Why? Does Apple supply 4K content right now? The answer is no.
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New Apple TV First Impressions: Not a 'Revolution,' But Siri and tvOS Shine
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Why? Does Apple supply 4K content right now? The answer is no.
I wouldn't call those awesome apps since every device can run it, heck even a Chromecast does all that easily.
What I want are exclusive apps, or something that already exists on iOS that allows me to play/watch on the TV. iOS games are a huge bonus.
Excited about the new remote! Including an IR blaster is genius; means I can ditch my Logitech Harmony remote for my TV and Sound system and just use the Apple Remote. This is the first remote that I've seen that has successfully combined power and simplicity.
I simply can't wait to get my hands on my new Apple TV!
I simply can't wait to get my hands on my new Apple TV!
Maybe using the remote app on the iPhone if you have one. Although I would hate that.
Chromecast forces you to use your phone or other device as a remote, I would hate for the ATV to be the same way. But, I guess if you choose the remote app over using/buying the new ATV4 remote, you wouldn't be forced into it, it would be your choice.
Something like the Xbox or PS4 is overkill for me. I'm excited about lightweight games that will actually be good. I'm also excited about never having to put down my tv remote to do anything...play games, watch movies, adjust volume on A/V Receiver. Nice!
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
It makes no sense for iTunes to have a bunch of 4K content for
TV before their are 4KTVs in lots of homes. The hardware must come first. It would be like putting apps that will only run on the A10 in the app store right now. What good does that do until next year's iDevices are available? How can developers make money on those apps now?The Studios own the content. They have plenty of content that could be offered at 4K (pretty much every film that has ever been made could be rolled out as 4K video and just about every TV show shot on film (which is most of the libraries) could be 4K too). What they don't have is a mass adopted medium (hardware) in lots of homes so that the trouble they go to in rendering for 4K has a fair chance of profitability.
Consider this: let's wave a magic wand so that every single video available in the iTunes store for
TV is available in 4K tonight. Now what? How do we make any money from such content? On the other hand, ship this TV with 4K capability and, as Apple sells more and more units, Studios get more and more tempted to try to make a buck by offering 4K content. That's the ONLY way it can work- the hardware must come first.As is, as people are faced with buying new TVs they can embrace the present and recent past at 1080p or pay a little more for a 4K set spun hard as "the future". Their brand new iPhones can shoot video in 4K. And they generally keep a TV for 10+ years. Guess what those who can get past "lowest price" buy?
Those that buy a 4K TV are hungry for a source of lots of 4K video. They can already get some from Netflix, Amazon and Youtube. Camcorders and camera "home movies" have been able to shoot 4K for a couple of years now. But there's no big source of such content today. Apple could have been that source. And it even makes a lot of sense given how they've embraced 4K in the new iPhones, featuring iMovie that can edit 4K video fed to 5K retina Macs, stored in iTunes and needing a way to get from iTunes to their new 4K TV. It's right there that the chain is broken. Too bad. Maybe next year(s)
I think the new
TV is spectacular in many ways but it sure would have been nice for the 4K people to have been able to feed their need too. From their perspective, Apple could have leaped over streaming box competitors and even beat the new 4K BD products to market by a good amount of time. Those that don't care about 4K could have still enjoyed the box in full at 1080p or even 720p. But those that do care could have got their wishes met too. And all those new iPhone buyers with 4K TVs will soon be hunting for a way to play that 4K video they shoot on their 4K TVs at 4K.
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I have an Apple TV 3 and a Roku and as much as everyone claims to hate the Apple TV and love the Roku I'm the opposite. I love my Apple TV but dislike the Roku.
I use both daily (Apple TV is in living room and Roku is in bedroom). The Roku starts streaming as fast as the Apple TV but at a horrid resolution (possibly 480p). The Apple TV, however, starts streaming at 720p and goes up as quickly. The Roku's UI sucks to be honest (that awful Ad on the right!). The only thing that is better is the system wide search function.
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Apple doesn't, but 3rd party app developers could have. HBO could have been able to provide 4K programming through their app, but not possible without a 4K capable Apple TV. So Apple restricts everybody, the user and the content providers.
Physical media is never coming back -- period. Every retailer is phasing it out. 4k will be a standard yes but not THE standard. Blu Ray saturation has been an utter DISASTER. It's never reached a fraction of the success of that of DVD... The current content companies were foolish to abandon HD-DVD... It was cheaper and perceptually "evolutionary" to ask a consumer to jump to "HD" dvd. To this day the term Blu ray is vastly an unknown in the mass market of things. It's a failure.
The death nail of BluRay was Steve Jobs refusal to put it into macs. Ironically Apple was a member of the BluRay original consortium.
He was smart to shun the content companies dominance then and Apple is brilliant to do it now..
