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Will the ATV3 ever get updates to make it work like the ATV4?

W

watermelonbook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 31, 2014
173
38
After having my first ATV4 for just a day, I'm very impressed with it.
I have ordered two more and put all my current four ATV3s on eBay.

Now I'm having seconds thoughts. Will the ATV3 ever get software
updates to make it work like the ATV4?(minus the Siri remote, obviously)
For example, having a real app store?

Is this even a possibility? If so, I may just keep the ATV3 and see
what happens.

Thanks!
 
They'll still do updates but they will be minor and/or adding content channels.

The Apple TV 3 will never get an AppStore I'm afraid, it just doesn't have powerful enough hardware to handle one. Or certainly to justify one. The ATV 3 is roughly half as powerful as an iPhone 4s. So you can imagine how underpowered that is by today's standard.
 
TrueBlou said:
The Apple TV 3 will never get an AppStore I'm afraid, it just doesn't have powerful enough hardware to handle one.
Click to expand...

We sure about that?
Wasn't the A5 powering phones & pads with 3rd party Apps?

I think it could handle "an" App store, just not tvOS and the new direction in general.

I'll bet at some point they throw a music and photos bone to the ATV3 since those are their services (sometimes being paid for), but that'll be it.
 
TrueBlou said:
Technically they could, but so far it would seem they have no plans to do so.
Click to expand...
Its a bit crappy, especially if you bought an Apple TV 3 after WWDC where they said "Apple music is coming to Apple TV later this year". Also crappy is the fact that they're going to support Android, but not their own existing product with it.

I don't expect an app store or anything like that, but they could at least designed the interface to match TVos + added Apple Music and universal (by text) search.
 
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oldmacs said:
Its a bit crappy, especially if you bought an Apple TV 3 after WWDC where they said "Apple music is coming to Apple TV later this year". Also crappy is the fact that they're going to support Android, but not their own existing product with it.
Click to expand...

Who said they're not going to support it. ATV3 is still a current SKU. It's just not their premier product anymore. Roku has several models to choose from, why can't Apple?
 
Mac... nificent said:
Why not? They could have easily discontinued it. They didn't. Apple likes to keep old models around for at least another year.
Click to expand...

I honestly just think it was kept around as a price thing for now and the ATV3 is gone 1 year from now - Perhaps replaced with an AirPlay stick at some point to keep something in that range.

It might depend on how it all shakes out - $150 is a steep entry point in the streaming box market these days.

I would love to have AirPlay sticks with audio ports like the old Airport Express had. Still have some of those in service for remote speakers all around. Bulletproof product! Totally rock solid for all these years.
 
The ATV3 has a single core A5 processor. That's half the processing power of the iPhone 4s. I honestly don't see it sticking around for much longer.
 
T5BRICK said:
The ATV3 has a single core A5 processor. That's half the processing power of the iPhone 4s. I honestly don't see it sticking around for much longer.
Click to expand...

Again though - Great to have a cheap option for those that want Airplay/streaming only (LOTS of people use the ATV for AirPlay on the go at conferences, etc)
 
T5BRICK said:
The ATV3 has a single core A5 processor. That's half the processing power of the iPhone 4s. I honestly don't see it sticking around for much longer.
Click to expand...

But that doesn't mean that it shouldn't get Apple Music or a redesign of the interface...
 
turbineseaplane said:
We sure about that?
Wasn't the A5 powering phones & pads with 3rd party Apps?

I think it could handle "an" App store, just not tvOS and the new direction in general.

I'll bet at some point they throw a music and photos bone to the ATV3 since those are their services (sometimes being paid for), but that'll be it.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure, was is the key word there. It's not an A5, it's a single core A5. Performance wise that's worse than the A4 chip in an iPhone 4. That's a big difference in processing power. How many games being released today would run well on something that sits between an iPhone 3Gs and an iPhone 4. Never mind games, there's ordinary apps that need more muscle than that.

It just wouldn't be worth the hassle, very few developers would be willing to cripple their software enough to support such a configuration.

Sure it could manage some really basic stuff, but there just wouldn't be the level of support to justify it.
 
TrueBlou said:
Pretty sure, was is the key word there. It's not an A5, it's a single core A5. Performance wise that's worse than the A4 chip in an iPhone 4. That's a big difference in processing power. How many games being released today would run well on something that sits between an iPhone 3Gs and an iPhone 4. Never mind games, there's ordinary apps that need more muscle than that.

It just wouldn't be worth the hassle, very few developers would be willing to cripple their software enough to support such a configuration.

Sure it could manage some really basic stuff, but there just wouldn't be the level of support to justify it.
Click to expand...

There's still a case for some basic apps to solider that tackle some of the major services. After all, it's been working well in that role for several years now.

I'm mainly talking about the keystone Apple stuff.
 
turbineseaplane said:
There's still a case for some basic apps that tackle some of the major services. After all, it's been working well in that role for several years now.
Click to expand...

Yeah I agree, like I said in my earlier post I think there will be minor updates and/or content channels. I don't expect them to abandon the 3 just yet, I just don't think it's going to be the centre of their focus.
 
oldmacs said:
Pretty rubbish deal for Apple TV 3 owners. Can they at least put Apple Music on it?
Click to expand...

Have you used the new ATV? It doesn't have full Apple Music, but it has your playlists, library, and I believe even some recommendations. It's not everything, but it's also not nothing.
 
Michael CM1 said:
Have you used the new ATV? It doesn't have full Apple Music, but it has your playlists, library, and I believe even some recommendations. It's not everything, but it's also not nothing.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's that bad on the Apple TV, really as far as I can tell the only thing thats missing is Connect. Theres still For You, New, Radio, My Music, Playlists and Search (both All Apple Music and just My Music).
You can still do options like Go to Album, I Love This Song, Start Radio Stations from a song, Add To Playlist and so on.

I've no complaints about it so far.
 
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