I don't understand what the big issue is with the remote. So many people complain about it but I don't seem to have an issue with it. I'm sure there are improvements that could be made, but I just don't understand all the hate.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Nikkei: Apple Working on New Apple TV for Release Next Year
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
4K 64gb showed up on my doorstep yesterday. WHEN in 2021 can we expect this to arrive? Anyone have any predictions? Should I use the currently gen I just purchased?
If you're comparing the cheapest stick streamer to an Apple TV to claim "3x-6x time markup" then you are comparing oranges to Apples! Not comparable at all and Apple TV would be far superior. I've used "stick" streamers and while convenient, they lack much of the performance and features of a box. I personally prefer Ethernet-connected devices instead of hoping WIFI will be consistently stable.
Many of my the 5 Apple TV 4K boxes I have were purchased as part of some promo and cost just north of $100. Even Amazon's (less capable and clumsy) FireTV box is the closest set top box competitor and is on sale for $100. We were a house of all Fire TV boxes and wound up replacing them with ATV4K as performance was so much faster and reliable.
Plus, Apple TV's integration with other Apple devices is very convenient and works very well.
I think this is really the whole point. With the M1, Apple now has a real GPU they can put on the SOC. The follow-ups to the M1 are supposed to have GPU's like high-end independent graphics cards. I think Apple's going to really try to make Apple TV a real 3rd major gaming console.
This would have sounded ludicrous a few years ago... because they'd have had:
- A likely insurmountable "chicken and egg" problem with a whole new system - no developers making big-name games, so nobody would buy the system for gaming. And with nobody buying the system for gaming, no developers would make big-name games for it.
- No particular "edge" over the competition. They'd have needed to design it with the same Intel/AMD chips and NVIDIA/ATI CPU's and common motherboards, RAM, etc as Sony and Microsoft. What would be the point in Apple trying to launch a new console as opposed to any other random company. Where's the value proposition?
And on the hardware side, they can do an M1-like SOC with an even bigger GPU and make something that's competitive or even beats Playstation and Xbox hardware for way cheaper than Sony and Microsoft make their consoles. I think Apple can throw console-class performance into Apple TV size, power, and price-range, due to their custom SOC's.
I think it would be a massive business blunder if they don't go after becoming the 3rd big gaming console. I think the console wars are about to change.
And if Apple does a console that is as good or better than PS5 or Xbox Series X for less money, plus it's an Apple TV, then I think they'll do very well in that segment. It'll take a while to gain market share, but they'll be in a strong position.
Also, games developed for the new console would run on M1 Macs, further expanding the potential player base... and allowing Apple to try to compete with Microsoft for gamers again. It's going to be ridiculous if, over the coming years, the big games start being released for Macs, and Apple's chips are so good that off-the-shelf Macbooks and iMacs are beating system builder's nutso cutting-edge SLI towers.
That’s also what I think. An A14X or M1X in an Apple TV could put Apple right up there.
At this point, the rumors about new Apple TV are kind of like saying "Half Life 3, confirmed!"
Apple already supports HomeKit cameras. The foundation seems already there. They just need to add a FaceTime app or open it up to Zoom.
Quick switch media and streamed Dolby Atmos would be huge updates imo. Right now only Apple blessed apps, of which there are like 4, can do true atmos pass through.
I could have sworn there were several Twitter leakers (Prosser included) who said a new AppleTV would be released before the year ends.
I am looking forward to larger storage size. I would like to have 256GB, but who knows how much the Apple-tax for that much storage would be.
The A12 isn't really an upgrade over the A10X in terms of GPU performance.
Hopefully if the A12 rumor is true, it is for a cheaper ATV model, and not the flagship model.
I happily use it every day, I’d hardly categorize it as worse than useless - with a silicone case on it, it’s my favorite remote ever. Keep the layout, change the chassis. When Jony was around, he steered them into “elegance” over “ergonomic”, and we got this slab-sided slippery 1/4” thick design. Shape it to fit the hand, and be easier to pick up off a table, and make it a bit more grippy, and we’re good.
What Apple really needs to do is build a set-top box that is distributed to Xfinity and all major carriers to replace all of my Xfinity boxes. I would love for this to be a PS4/Xfinity box all in one. Apple has the resources to get into the cable game and gaming industry. Cutting the cord for me isn't a solution. I still prefer daily cable surfing.
