Has Apple just abandoned AppleTV?

[ctdonath]

1. ... Apple TV does not plug directly into an HDMI port without a cable and requires a traditional power outlet. ...
2. I am completely over the touch surface remote control. ...
...It's been reduced to a benign component of my HomePod/Apple Music experience and the twice-a-year "let's watch home movies, dad" moment.

Maybe it's time for ... ATV Air and ATV Pro?

I don't see the dongle format as having the power for higher-end use of serious games or high-load video. Doubt it's going to fit quite so well as implied behind many TVs, and powering from random USB ports is unreliable (and commandeers that port vs other use). Yes, it might be sufficient for most users, but with distinct limitations which can become glaringly apparent (something Apple wants to avoid).

So...maybe we will see a ATV5 Air as a dongle. Just need a way to pleasantly delineate its limitations vs the more powerful "puck" format.

An ATV5 Pro would likely remain a "puck", but I don't see what would really be advanced beyond ATV4K other than using better chips simply because they're current and in large supply (at Apple).

Such a divergence might be delayed until 8K video becomes a widespread[ing] thing, as that will require heftier hardware not necessary for those content with 2K or 4K video which might be handled in a dongle-sized-and-powered device.
...and that stage will require a pervasive update throughout the Apple ecosystem, as hefty hardware for creating & distributing 8K is needed before distilling it down to something easily handled by a sub-$200 device.

 

[-Gonzo-]

2. I am completely over the touch surface remote control. It's inaccurate and frustrating. Apps are a lot more sophisticated today then they were 5 years ago, more submenus and click points and queues to navigate, and having a traditional remote with a traditional D-pad is a huge benefit.

Maybe it’s just me but I’ve never had an issue with the Siri remote if I’m honest and never really understand how others have such a problem with it.
I use my ATV4K everyday and I’ve never found it to be inaccurate or frustrating to use, you can use the touchpad in exactly the same way as a traditional D-pad without the need of using swipes by just lightly tapping top/bottom/left/right of the touchpad and a click for selection.

 

[JBaby]

Maybe it’s just me but I’ve never had an issue with the Siri remote if I’m honest and never really understand how others have such a problem with it.
I use my ATV4K everyday and I’ve never found it to be inaccurate or frustrating to use, you can use the touchpad in exactly the same way as a traditional D-pad without the need of using swipes by just lightly tapping top/bottom/left/right of the touchpad and a click for selection.

Same. I love the remote. Yes it took getting used to in the beginning but now I have it turned up to the fastest setting. Navigation is so much better with this remote. When I got my new TV a few months ago I had to use its remote before getting it online and use an app. Old school remotes are terrible in comparison. It even even got my 66 year old Muggle Mom using it very successfully. She says people need to stop thinking about how they used to do things and just focus on the Siri remote. Use its features and use Siri. That’s what she’s there for. If that’s not a great endorsement of the Siri remote I don’t know what is.

 

[barnetty]

i currently own both appletv4 and 4k as well as a couple of firetv sticks (regular and 4k) and LG smart TV with apps.

Both Apple TVs are leagues above the Amazon devices and the Smart TV apps...its smooth, videos load fast, app designs are really attractive and remote use and accesibility to options are top notch.

For example the ESPN app on Apple TV allows you to multistream 4 channels at a time and will preview the channel when you hover over the channel name. The Amazon version cannot do multistream and all you can do is click on the title cards to load a game.

Fire sticks have poor storage capability and can be very laggy their software interface is very rudimentary...apps tend to crash as well.

The only reason why i own the amazon devices are for those apps that apple wont allow on their devices like VPN apps and

 

[JBaby]

i currently own both appletv4 and 4k as well as a couple of firetv sticks (regular and 4k) and LG smart TV with apps.

Both Apple TVs are leagues above the Amazon devices and the Smart TV apps...its smooth, videos load fast, app designs are really attractive and remote use and accesibility to options are top notch.

For example the ESPN app on Apple TV allows you to multistream 4 channels at a time and will preview the channel when you hover over the channel name. The Amazon version cannot do multistream and all you can do is click on the title cards to load a game.

Fire sticks have poor storage capability and can be very laggy their software interface is very rudimentary...apps tend to crash as well.

