I haven’t shown much love for the Apple TV 4K box in the past. A $179 set-top box never made much sense to me when Roku sells one for $40, even though I own several other Apple devices. Recently, though, I’ve changed my tune. (And I’m not alone.)
Considering everything that’s changed in the smart TV and streaming landscape, I now think the Apple TV
My recent 180-degree turnabout took a couple of years and came with a heavy dose of reluctance, which is why I want to share the reasons behind my about-face. If you’re getting frustrated with your streaming TV experience, the Apple TV
As for you readers who have long been Apple TV disciples? Go ahead and have yourself a little “I told you so” moment. You deserve it.
The old me
In my prior coverage of the Apple TV
I still maintain that was true two years ago. But in more recent months, gradual – some might even say sneaky – evolutions in smart TV and streaming platforms have taken place. The landscape is vastly different, and that has me looking at the Apple TV in a different light. So, let’s take a look at what the Apple TV
Horsepower
The Apple TV has always been a powerful device. Even though the current-gen Apple TV
What that means is that there’s virtually nothing you can throw at the Apple TV
Even if it isn’t the number one streaming platform out there, Apple TV OS has a history of getting timely app updates, usually with the best functionality and features. Why? Because Apple — that’s just how it is.
OK, so it’s more involved than that. I reckon if you’re in charge of developing apps at Netflix, you know the iPhone app is one of your big priorities and the Apple TV OS app isn’t a huge leap from there, so it stands to reason the Apple TV app is going to be kept current. And, yes, you could use the same rationale with Android and Google TV, but for whatever reason, I see some advanced features taking a while to drop on other platforms.
Better picture, better sound
If you want reliable Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos delivery, you can count on the Apple TV
That isn’t to say the Apple TV
Pleasant, familiar U.I.
I’ll admit to being enamored with Roku’s interface in its early days, but the novelty has since worn off. I just can’t even with Amazon Fire TV, and while I dig
Apple TV has a better-looking, snappier interface. It’s just prettier to look at, and not just for Apple fans familiar with the look and feel. The home screen is one of the few that’s available in
There’s a bunch more to love about the Apple TV
- Apple TV OS supports multiple user profiles, ideal for customizing app layouts and suggested content, along with personalized Apple music access.
- For Apple users especially, the Apple TV 4K has a familiar interface and remote interactions – for instance, double-pressing the home button shows an app-drawer for quick access.
- It runs multiple apps in the background so switching among apps is super fast.
- Apple TV’s search function is now pretty solid. It shows you where you can watch what you want to watch, and whether you can watch it free or not.
- You can easily use AirPods with the Apple TV for private listening.
But the biggest reason I think the Apple TV may be my go-to streamer for the foreseeable future? No ads. And along with that, more privacy.
The Apple TV high road
The gradual, sneaky changes I hinted at earlier have to do with ads. They have started to creep into every conceivable nook and cranny of LG’s WebOS, Samsung’s Tizen,
Apple TV insulates you from all that. Say what you want about Apple as a company, but when it comes to the Apple TV experience, it’s still about just finding and watching content on your TV, without an ulterior motive. For me, using Apple TV has come to feel like a breath of fresh air — that’s new for me. That’s why I’m here doing a 180 on the Apple TV.
Yes, it is more expensive, but even if all it offered was an ad-free experience, I’d say the price you pay is worth the admission. I don’t know who said it, but it rings pretty true: If whatever you’re using online is free, the price is your privacy.
How long will this last? I don’t know. I hope Apple sticks to its guns here and keeps the Apple TV experience looking and feeling like it does now. But for now, I think if you are finding yourself frustrated with the experience you’re getting from your streaming set-top box or your smart TV, take another look at the Apple TV
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