For one, it can be frustrating when first starting to use it because the behavior isn't consistent across apps. Some apps treat edge tap as skip forward/back, some require edge click. Some require you to pause first and then allow you to edge click to skip. Then you have to go through this learning procedure with every single new app. Worse yet, I've found different behavior on the YouTube app between my Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4k (which could have been due to different versions of the app? who knows).
Apple could solve this by enforcing consistent behavior across tvOS.
Then there's the physical remote, which in its first generation was difficult to tell which side was which by feel alone. So you could end up picking up the remote and scrolling to the end of the show completely by accident.
Scrolling through long lists is great but it's inaccurate to use the touch pad to try to select an individual item. So I usually switch to edge tapping but you have to make sure you don't edge click or you select the wrong item.
A lot of this stuff can go away with muscle memory or familiarity but the frustration factor can set in for lots of people so they just stop trying. We got my dad an Apple TV one year, he tried for a few weeks and never got used to it. Without realizing it, he actually stopped watching TV on the TV where it was installed and unconsciously started migrating to the basement to watch with the Fire TV remote instead.
Given I work in the field (UX, ID, etc)... nope... when millions have the issue it's a design problem (the trackpad is way to sensitive)... the remote doesn't take into account how people actually watch TV.
The current Apple Remote (and even more so the prior versions without the ring) is actually an example we use in meetings, seminars, etc of extremely poor usability, no user designed thinking etc.
It's not user error... is a design error (actually when it's that extreme and folks blame it on the user we know they'll be headed out the door soon).
You can use any remote you want if you find it to be useless. Many people do not.
- U1 to enable Spatial Awareness (e.g., Dolby Atmos) with AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. It's dumb that I can only use iPad and iPhone.
- Faster processor is always good. It could enable new codecs (e.g., H.266, AV1) and maybe even better upscaling.
- HDMI 2.1 and gaming as you mentioned.
- Previous iOS builds mentioned new Siri Remote. Some folks seem to like the current Siri Remote but for most of us, it could use some improvements (e.g., U1 for Find My, more buttons, better ergonomics).
They wanted for a long time, with Jobs famously saying “finally cracked it”, meaning that he thought of the simplest TV with iCloud and stuffs, a couple of pictures of the supposed TV even leaked... but then realized they could not compete with the likes of Sony, LG and Samsung in the TV market so they stayed with the set-top box business.
Cook, being the businessman that he is and not a tech enthusiast as Jobs, asserted that the margins would not make sense... people keep TVs for too long and they could not charge any premium to set them apart from companies that had been doing this successfully since the 60s-80s.
Here is a few reads if you are interested:
Behind Apple’s Move to Shelve TV Plans
Investor Carl Icahn said he expects Apple to introduce an ultra-high-definition television in 2016. But after nearly a decade of research, Apple quietly shelved plans to make such a set more than a year ago.www.wsj.com
Yes I know, profit margin are slim. Even by Android Phone standards. ( That is why all Smart TV are collecting your Data to sell )
But I still wish Apple do something about it though. Right now Large Screen Display ( TV ) experience are just awful. They could partner with LG where LG sells the TV with Apple TV integrated by default. And not as an App. ( Think of it as the LG 5K Monitor ) Apple continue to earn the margin they have with Apple TV STB, LG able to earn slightly higher margin with Apple TV being an easier sell.
Please figure out a way to eliminate the banding and artifacts on 4K streaming video provided by Apple services like TV and Movies. It's awful at times.
I'd like a mute button on the Apple TV remote, but apart from that no complaints.
I actually like it.
I actually like it.
This will be for gaming primarily. *Maybe* HDMI 2.1
I doubt they'll add 8k yet. It will have a U1 chip and support thread. I don't see any of this as a reason to upgrade if you already have a ATV 4k.
I actually love the remote. I can navigate quickly and easily and there's nothing better for scrubing through video.
All I want is support for lossless audio. Dolby TrueHD/DTS-MA HD though I know it will never happen.
I doubt they'll add 8k yet. It will have a U1 chip and support thread. I don't see any of this as a reason to upgrade if you already have a ATV 4k.
I actually love the remote. I can navigate quickly and easily and there's nothing better for scrubing through video.
All I want is support for lossless audio. Dolby TrueHD/DTS-MA HD though I know it will never happen.
Last edited:
Maximum profit comes from persuading people that they need market leading hardware and to upgrade annually, in order to access their emails and Facebook.