Apple TV Fell to Fourth Most Popular Streaming Media Device in U.S. in 2014

[mr.bee]

delaying the streaming service makes sense.
From a marketing point of view, the apple tv will first be put in market as a tv device with an (iOS) app store, for gaming, photo's,...

when the streaming services eventually comes out, the streaming services are just a part of the apple tv experience and don't define it entirely.
updating the apple tv and simultaneously the streaming service will confuse customers into thinking it's just "another streaming service"...while the apple tv will be so much more...

also when the apple tv increases in sales initially, there will be more leverage to negotiate a better streaming service contract for apple

 

[RedOrchestra]

NO surprise ... it's all about iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, and iPhone.

 

[danny_w]

Actually to me the thing ATV has going for it is Airplay. If not for this one feature I probably would have moved on already.

Been using my PS4 more and more for streaming instead of the Apple TV. Wish the PS4 had HBO Now, though.

The ATV has one thing going for it: UI consistency. Each app is using the same UI template. Other media boxes are all over the place.

 

[philipk]

I have a Roku 3 and a 3rd generation Apple TV on every TV and projector in two homes.

The Roku wins every time for channels Apple TV does not carry. (Duh!) It is also better with YouTube while selecting the video on an iPhone or iPad.

The Apple TV wins on overlapping channels in ease of selection and on captioning of foreign language videos. Also I own a few VUDU videos and many iTune videos and much prefer have both the downloaded and stream versions available on iTunes.

Both devices get used. However, the Apple TV is used about 80% of the time.

I look forward to the new generation.

 

[tampageek]

When a company goes for years without updating their products it should come as no surprise when sales fall off. A significant update to TV would be nice, especially if its not a rumor that turns into disappointment.

 

[coolspot18]

Roku is heads and shoulders above all competition. Only the most hardcore Apple apologists could argue that the ATV is in the same ballpark.

Roku is good, but lacks good meaning apps.

 

[TimUSCA]

Roku is heads and shoulders above all competition. Only the most hardcore Apple apologists could argue that the ATV is in the same ballpark.

Only the most hardcore Apple haters could ignore the fact that both have their advantages.

Roku: Wireless headphone jack, remote design, and Amazon Prime
Apple TV: Better UI, seamless AirPlay, iTunes integration, and IR for universal remotes

The Apple TV UI needs work, but I really don't care for Roku's interface... half the screen is an ad for something they're trying to get me to pay for, and therefore I don't find the screen to be used in a sort way at all. That said, Roku's wireless headphone jack is a godsend. I love that feature so much for bedroom watching and exercising at night when my family is sleeping.

I don't consider number of apps to be a defining factor at all... there isn't a single app on Roku that Apple TV is missing other than Amazon. The rest are ridiculously useless, and Apple TV has a couple useful apps that are missing on Roku.

 

[jbachandouris]

I have one because it's Apple, but I rarely use it.

 

[lazard]

They haven't done anything with it, are we supposed to be surprised it dropped in sales or use?

Fourth still isn't too bad for a "hobby."

4th isn't that bad...considering there's only 4 major players in the market.

 

[Westside guy]

It is unfortunate we need these set top boxes at all, but that is the reality of it.

I bought an LG "smart television" back in late 2011. It came with all sorts of apps for Netflix, Hulu, and even Plex; but the interface is pretty clunky - we stopped using it pretty quickly. Now just the other day we received an email from Amazon telling us the Amazon app is going to stop working next month.

I don't know about you guys, but I don't replace my television every few years. I expect to be using this same television for many years still to come. Having TV-based apps that EOL in under four years is ridiculous.

Anyway... I'm looking forward to seeing what Apple does with the next iteration of Apple TV, when it comes. AirPlay has been much more useful to me than I expected - it's really a "must have" in my particular case.

 

[wpmason]

Roku is heads and shoulders above all competition. Only the most hardcore Apple apologists could argue that the ATV is in the same ballpark.

You can't actually claim that. Most of these things have very similar feature parity, with certain key differences. For example, Apple TV does iTunes content and AirPlay out of the box. None of the other ones can touch that. Does it matter? Depends on the customer.

So Roku may rock your socks, but it's not true for everyone, as demonstrated by that pie graph with relatively even sized pieces.

 

[a.gomez]

last black Friday I picked up 3 Google Chromcast for 18 dollars each. We just use our iPad mini to cast to the TV in the room we are in. Makes little sense to pay for an Apple TV at this point.

 

[wpmason]

I buy all my movies on Google Play and use the Chromecast. Love it and it works on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, etc.

Just, FYI and PSA, Google Play Video purchases are streamable natively on the Apple TV (3rd Gen Only) through the YouTube channel. Log in, check under "My YouTube" or whatever it's called, and they're all there.

