New Apple TV model

[DJHB1980]

It’s much better than the Sky Stream/Xfinity (in USA) box as they can only run their own software whereas the Apple TV box can add the EETV functionality effectively as another App, and i bet it could add in the Sky OS too but Comcast want to retain control of the whole thing instead of releasing an App.

I'm not saying it's the same thing at all but just as a point of curiosity/interest, there is already one case that I know of of Apple licensing the entire Apple TV box which includes TVOS of course.

There is a major UK TV provider in the UK - not a TV channel but maybe something more like a cable TV provider in the USA - that has been licensing the Apple TV box (ATV) for some years now. It (EE TV, formerly BT TV) provides all the free TV channels and various optional paid-for channel packages (sports, movies etc) all delivered via IPTV through EE's own interface (e.g. electronic program guide for all of the live TV channels). In the same way that (I assume) you need the providers cable TV box to get cable TV in the USA you need a streaming puck from EE to get its service but there it gets interesting because EE offers either its own very cost-engineered box or you can instead choose to get a 4K Apple TV box (the wired Ethernet A15 Bionic version) when signing up. In both cases EE doesn't charge anything for the box. If you choose the ATV option you get an EE branded box with the EE software locked in some way (MAC-locked maybe) to the specific box that EE provides.

I think it's a really interesting model and I see it as something of a vote of confidence for Apple TV that EE thinks it is enough of an advantage to offer this option that it is willing to fund the price it pays to Apple out of its ongoing subscription fees for the TV service rather than charging extra to choose the ATV option. Honestly I'd be more than happy to pay an extra £50 for the ATV option although since I'm not a customer I don't know if maybe there are other locks on the ATV that EE provides that means it isn't a full ATV box.

I'm currently with one of EE's competitors - Sky TV - and I'm very likely to leave and do everything via individual apps on my not-yet-purchased ATV but if Sky offered the same ATV option as EE Tv I might well be tempted to keep my Sky subscription because one of my biggest complaints with my current Sky service is how appallingly slow and under-powered the streaming puck that Sky provides is.

I have no connection with EE, not even as a customer, but if anyone is interested EE's info page about its ATV option is here - https://ee.co.uk/tv/apple-tv-4k

 

[DJHB1980]

an Apple TV HDMI Stick could still be powered by a USB C cable
plugged into a wall outlet and not a TV, JUST LIKE 99% OF THEM,
very few HDMI Streaming sticks actually plug into a TV for power.

 

[kiranmk2]

It wouldn’t run the full system because you’d need active cooling. The stick absolutely wouldn’t be able to run the full tvOS, at best it could run Netflix or Hulu, but there’s not a way to get it run a game like the current one does.

Not that I think a stick is coming, but a stick wouldn't have to deal with the heat from the power supply that is in the current Apple TV box. Never understood why Apple didn't take that out and use a USB-C 20 W power adaptor that they already mass produce - it would allow them to make a smaller box and potentially even ship it without a power adaptor as they have started to do with Macs

 

[Juicy Box]

The current 3rd Gen AppleTV 4k doesn't have a fan - the 2nd gen does. Apparently although the two boxes look the same there are differences in width. depth, and height.

I can't see Apple doing a stick version of Apple TV though,

Weird thought it was this generation with the fan lol

The ATV4K1 and ATV4K2 has active cooling, the current generation, ATV4K3 has passive cooling.

But, it’s worth noting that the current generation, and its A15 chip, thermal throttle is like crazy for games. In many games, the older generation actually out performs the current due to the A12 having a fan.

 

[sublunar]

The ATV4K1 and ATV4K2 has active cooling, the current generation, ATV4K3 has passive cooling.

But, it’s worth noting that the current generation, and its A15 chip, thermal throttle is like crazy for games. In many games, the older generation actually out performs the current due to the A12 having a fan.

Not having a fan is pretty counter productive for gaming purposes, I wonder why Apple would go to the expense of a new case to save money on a fan. Especially if they knew that later generation cpus could run as hot if games were being played.

 

[bozzykid]

Not having a fan is pretty counter productive for gaming purposes, I wonder why Apple would go to the expense of a new case to save money on a fan. Especially if they knew that later generation cpus could run as hot if games were being played.

Because no one is playing games on the Apple TV.

 

[sublunar]

Because no one is playing games on the Apple TV.

Apple will be able to crunch the numbers on that. One suspects the AI features of the A17pro and later chips will raise the heat produced and might yet force another redesign (or perhaps even a return to the slightly bigger fan enabled case of the second generation a12 Apple TV 4K if the Apple TV could be more of a home hub going forward).

For me, what might pique game developers going forward is if tvOS 28 could run on any arm hardware going forward as a long term solution to older kit losing support from mainline macOS - ie m1 generation products from 2020 and 2021.

If for example, they released something called homeOS that would have a more limited feature set for longer term support that could run tvOS games, support matter radios (m2 and upwards I believe), be a NAS or server, etc