Kuo: New Apple TV to Launch in Second Half of 2022, Lower Price Possible

[Deguello]

I take it you don't use home sharing either? Because I actually envision the bulk of this working that way and the cloud option only being for those who don't link their AppleTVs to a Mac or PC. So for example, store the big game on the Mac, it streams over to this hypothetical AppleTV when you want to play it, just like streaming over anything stored in the Music, Podcast, TV apps on the Mac. No internet connection required at all that way for any apps that can completely locally store and run.

Also, 200MB down is much faster than I would expect anyone would need for this to work well. Note that just because 200MB was the MAX size for years doesn't mean that all apps are 200MB. I just did a quick search to find some sizes of popular apps from a few years ago:

• HBO Go (at that time) 31MB
• Netflix 16MB
• Discovery Go 8MB

Those are equivalent to maybe 3 to 6 AAC 256kbps songs. This thread might be bigger than some of those already.

Assuming popular apps along those lines have not significantly fattened up recently, the storage in the cloud would be like storing a few songs in iCloud. Downloads would be quick even on much slower broadband than what you have.

Bonus (for Apple): perhaps this motivates more who do not use home sharing to use it... which might help sell a few more Macs.

No, I don’t use home sharing.

Downloading the equivalent of 3-6 songs every time I changed apps would, again, be a non-starter right now.

Maybe some people will buy a new Mac to save $50 or $100 on a streaming box. Seems unlikely.

At least I understand what you mean, now, even though I’d want no part of it.

 

[JustSomebody12]

Probably they are ending the a8 supply.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

No, I don’t use home sharing.

Downloading the equivalent of 3-6 songs every time I changed apps would, again, be a non-starter right now.

Maybe some people will buy a new Mac to save $50 or $100 on a streaming box. Seems unlikely.

At least I understand what you mean, now, even though I’d want no part of it.

OK, well, in all scenarios, I would expect existing AppleTVs to still be for sale. So all happy with the "as is" still enjoys the "as is".

The whole thread and my contributions is about how Apple could deliver a cheaper one... and many seem to be imagining cheaper meaning not:

• $149 or so
• $140 sans remote with remote sold separately for $60
• Etc.

...but meaningfully cheaper. The only way I see that and they protecting the big margin is taking stuff OUT... and there's not much in there to potentially jettison.

Personally, I wouldn't want that concept either. I lean to the other extreme... towards a hypothetical PRO AppleTV, perhaps with the M1 or even M1 PRO that some have posted as wishes... priced up to maybe $500 or so. Even the latest version seems to stutter a bit on some things.

Even better, I'd like to see Apple roll out the old Front Row app as a new version- same UI as AppleTV now able to run on Macs. Then the pro AppleTV might actually be a Mac Mini that auto-runs Front Row 2.

 

[surfzen21]

Happy with my firestick 4k.

 

[poematik13]

They need a $79 TV mini streaming stick

 

[riverscott58]

Also crucial for most ZONE 2 receiver options and separate-box HDMI splitters seem to be more hit or miss when trying to create this with those kinds of dongles. I'd LOVE to see an AUX jack resurrected. Early AppleTVs had it... and then Apple decided to "improve" them.

If it had audio ports this could be a true streaming music server (like Blue Sound Node 2). Not just something where your phone processes the music, downgrades the sound, then sends it over airplay.

 

[w5jck]

I'll believe this when I see. It is not like Apple to update the ATV 4K after only a year. They seem to treat the ATV 4K as the stepchild they don't really want. I could see Apple possibly releasing a stripped down dongle version that sells for less, but I doubt they will. We are talking about Apple here, and their philosophy has been form over function and high price over higher sales rates.

 

[B/D]

I'll believe this when I see. It is not like Apple to update the ATV 4K after only a year. They seem to treat the ATV 4K as the stepchild they don't really want. I could see Apple possibly releasing a stripped down dongle version that sells for less, but I doubt they will. We are talking about Apple here, and their philosophy has been form over function and high price over higher sales rates.

And yet, the homepod mini exists and the original homepod is gone, for example.

 

[Tagbert]

I read this more like Apple is going to launch a budget version. Not that Apple is going to make the 4K cheaper.

