Has the AppleTV been a failure?

[clevins]

For the airpod compatibility among other things the ATV provides? AirPods are a game changer.

FOR YOU.

Again, for some (myself included) the ATV is worth it, but for others, it's not. For example, if someone doesn't own Airpods, the feature you just talked about has zero value.

Why is it so hard for so many of you to get that people differ in what's important to them and that no one's experience and preferences are anything but theirs, not some universal truth?

 

[orionquest]

For the airpod compatibility among other things the ATV provides? AirPods are a game changer.

Why would you watch TV with the headphones or AirPods? Maybe I am too old to understand..?‍♂️

 

[suns93]

Look at the profit breakdown of Roku or any of the other competitors. None of their profits come from device sales. They sell your data and real estate (buttons) on their remotes to actually make money in this space.

Apple is not going to do either of those things. But they also aren’t a non-profit, so they have to profit off of hardware sales. Unfortunately, the average consumer would rather sell their data for ~$75. So there’s very little incentive for Apple to spend marketing dollars on the AppleTV.

This is the same reason why Apple never went through with creating an actual television. Although I really wish the Studio Display had shipped with tvOS on it. That’s the kitchen tv of my dreams.

 

[suns93]

Why would you watch TV with the headphones or AirPods? Maybe I am too old to understand..🤷‍♂️

Apartment living, differing schedule than significant other, children gone to bed, directors purposefully making dialog hard to understand so you have to blast the volume, you don’t have any sound system other than the built in tv speakers and they are worse than your AirPods; the list goes on.

 

[clevins]

Look at the profit breakdown of Roku or any of the other competitors. None of their profits come from device sales. They sell your data and real estate (buttons) on their remotes to actually make money in this space.

i mean... go look at the image in my post above... over 47 thousand requests back to their logging server. In two weeks. No thanks.

 

[SurfMacJpMtb]

NO.....as it has evolved through 1, 2, 3, hd, 4k, etc. it has seldom been discounted and quietly established itself as the smart tv interface. My preference is an aTV1 style device with a current apple processor and the ability to put a large SSD drive inside to store media at the tv. I am probably not going to get it but I have evolved too. Squelch the naa-sayers.

 

[HDFan]

My preference is an aTV1 style device with a current apple processor and the ability to put a large SSD drive inside to store media at the tv.

Depending upon your media not practical.

1. 4K media runs runs between ~50 GB - 100 GB in size. A 4 TB SSD, assuming worst case, could only hold 40 movies at best.

2. SSD normally not a good choice for media storage. Don't need the speed, not cost effective.

 

[dan71]

Really like my Apple TV 4k(older generation). I have smart tvs, Google chrome cast 4k, but my AppleTV is the only device that I can connect two AirPods simultaneously so I can watch shows/movies with my son late at night.

 

[Canyda]

The thing I like most about my Apple TVs is that they keep my 2010 not-so-smart Samsung TVs pretty modern. I mean, yes, I have overpowered 4K ATVs connected to two older TV sets (smaller one 720 HD and larger one 1080 HD) but I'm at least future proofed for when these TVs kick the bucket and I'm forced to buy new TVs.

 

[Eric Idle]

Bought a Appletv 4K the other day at Best Buy and behold my previous problems are gone. Perhaps my old HD unit had a hardware problem with WIFI. Anyways as I bought the unit I asked the sales rep if the appletv sold well and he said no. I said that perhaps the Apple store or online sells much better. What do you say? Does the appletv not sell well? It’s a great unit and I am impressed with the new remote and the speed of the A12 chip over the old A8 chip.

I don't know a single person with an Apple TV. Everyone has iPhones but none, absolutely none have Apple TV. They don't even know it exists. Apple TV has been a total failure for Apple.

 

[Eric Idle]

I'm a aTV owner (not 4K). It's a bit over priced. Remote is ****, maybe the new version is better. Doesn't do proper fast forward, no moving the timeline 10 secs or the playhead over is not Fast Forward. My 80's VCR could do FF, not this. Best app is inFuse if you want to play your own content. Otherwise it gets the job done but could be much better.

Well said. Apple TV's capabilities are truly embarrassing for Apple.

 

[lsutigerfan1976]

Oh come on who can’t afford $200 for a streaming device????? People pay thousands for TV’s.