The only reason why i own the amazon devices are for those apps that apple wont allow on their devices like VPN apps and

100% agree. Prior to the world ending I went to a friend house for a casual dinner party. She had a Fire TV stick. That thing was slow/laggy AF. Someone finally made a suggestion that we play Uno instead. She was embarrassed. There was no need to be but I think it was because she was warned about it sucking and she didn’t heed the warning. I never advice her in tech because I learned a long time ago that she was always take the cheap way out. Don’t get me wrong I love saving money too. But just not to the point that I’m willing to sacrifice my enjoyment of life.

 

[McScooby]

Despite having an iPhone, the GF is hugely anti-Apple (I know I should ditch her!) stating at every opportunity things Android/Chromecast does way better. I had to force her to use the TV.
It took a week of using it, that now to this day I cannot prise it from her cold dead hands, to me that speaks volumes about how much of a hobby the TV is.
That & she slated TV+ when it came out, similar story there.

 

[zhenya]

While I agree that the touchpad portion of the remote is much better than the alternatives, the remote could still use an overhaul. It's ergonomically too small, which also makes it much easier to misplace, and the touchpad is far too easy to click. While Apple usually gets this stuff right, every once in a while they get really stuck on a poor design and refuse to change it (Magic Mouse anyone?).

 

[Edd70]

Maybe it’s just me but I’ve never had an issue with the Siri remote if I’m honest and never really understand how others have such a problem with it.
I use my ATV4K everyday and I’ve never found it to be inaccurate or frustrating to use, you can use the touchpad in exactly the same way as a traditional D-pad without the need of using swipes by just lightly tapping top/bottom/left/right of the touchpad and a click for selection.

Yeah the remote is fantastic IMO, I’m baffled when people say they hate it but whatever floats your boat.

 

[nickdalzell1]

I always see most complaints involve the lack of a mute button over anything else. Sadly when watching live TV a mute button would be nice, but my TV supports Google Assistant so I just voice mute it.

 

[-Gonzo-]

Other than the Apple Events I don’t watch anything live on ATV, if I want to mute I just press pause.

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

What Apple ought to do is merge the niche AppleTV/4k with the now-equally niche iPod and make an AppleTVPod which can plug straight into your TV's USB or HDMI socket, with enough space for oodles of downloads.

No-one would buy it, but I could do with a laugh.

 

[ksgant]

then where is it? “Absurd” yet we’re at least a year overdue, and they’re set to miss another holiday season.

A year overdue for what? What exactly are you wanting them to put on the current 4k HDR AppleTV?

 

[JBaby]

I always see most complaints involve the lack of a mute button over anything else. Sadly when watching live TV a mute button would be nice, but my TV supports Google Assistant so I just voice mute it.

I use my Watch for instant mute since I use my HomePods as my tv speakers.

 

[Blair Paulsen]

Perhaps we need to "Think Different". Desktops and laptops are giving way to iOS devices. Traditional TVs as standalone devices with built in tuners, segregated from the "computer monitor" with a VGA port, have been replaced by multi-purpose displays.
Perhaps the new paradigm is best served by an Apple Silicon based, multi-function "home base" device. Imagine a MacMini/Airport/ATV/SmartHome/PlayStation combo. It would be a lightweight home server with some local storage, wired and wireless I/O accessed from any iOS or OSX device, as well as different remotes. To delay obsolesence, it should have multipin ports to support future connection standards.
Think switchboard/patch bay for the modern home - and - Home Theater PC with Apple DNA.
IMO, the ATV needs to evolve into a HomeNode that supports all these lightweight portable devices as well as being a conduit for tv programming, music, games, etc. Otherwise, for most people, it's an overpriced ROKU.

 

[nickdalzell1]

The tablet (iPad, etc) will never replace a real laptop or desktop. That kind of thinking was what destroyed Android tablets.

 

[eMacKilla]

I think their strategy right now is to get the AppleTV app built into as many TV platforms as they can. That way the entry to use appleTV+ isn't "buy this $250 box then subscribe".

The 4k Apple TV is powerful enough that there's no need to upgrade it. I think a lower cost version like the amazon fire stick, one that has an HDMi built in and plugs directly into a TV would be a fantastic idea.

 

[ErikGrim]

The current gen Apple TV is more than capable for anything you can throw at it currently. The only reason to upgrade would be more oomph for games.

 

[thomas040]

They are gonna come out with an Apple Arcade Pro version of Apple TV, that includes Cloudx and Stadia access.