 

[garylapointe]

That's what happens when you don't invest into a product for 4 years, people move on. The new Apple TV better be pretty amazing if they even want to match the competitive features the old one is lacking these days.

Isn't it the only device that talks to iTunes? iPhoto? (out of the box)
The only device to support AirPlay mirroring?

I'm not sure what people want it to do that needs a new box?
Other than play non-mp4 files (which I don't see Apple doing) off a USB port (which I also don't see Apple doing) or the network (they probably don't even need a new box for this, right?).

It could use more networks and streaming options (and a better interface to access all those networks). I'd like Amazon as an option, the few times I've had prime I've had to use one of my other boxes TiVo/WDtv/BluRay (which all support Amazon).

I'd be happy if they put a hard drive back in the AppleTV (like in the first model), I miss having the video already on the box and not have to have the computer on or wait for it to stream.

For music, I use the AppleTV (for iTunes) or I stream Pandora over one of my devices.
For video, I switch between the TiVo OTA, WDtv and the AppleTV (AppleTV is definitely 3rd place in my house, the other two are probably tied).

• UNLESS they add live TV and recorded (or a cheap sub service that lets me streamed missed shows) or play other kinds of video files, I don't see that AppleTV moving out of 3rd place (in my home).
• I guess if they added iOS App compatibility I'd certainly use it more. Some other app system, maybe, but I'm not re-buying all my apps again. If they turned it into an amazing gaming machine that would appeal to others.

Unless they come out with a $40 stick version, and/or some form of those two (above) options happen, I'm not sure what's going to get them into first place and keep them there (with the public).

Gary

 

[maxsix]

This isn't much of an issue given Apples position. They've got so much cash they're choking on it...

Besides when we look at their history, it's the massive hype that comes with a product launch that gets people's attention and gets them all wound tight, hand on wallet, ready to spend big on the next "game changer" Apples so skilled at promoting.

ATV is an old somewhat tired niche product now and as much as Apple hypes it this in one product that's not stylish.

It's not supermodel thin.

It's not shiny.

It's not made from Apples heavily worshipped aluminum.

And it doesn't do anything that special.

That doesn't make it bad, just dull.

 

[camnchar]

A new Apple TV with a Plex app will suit my needs just fine, allowing me access to both my iTunes library and the NAS I have at home in one device. Then I can relegate the Mac Mini I currently have purely to server status.

 

[LordVic]

While I do like the Roku the most. They really need to make a qwerty remote. Content searches are painfully slow selecting one letter at a time on screen. Now that I have Tivo it doesn't really matter. The Tivo has a qwerty remote and works with Amazon Prime, Spotify, Hulu and Netflix. If only I had unlimited data. 300GB can go fast with a household streaming HD content.

install the Roku App on your phone / tablet. it allows you to use your phones keyboard on almost all Roku text entry screens

 

[Tech198]

This is like a new trend or something...

Apple hasn't updated this bad boy in few years, so only Apple TV 3 still just with software updates, but that's not going to win an oscar.

Apple will play catch up with integration of the App Store, and often nifty features.. Bummer about a TV service this year, but u gotta do what ya gotta do

 

[nia820]

Because they haven't updated it in over 5 years. Apple needs to get on that pronto!

 

[rhett7660]

Doesn't surprise me, the ATV hasn't been updated and is showing it age. New hardware and/or a new interface would help it along with being able to access the App store. Making it a little more open would help it tremendously.

 

[From A Buick 8]

We have two 2nd gen AppleTV's and use them daily, still the best way to get my iTunes content to my TV. We have a new Vizio TV and have been waiting for the 4th gen ATV to drop so I can buy one for it.

 

[wpmason]

I am surprised that it's fourth most used. I thought it would be lower.
Of all the people I know, no one has an Apple TV. It's mostly Roku and Fire TV.

It's not the 4th most used. It was the 4th most purchased in 2014. Since it's been on the market since 2012, it's pretty logical that everyone that wants one already has one, so low sales. Also, all three companies ahead of Apple make multiple models with different price points. Apple TV is only one thing, at a premium price, because Apple.

Let's compare sales after the new one launches, that'll be fun.

 

[cariacou]

they dump money to make a new ipad mini 3 or a mac mini with (close to) no improvements, just so the buyers can feel like they're buying the latest and greatest, why don't they do that with the apple tv?
even just double ram, more ports, app store, retina eye scan on the remote would keep your customers Apple...

 

[KdParker]

Roku is heads and shoulders above all competition. Only the most hardcore Apple apologists could argue that the ATV is in the same ballpark.

It actually comes down to price and ease of use.

Roku/Amazon/Google are cheaper and offer pretty much the same content. All the other options that Apple TV provides, most average users don't care about, they just want to stream some shows.

 

[quietstormSD]

Roku is definitely king. I'm afraid when the new Apple TV it'll be too tightly controlled that it won't benefit too many people that would actually need another set top box.