Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
My Apple TV 4K has the brilliant black Touch Remote. Is that the first generation model?

I don't care for the new look. But it would be still nice to receive an update for my Apple TV this year 🤞.
 
I really couldn't tell any difference in the presentation. There was a bit of transparency, and that was it.

....so, I wouldn't bother upgrading for this.



My first gen 4k doesn't lag, but I do remember the HD being pretty slow.
I have HD. It is fast and smooth for me. How it is laggy? I am just curious, is newer Apple TV that much faster make HD seem slow? My Apple TV HD is super fast compare to Roku and everything else TV related.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Berkehan
I have HD. It is fast and smooth for me. How it is laggy? I am just curious, is newer Apple TV that much faster make HD seem slow? My Apple TV HD is super fast compare to Roku and everything else TV related.

I could tell a big difference when I got our 4k over HD that we had previously. Had I not used the new one, I might not have noticed.

Our current living room Roku seems faster than the 4k, and so it's been relegated to our exercise room.

My Apple TV 4K has the brilliant black Touch Remote. Is that the first generation model?

I don't care for the new look. But it would be still nice to receive an update for my Apple TV this year 🤞.


You like the touch remote? I've hated in since day one.
 
I could tell a big difference when I got our 4k over HD that we had previously. Had I not used the new one, I might not have noticed.

Our current living room Roku seems faster than the 4k, and so it's been relegated to our exercise room.




You like the touch remote? I've hated in since day one.
I see. We have Roku HD and Roku 4K here (4K is plugged in using ethernet) and it just so sloooooooow compare my Apple TV HD (also plugged in using ethernet). Apps take like 10-30 seconds to load to get main screen while my Apple TV HD like few secs, never more than 10 secs max if app playing up.
 
I see. We have Roku HD and Roku 4K here (4K is plugged in using ethernet) and it just so sloooooooow compare my Apple TV HD (also plugged in using ethernet). Apps take like 10-30 seconds to load to get main screen while my Apple TV HD like few secs, never more than 10 secs max if app playing up.

Gotcha. Ours is a new TCL Roku TV. Bought it around Christmas.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jay-Jacob
Before someone asks what changes should Apple Make to TVOS, I do have a few ideas:

1. Seperate the Apple TV app with the Itunes App. All the streaming apps focus on their streaming shows and stuff. Apple TV+ should do the same. Then with an Itunes app, you can have the store, the Watchlist, and incorporate everything into your watchlist and try to convince Netflix to be included

2. Diminish the size of the apps so you can fit more on the top shelf. I love the top shelf and getting previews above of what they offer. Make use of that better.

3. Selfishly, make Apple Music work with Last.fm (Maybe a Last.fm app) so I can listen to Apple Music on the TV and it will count those stats in Last.fm like it does on the phone

4. Make an app multiview, so when there are sports on Peacock, Netflix, Youtube TV, and ESPN at the same time that I want to watch, it streamlines the experience

5. Fix Apple Intelligence for TV and what I want to watch. Give me recommendations based on my watch history on apps and list things that might be interesting on all the apps together. I have a hard time finding something to watch. I should use AI to stream line that decision making process and narrow down my choices.

I'm sure there are others, but basically, we have had TVOS for over 10 years and it's the same thing every year. Bring it into the future. Incorporate it with your other OS's, like vision or IOS. Give TVOS some love because today I'm really thinking about leaving it behind and seeing what other options offer.
It makes sense Apple TV+ is a tab in the tv app besides the store. The app is wheee most tv content is consolidated in. Amazon does the same thing. It’s also what Apple does with most of its subscriptions. Just about every app that has both streaming and content that can be bought separately has a unified app
 
I really couldn't tell any difference in the presentation. There was a bit of transparency, and that was it.

....so, I wouldn't bother upgrading for this.



My first gen 4k doesn't lag, but I do remember the HD being pretty slow.
I agree, out of all the places — tvOS is very tame.
 
It makes sense Apple TV+ is a tab in the tv app besides the store. The app is wheee most tv content is consolidated in. Amazon does the same thing. It’s also what Apple does with most of its subscriptions. Just about every app that has both streaming and content that can be bought separately has a unified app

Aren't there only two apps that do that and it's Amazon and Apple. I forgot about Amazon so you make a good point there. I just feel like Apple TV+ can stand out a lot more than it does, and you have the same problem you had with Itunes, it's too bloated.
 
I could tell a big difference when I got our 4k over HD that we had previously. Had I not used the new one, I might not have noticed.

Our current living room Roku seems faster than the 4k, and so it's been relegated to our exercise room.




You like the touch remote? I've hated in since day one.
Another touch remote lover here. I have the 4K 3rd gen model myself but at my girlfriends house I frequently use the touch remote and love it.
 
C´mon the 4K 1st Gen still works great! You're telling me it can´t handle the Liquid Glass?

Even my 4k 2nd gen is less stable that the Google OS my TV came with, which is a SHAME.

I wanted to use it, but either the volume control kept locking up or the apps would freeze and the remote not work at all.

After a day it got relegated back to my non-smart bedroom TV.
 
I want to thank Apple for excluding older devices from the useless eye-diabetes changes in the UI. Mine wasn't broken, so it didn't need "fixing".
 
  • Haha
Reactions: BMox81
I'm so disappointed in the TVOS "updates". They still stagnate what I think is there best OS and it's sad. You can do a lot with Apple TV, yet Apple feels like they ignore it. It just seems like I hope every year for something new and every year is a missed opportunity.
At least we finally get profiles that seem useful. That’s a big one for me. Only thing I’m still pining for is lossless bitstream passthrough.
 
For me tvOS26 is bringing two features that I was hoping for, but not really believes that could ever really happen: (i) the third party speakers as the default audio output (as Sonos Fives and Ones user - Fives and Ones via AirPlay works really well with AP4K TV - like a double stereo setup) and (ii) iPhone mic working with Apple Music sing. Overall, for many years I was very skeptical of ATV as a streaming box idea (using Chromcast, Amazon Fire TV), now for me it’s like a no-brainer for Apple users. Still Photos App need some more development (sorting order, years, months view, zooming photos etc. - it should be go to option - now it’s not), profiles (we will see what tvOS26 will bring - as I understand it is also on 3rd party side like Netflix to get it working well), Apple Music Videos (now it’s buried in Apple Music App), Apple Music Classical implementation. For now, it’s enough 😉
 
Enhanced Apple Music Sing with iPhone microphone support requires an Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) and an iPhone 11 or newer
The iPhone microphone really completes the Apple Music Sing feature. Dang I guess I need to upgrade my Apple TV now. Maybe I’ll wait until 4K gen 4 comes out.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.