I think there is a difference between whether you can afford. Or willing to pay. I can afford to pay $10-15 for a Starbucks coffee. But that doesn’t mean I am willing to pay that. Same thing with the Apple TV device. It is a great device. But I don’t think most ppl are willing to pay so much for the device. Not that they can’t afford it.

 

[Canyda]

I don't know a single person with an Apple TV. Everyone has iPhones but none, absolutely none have Apple TV. They don't even know it exists. Apple TV has been a total failure for Apple.

I think one of Apple's biggest overall strategic errors is their lack of marketing for specific hardware and software features/apps.

To wit - I think the Apple TV could be far more successful if Apple would put some marketing oomph behind it. I can watch TV and see a billion commercials for the features of the new Apple Watch and the new iPhone, but I don't recall having ever seen an ad for the Apple TV selling the public on why it's better than Chromecast or Amazon's streaming stick, or Roku. Why not? I love my Apple TVs. I think they're pretty great devices and work well with the rest of my Apple gear. So why not push that to Apple users or fence sitters or people with iPhones but have a Roku?

I also think Apple could make some inroads (pun not fully intended) against Google Maps by running ads for Apple Maps. Yes, of course you need an iPhone to run Apple Maps, so by marketing Apple Maps you are also marketing the iPhone. And, yes, Apple doesn't make any money off Maps per se, so why spend money marketing it, but given that iPhone users have a choice of which Maps app to use, why not try to get them to use the Apple version, which will help with traffic reporting, etc.

 

[hg.wells]

Love my AppleTV that device is nowhere near a failure or embarrassing in anyway. Simple things like a streamlined interface, syncing between multiple Apple TVs in the house and Apple Fitness integration.

Lot's of companies also use them in meeting rooms, so employees can airplay presentations etc.

 

[mhmercer]

I believe that Apple has shifted its focus from being the industry’s technology-innovator, to being the innovator of "bold, new colors". In short, it has become a mature company; the General Motors of data integration and display.

 

[LeeW]

Okay if you can’t afford $200 then open a Best Buy or Apple Credit Card.

Hopefully, you don't give out financial advice to anyone on a professional basis.

That aside, it is true that people spend a lot on things like TVs, but what people spend money on is more about value perception. I see a lot of people favouring the Fire Cube over ATV. They may spend $2,000 on a TV, but simply don't value the ATV box at $200 and feel that for their needs a $50 Amazon device is just fine. Everyone is different.

 

[expectchaos]

There are a lot of people that look at digital streaming solutions from the cheapest point of view. The Apple TV 4K is actually quite a capable device that is pricy. There are also consumers that get the Apple TV app mixed up with what the Apple TV 4K provides. Most don't realize the differences is why the below post is valuable.

Apple TV app vs. Apple TV box - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

If you have a home theater setup the fact that you have a better GUI to navigate with constant App navigation, along with frequent app updates to support the latest tvOS functionality means this investment has a longer life potential.

Also you can set Apple Music app on the ATV 4k to provide a lossless 2 channel output to your sound system that is superior to most devices you interface to your other Apple Device in that regard.

Very interesting, does the lossless audio version only capable to works on 2 channel output? Actually i am streaming these tracks on a 5.1 system

 

[Canyda]

So I've been opinining on my Twitter feed of late that streaming is moving towards a cable TV model, in that we're soon going to be marketed bundled streaming services at a marginally reduced price, only brought to you by your ISP instead of your cable company (even though they're largely one and the same in many places). One ISP in Alberta (Telus) just started doing that this week, offering 3 streaming services (Netflix, Apple TV+, Discovery+) for a fixed price.

This story from 2016 showed up in my feed today and it basically matches my thoughts.

https://www.vox.com/new-money/2016/1...u-amazon-cable

So there’s going to be a lot of demand for some form of bundling — of an option to subscribe to a bunch of streaming services, both mainstream and niche together — in packages that will be slightly more affordable than ordering each service a la carte. And when it comes to bundling, the cable companies know it better than anybody else.

Instead of subscribing to all of these services piecemeal, you’ll probably pay for an all-in-one streaming bundle, complete with a set-top box that will enable you to search through all of their inventories for exactly what you want. You’ll have access to all of the bigwigs, then choose various subscription tiers for how many niche services you want. Just like your current cable subscription.

The future of TV, in other words, looks a lot like the present of TV — and your friendly local cable company will probably still be bringing it to you, no matter how much you might groan to hear that.
I'll go one step farther and suggest that it will also be very much ad-supported - more and more streamers are adding a lower-cost ad-supported tier.

