not even counting the $60 I had to spend to replace the crappy remote that came with it. Especially if you only use it to play video, as I guess the vast, vast majority of owners do.
 
I would gladly pay $300 for an Apple TV with A14 + 6GB RAM + 256GB storage + USB-C port to external HDDs.

But I don't pay $200 for this thing.

In 4 months, when A15 is released, A12 will be a 3 year old chip.

And in just 1 year and 4 months (next year), when A16 is released, A12 will be a 4 year old ancient chip.
 
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Honest question: What advantages does Apple TV bring to a Smart TV?

My TV already has a smart hub that does more than I can use, it can record shows and AirPlay comes built into it, so I can seamlessly mirror my iPhone or iPad screen, or even use it as a monitor wirelessly. I do not even have a set top box, the TV can already handle the TV-input from the provider.
I guess for me, it does all this "the apple way".

This is probably a controversial statement, but I really do like the previous Apple TV remote, especially the ability to quickly scrub through content in YouTube and Netflix. So much faster than using a conventional tv remote with all those arrow keys.

Then there are the Apple-only media apps (photos, podcasts, Apple Music). There's also airplay mirroring, there's Apple Arcade (though I don't really play it much).

There's the improved privacy angle (disconnect your smart TV from the internet).

It's a welcome upgrade for my 4th gen Apple TV overall.
 
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My reason for buying it was for the new remote. I was going to buy the new remote anyway ($60) so I bought the whole thing and will sell my current ATV 4K for around $120 so basically I got a new model for $20 or less with the remote I was going to buy anyway.
 
Totally agree. That's why developer support for a more powerful Apple TV would be crucial. I guess the point I'm making is that the great games Nintendo creates do not require absurd amount of graphical capability and people still love them, and it seems like there may be room in that market for more than just Nintendo.
Good point. And on a side note, I kinda just wish Nintendo and Microsoft or Nintendo and Sony would shake hands. I want breath of the wild in 4K/60 on my next gen console!
 
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I think the angle that Apple would try to take is that gaming in the Apple ecosystem means you can game anywhere. Take your games anywhere without having to bring any extra devices with you. Not sure how well it would work, but it is definitely interesting!
Xbox Gamepass does this already?
 
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I have an AppleTV 1080p and a PS5, and hands down, the AppleTV is the better media experience. The PS5s apps are way too low quality — persistent bugs, buffering issues, inconsistent UI. One of the big reasons I got it when I did was to move the AppleTv to another room but then I just ended up buying another one because anything that's not Gaming on the PS5 is just sub-par.
As the PS5 is lightyears more powerful than an A12, I imagine it’s the app makers fault if you’re experiencing issues, less the platform.
 
Yeah...I'm going to call BS on that comment. The ATV is decent and I have TWO of them, but honestly, App Store gaming with it isn't really all that much fun (unless you had NO other gaming options), and truth be told - my Roku TV pretty much has everything we watch on the daily. Sure, the integration with movies and songs from Apple is good...but there is NO way that the price point represents anything more than an "Ok" value when you can get just about ANYTHING that streams TV and Movies for less. You buy an ATV cause you want one, it isn't really any better than anything else.
 
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The one thing I wish the AppleTV would do is play my local media from a NAS. VLC works in a pinch but it’s not what I would expect using an AppleTV.
Which NAS brand are you using? I use Synology DS Video and pull direct from my DS916+ NAS. CODECS can be an issue and MKV files usually don’t read so for those I use VLC. That’s where I wish Apple would either update or allow a work around. If there is please let me know.

Currently have a new ATV 4k V2 64Gb on order along with 2 new remotes. Might not be worth the change from my 4k V1 but I’m gonna do it anyway. Just need to get a 4k tv or projector.
 
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Never saw the point of this since I have a smart TV that even has Airplay support. I don't care to play phone games on my tv.
 
Of course apple would say that. I mean what are they supposed to say? Yeah we threw in the A12 because the A10x was getting too expensive/difficult to manufacture despite being a faster chip. We threw in a new remote and called it the NEW Apple TV so no one would notice.
 
Honest question as initially this was a feature request and even after I’m not sure I understand the point … I know you can use the HomePod for audio output but I thought most tv dialogue actually comes through the center channel and in this case you don’t even have true surround as I don’t believe the HomePod is even creating a virtual rear surround situation behind the listener

so even if the HomePod can itself have multiple speakers within, it isn’t bouncing the rear audio behind you like soundbars do (which are also not the ideal audio solution)

I know it’s more convenient but just trying to learn why people enjoy this or look to it as a feature?
Maybe you should actually try it before you talk about it? The lack of a "centre channel" is a non issue. The virtualised ATMOS sound fantastic and dialogue sounds like it's coming directly from the TV.
 
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