But what, other than product positioning makes the 4K more expensive than any other Apple TV? The components are not special, nor high performance. It is essentially an older iPhone (XS) with less storage and a remote control. Apple could choose to drop their margin on this device to be able to price it low enough to drive more volume and promote AppleTV+ and games. Apple doesn’t normally go for volume on their products and depends on the margins, but the value proposition for the Apple TV to Apple is not hardware sales, it is a channel for their precious services revenue. the other players in this space all sell their hardware at cost for the same reason.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

But what, other than product positioning makes the 4K more expensive than any other Apple TV? The components are not special, nor high performance. It is essentially an older iPhone (XS) with less storage and a remote control. Apple could choose to drop their margin on this device to be able to price it low enough to drive more volume and promote AppleTV+ and games. Apple doesn’t normally go for volume on their products and depends on the margins, but the value proposition for the Apple TV to Apple is not hardware sales, it is a channel for their precious services revenue. the other players in this space all sell their hardware at cost for the same reason.

They don’t need to drop the price to promote Apple TV+. The $29 fire stick does just that.

 

[mingoglia]

Have 2 or 3 various generation Apple TVs in boxes.... Firesticks work fine for me and are almost disposable in price and hide well behind the TV. I'm hoping the next generation lures me back over to the Apple camp. If they want to compete in streaming they have to make the physical hardware loss leaders.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If it had audio ports this could be a true streaming music server (like Blue Sound Node 2). Not just something where your phone processes the music, downgrades the sound, then sends it over airplay.

Right. One of my personal FAVORITE uses of former AppleTVs is exactly that: as a music jukebox WIRED to a good receiver WIRED to great speakers. That works with later & latest gens now with the TV on over HDMI. But the early versions had AUX out and that offered the (IMO) very desirable bonus of directly connecting them to what are called ZONE 2 and/or ZONE 3 jacks on receivers to play on speakers in other zones of a home (whole house audio, etc) with TV off.

Sans AUX, the ways to approximate the same but still use AppleTV is to buy a HDMI spitter dongle to get a dedicated AUX jack via dongle but those are notorious for not passing anything through when you don't need that link, so they become plug/unplug dongles (which is a little hassle)... or working with Airplay which is next best thing.

In my case, what has mostly happened is I've stopped enjoying that great benefit via AppleTV and now use a backup of airplay from Mac to Receiver to push my playlists to ZONE 2/3 speakers or airplay from iDevices to do that. In both cases, airplay becomes the weak link.

There's no special technology in AUX jacks- patents on that stuff have long since expired- so I would guess the cost to have the jack must be near nothing. There is already a great DAC inside AppleTV. So much like the great passion some can still feel for wishing for headphone jacks on iPads and iPhones, I wish there was a headphone/AUX jack on AppleTV again. It was such a convenient "just works" feature to really enjoy that has nothing to do with the TV being on... like a hidden or overlooked great benefit of AppleTV.

 

[startergo]

For now, I still think Roku is the better option — tons of flexibility, and while it doesn't have all the features you'd get with Apple's hardware, you can still watch Apple TV thru the app, take advantage of Airplay, etc.

Just get a 4k Samsung tv and whatcha whatever you want.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I'll believe this when I see. It is not like Apple to update the ATV 4K after only a year. They seem to treat the ATV 4K as the stepchild they don't really want. I could see Apple possibly releasing a stripped down dongle version that sells for less, but I doubt they will. We are talking about Apple here, and their philosophy has been form over function and high price over higher sales rates.

You are so right. They have shown time and time again that they barely care about this thing.

HOWEVER, there is a push on growing services... there is a push on AppleTV+... there is a rumor about NFL Sunday Ticket... and there is the recent rumor about restructuring for advertising revenue.

NFL Sunday ticket is popular enough to sell a LOT of hardware... but may get some scoffs at a $179 starter price. But of course, they could just make it a part of AppleTV+ (app) so that hardware doesn't matter. See Friday Night MLB for example.

TV advertising is the most lucrative and hardware could have some special advantage over trying to get whatever they want exclusively out of AppleTV+ (app). So maybe that plays a role in a fresh shot at more proprietary hardware in homes?

Throw all of that into a pot and the idea of a "cheaper AppleTV" hardware offering might make some sense... or it could be this years version of the same speculation that has slung every year for maybe the last 5 or 7 or so.