So, basically, we're about to reinvent cable TV via a different kind of set-top box. And, hey, Apple actually has one of those and it worked pretty great!

 

[Bustermd]

So I've been opinining on my Twitter feed of late that streaming is moving towards a cable TV model, in that we're soon going to be marketed bundled streaming services at a marginally reduced price, only brought to you by your ISP instead of your cable company (even though they're largely one and the same in many places). One ISP in Alberta (Telus) just started doing that this week, offering 3 streaming services (Netflix, Apple TV+, Discovery+) for a fixed price.

This story from 2016 showed up in my feed today and it basically matches my thoughts.

https://www.vox.com/new-money/2016/1...u-amazon-cable



So, basically, we're about to reinvent cable TV via a different kind of set-top box. And, hey, Apple actually has one of those and it worked pretty great!

Telus also has a the PIK TV service that works on the Apple TV for "regular" broadcast.

Frankly streaming turning into just cable TV using updated technology sucks. I would personally prefer a model similar to itunes rentals: I should be able to pay to watch specific series on a service like Netflix if I have no interest in a regular subscription.

That being said, back to the point of this thread: I really don't get the hate for the Apple TV box. I get that it is unpopular overall, and by far not a big seller for Apple, but mostly because people prefer the cheapest "good enough" option in most cases, or just use apps built in to their TV. I've tried a lot of competitors for streaming: Roku, Chromecase, NVIDIA Shield, Playstation and frankly Apple TV is a head and shoulders better experience in terms of reliability, picture quality, etc.

 

[jwolf6589]

Telus also has a the PIK TV service that works on the Apple TV for "regular" broadcast.

Frankly streaming turning into just cable TV using updated technology sucks. I would personally prefer a model similar to itunes rentals: I should be able to pay to watch specific series on a service like Netflix if I have no interest in a regular subscription.

That being said, back to the point of this thread: I really don't get the hate for the Apple TV box. I get that it is unpopular overall, and by far not a big seller for Apple, but mostly because people prefer the cheapest "good enough" option in most cases, or just use apps built in to their TV. I've tried a lot of competitors for streaming: Roku, Chromecase, NVIDIA Shield, Playstation and frankly Apple TV is a head and shoulders better experience in terms of reliability, picture quality, etc.

It’s been around for 15 years and has probably sold many thousands,

 

[orionquest]

So, basically, we're about to reinvent cable TV via a different kind of set-top box. And, hey, Apple actually has one of those and it worked pretty great!

It wouldn't surprise me. Basically Cable 2.0, learning off the back to Web 2.0, with all the data collection and tailoring of ads an selling of ad spaces, and figuring out how to create new content based off that data as well. I doubt there will ever any real flexibly in packages, choices etc.

 

[Juicy Box]

I really don't get the hate for the Apple TV box.

I don't really ever see "hate" for the Apple TV, not in this thread or elsewhere (not counting the Siri Remote 1).

Most people don't even know what an Apple TV is, imo.

 

[brucewayne]

I don't really ever see "hate" for the Apple TV, not in this thread or elsewhere (not counting the Siri Remote 1).

Most people don't even know what an Apple TV is, imo.

Apple hasn't exactly helped with that since TV can be either a service, an app, or a device.

 

[brucewayne]

Apartment living, differing schedule than significant other, children gone to bed, directors purposefully making dialog hard to understand so you have to blast the volume, you don’t have any sound system other than the built in tv speakers and they are worse than your AirPods; the list goes on.

Agreed. I tried put some of my lesser used TVs on Amazon sticks to save money and it was the lack of an apple music app and airpod compatibility that I ended up giving in and buying more Apple TVs.

 

[Juicy Box]

Apple hasn't exactly helped with that since TV can be either a service, an app, or a device.

Yes, this is true. Actually, I would bet more people, and it’s not even close, know what Apple TV+ is compared to the Apple TV HW.

The naming makes it even worse.

I hear it all the time, people talking in real life, people talking on TV, YouTube videos, people refer to Apple TV+ as Apple TV. Throw the Apple TV app in there and lots of times you have no idea what someone is actually talking about.

As for Apple having the Apple TV plus an Apple TV app on non-Apple TV hardware, Apple used to make really good software to sell their premium-priced hardware. Not so much anymore.