With an Apple App Store - it means ANYONE can now be a broadcaster. My gut tells me that "a la carte" is going to come from apps. Forget bundles. I'd rather pay $10 a month per app then be chained to a fence by Comcast or At&t thank you
What about the New iPhone 6S with 4K video. They did not say where you are to watch it. On your computer? Would be nice to support 4K for at least the home videos created on the iPhone 6S.
to be honest, this is the first time I feel an Apple Tv is needed. This is what I was looking for.
It makes no sense for iTunes to have a bunch of 4K content for
The Studios own the content. They have plenty of content that could be offered at 4K (pretty much every film that has ever been made could be rolled out as 4K video and just about every TV show shot on film (which is most of the libraries) could be 4K too). What they don't have is a mass adopted medium (hardware) in lots of homes so that the trouble they go to in rendering for 4K has a fair chance of profitability.
Consider this: let's wave a magic wand so that every single video available in the iTunes store for
As is, as people are faced with buying new TVs they can embrace the present and recent past at 1080p or pay a little more for a 4K set spun hard as "the future". Their brand new iPhones can shoot video in 4K. And they generally keep a TV for 10+ years. Guess what those who can get past "lowest price" buy?
Those that buy a 4K TV are hungry for a source of lots of 4K video. They can already get some from Netflix, Amazon and Youtube. Camcorders and camera "home movies" have been able to shoot 4K for a couple of years now. But there's no big source of such content today. Apple could have been that source. And it even makes a lot of sense given how they've embraced 4K in the new iPhones, featuring iMovie that can edit 4K video fed to 5K retina Macs, stored in iTunes and needing a way to get from iTunes to their new 4K TV. It's right there that the chain is broken. Too bad.
I think the new
That's a good point. Your new iPhone can now shoot 4k videos, but your new Apple TV doesn't let you show it on your 4K TV because the Apple TV doesn't support 4K.
That makes no sense.
I can't wait to see a teardown of this new AppleTV. I'm a bit baffled as to why it's actually bigger than the previous model, given that it's still just using iPad parts.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Why supply 4K content for no devices that can play it on 4K TVs? Hardware must come first.
Exactly. Not making the HW 4K compliant (HDMI 2.0a HW standard has been finalized) regardless of state of iTunes content was a missed opportunity. For example, no reason to watch Youtube or Netflix or any other near-future 3rd party apps (Ultraflix, Amazon, Vimeo) on Apple TV when the TV native apps support 4K. I was holding out hope that the $200 version would have 4K support. I know not a whole lot of people have 4K TVs yet, and content choice is still small, but for a company that led with retina display etc. 3 years ago, and for a HW to be updated in late 2015 and not have HDMI 2.0a, was a bit of a letdown. Also, the UI would have been awesome on a large 4K TV, as would the built-in Photos app. Maybe next year. Regardless, 4K TVs make 1080p look awesome.
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The question is whether AirPlay via Apple TV would support it. It appears not (at the moment).
How does anyone know that a software update later won't or wouldn't support it ???
I respect most of the comments so far, but who's really holding back 4k adoption for boxes like these?
Comcast. Sky. Frontier/Time Warner Cable. CenturyLink. Velcom. Verizon. ATT U-Verse. The list of lousy ISPs with data caps and plenty of excuses goes on, and on, and on...
We can't use the fat pipes to their potential if someone won't open up the spigot...
Comcast. Sky. Frontier/Time Warner Cable. CenturyLink. Velcom. Verizon. ATT U-Verse. The list of lousy ISPs with data caps and plenty of excuses goes on, and on, and on...
We can't use the fat pipes to their potential if someone won't open up the spigot...
Why did you say Airplay? The Photos App is on the ATV and your videos will upload to Photos in iCloud automatically so you can then stream from there. That is how I would normally play my home videos.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
No actually it does make sense. Apple will sell millions of these. Then, Apple will introduce the
TV5 with 4K and sell millions of those. It's a very profitable move. It was the same with 1080p. Apple clung to 720p for longer than just about anyone else. Sold lots of
TV2 (capped at 720p). Then, finally, after introducing 1080p video recording in iPhone and then iPad, they announced TV3 with 1080p. This is probably going to play out the same way. Watch for iPads to inherit iPhone's new camera (probably next year) and then TV5 launching at the same time or maybe a few months later.
But will this thing work with the Harmony? That's my concern, I thought I read the remote is bluetooth. I'm not adding a device that needs its own remote regardless of how neat that remote is. I've only had one remote for all the stuff attached to my TV for maybe 10 years now. The current Apple TV works with my Harmony, if this doesn't, I don't see myself getting one, if it does (or does HDMI-CEC, or if the new remote can control my other stuff) I think the new box could be a buy.