Maybe this new cheaper AppleTV is a virtual AppleTV you can use while wearing the VR goggles/glasses and riding in iCar? Unit cost to make a purely virtual AppleTV should make it possible to sell them for meaningfully less than $179 each.

 

[JosephAW]

Maybe the new one will introduce 8K video and drop 1080 support.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

HomePod mini is a hit at $99.

Source?

 

[Orange Bat]

I have a Roku Ultra after having an Apple TV for years. The Ultra is a perfectly competent replacement. I features Dolby Vision, the picture looks great, the audio sounds great through my surround system, and the UI is mostly competitive with Apple TV. I would have gladly bought an Apple TV, but the Roku was on sale for about $80, so I saved myself $100 to get something competitive. A 4K streaming box over $120 is a rip-off at this point, IMO, when $50 streaming sticks do a pretty darn good job at 4K.

 

[blueflame]

Apple plans to launch a new version of the Apple TV in the second half of 2022, according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a tweet today, Kuo said the new Apple TV will have an improved cost structure, suggesting that the device could have a lower price that is more competitive with other streaming media players like Google's Chromecast line, Amazon's Fire TV line, and the Roku line.

Released in April 2021, the current Apple TV 4K model is priced at $179 with 32GB of storage and at $199 with 64GB of storage, while the previous-generation Apple TV HD remains available for $149 with 32GB of storage. By comparison, there are Chromecast and Roku streaming sticks available for under $50, and many other options under $100.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1525127349616128000

Both the second-generation (2010) and third-generation (2012) models of the Apple TV were priced at $99 at launch, and Apple eventually lowered the price of the third-generation model to $69, so there is precedence for a sub-$100 Apple TV.

Apple TV+ is already available on platforms like Fire TV and Roku, but a more competitively priced Apple TV model could still spur sales of the device and help to draw more subscribers to the streaming service, which competes with the likes of Netflix and Disney+.

The second-generation Apple TV 4K was the first new Apple TV generation in over three and a half years when it was released last April, with key new features including a redesigned Siri Remote, a faster A12 Bionic chip, HDMI 2.1, and Wi-Fi 6.

Article Link: Kuo: New Apple TV to Launch in Second Half of 2022, Lower Price Possible

will be $129.99

on sale on amazon for $125

 

[dampfnudel]

Put an M1 in the Apple TV you cowards.

An upgrade to the A14 would be fine.

 

[butinsho]

That's great news! I'm hoping they can also update when streaming lossless tunes from Apple Music. Would be nice if we can output bit perfect up to 24 bit 192 kHz. Right now what it's doing is converting everything to 48 kHz. I don't think the current gen Apple TV hardware is even capable of this through firmware updates. These new ones coming might be the answer.

 

[Doug0915]

I keep waiting for Apple to get serious about gaming on Apple TV. Sure it’s not like a PS five or an Xbox one X, but with an M1 processor in it and a controller you could do some decent gaming for the casual person who’s in the Apple ecosystem.

 

[revenantananias]

120hz refresh rate and multiple users please.

 

[bniu]

My assumption is that A8 and A10 line productions have all been shut down for a while since early 2021 and Apple's kept the ATV HD and iPod touch 7 alive while slowly running down all the chips they had on hand. I'm presuming the A10 chip supply has been exhausted, and hence, the need to shut down the iPod touch for good. A8 inventory is probably dwindling, and I'm guessing will be exhausted by end of summer, thus meaning needing to move on from ATV HD.

My guess is this fall, we see a new set of ATVs with A12 at the entry level with just 32GB storage and higher end ATVs with M1 chips to support bigger games. Perhaps even a M1 Pro ATV?

 

[Jdhommert]

A cheaper version makes sense if they really want to get Apple One/Apple TV in more peoples homes and make more $ off services. Thats where Apple is lagging behind Microsoft and Google in services revenue. Thats where serious money is and shareholders love. Yes, the app is available on lots of devices and built in most TVs....but if the interface works well and people like what an Apple TV offers vs other option, its just one more way to keep you forever locked in the Apple ecosystem, and hopefully get you to pay for Apple One.

 

[SoldOnApple]

I just hope it has more processing power. I want to play my 4k lossless blu ray rips with lots of headroom to spare.