 

[Kampy1]

As someone who's been planning to buy an Apple TV as soon as new/upgraded hardware is announced, I was bummed that it hasn't been part of these recent 'events' ... and now I'm thinking, if it didn't come today alongside the HomePod stuff, it probably isn't coming in 2020 (if ever)... right? Should I just grab the ATV4K? I know as soon as I get it hooked up, Apple will announce a new one

 

[JBaby]

As someone who's been planning to buy an Apple TV as soon as new/upgraded hardware is announced, I was bummed that it hasn't been part of these recent 'events' ... and now I'm thinking, if it didn't come today, it probably isn't coming in 2020 (if ever)... right? Should I just grab the ATV4K? I know as soon as I get it hooked up, Apple will announce a new one

But and be happy. There’s no point in waiting though I’m already seeing people say wait for November. I’m not saying it’s not possible for there to be an announcement in November I’m just saying it’s unlikely.

 

[scottuf]

As someone who's been planning to buy an Apple TV as soon as new/upgraded hardware is announced, I was bummed that it hasn't been part of these recent 'events' ... and now I'm thinking, if it didn't come today alongside the HomePod stuff, it probably isn't coming in 2020 (if ever)... right? Should I just grab the ATV4K? I know as soon as I get it hooked up, Apple will announce a new one

Was in the same boat, hoping they’d announce one today. Instead I grabbed a refurb 4K from the Apple online store. Guarantees they’ll announce one in about a month when my return period is passed.

 

[Kampy1]

Was in the same boat, hoping they’d announce one today. Instead I grabbed a refurb 4K from the Apple online store. Guarantees they’ll announce one in about a month when my return period is passed.

ahh thanks for taking one for the team! I'll just wait til your warranty expires and then order the new one when they announce it the next day!

 

[Wolfpup]

As someone who's been planning to buy an Apple TV as soon as new/upgraded hardware is announced, I was bummed that it hasn't been part of these recent 'events' ... and now I'm thinking, if it didn't come today alongside the HomePod stuff, it probably isn't coming in 2020 (if ever)... right? Should I just grab the ATV4K? I know as soon as I get it hooked up, Apple will announce a new one

But and be happy. There’s no point in waiting though I’m already seeing people say wait for November. I’m not saying it’s not possible for there to be an announcement in November I’m just saying it’s unlikely.

aaaaargh!!!! Yeah, if they didn’t do it today, which is already way late for this year, I’m dubious they’re doing it this year. What are they thinking?

I’m left confused by what to do. $180 for a device that’s going to be either dumped or replaced shortly is outlandish (and I’m unclear how well it controls with IR remotes). The new Roku ultra is pretty good but I don’t trust their security as much (and I don’t like that it doesn’t have hbo, though I don’t know that I’ll ever actually subscribe to it, at least not for years). The new google chromecast’s Ethernet port is still in preorder, and they have no additional remotes listed for sale, not even for preorder.

Some previous years on sale the Xbox One S has basically met the AppleTV’s price point, and it’s a damned good streaming device (basically Microsoft’s streaming box, really, in addition to being a game console and a 4K blu ray player) but of course with the transition to the new generation it’s not really an option either.

I’ve needed something for over a year, super needed something since January, and this is just ridiculous. Aaaand I just do not trust Roku or Amazon with like my real google or apple account credentials.

 

[danny842003]

then where is it? “Absurd” yet we’re at least a year overdue, and they’re set to miss another holiday season.

What’s overdue specifically? I think we can guarantee with their investment in AppleTV+ it’s clear they’re not abandoning Apple TV any time soon. I had a 4KTV on pre order and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy the same device today three years later if I needed a 4th Apple TV.

 

[Kampy1]

What’s overdue specifically? I think we can guarantee with their investment in AppleTV+ it’s clear they’re not abandoning Apple TV any time soon. I had a 4KTV on pre order and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy the same device today three years later if I needed a 4th Apple TV.

I think it's just "overdue" because now we're used to regular product refreshes every year or so, so 3+ years seems like an eternity. I'm sure the current model would work fine for my needs... it's just that, by this point I've waited so long for the new iteration that's been rumored for so long, I feel like all that time I've "invested" by waiting would be "wasted" if I "give up" and buy the thing I could have bought 3 years ago (and been enjoying this whole time, rather than dealing with my glitchy Chromecast setup)

I know it doesn't make much sense, but buying the current model almost feel like "caving in" and I'm just too damn stubborn!