Some of these posts are hilarious. The faux outrage starts off as silly minor complaints that have reached the crescendo of "I'm taking mine back" hilarity.
It's such a minor issue. Annoying, yes. But some are being a bit dramatic.
At $199, why would I keep it when it has a worse UX than the $69 ATV3 I already have? We can already watch Netflix, ESPN, HBO, Hulu, Disney Channel on the ATV3. And neither the ATV3 nor ATV4 has support for Amazon Prime.
What I'm "missing out" on by returning the ATV4 is:
A maddening UI for entering login/password information for each service/app.
No support for any of my Bluetooth keyboards or Apple's Remote app (a previously solved problem).
Basic iPhone apps ported to the ATV that look like basic iPhone apps airplayed to a TV.
The promise is definitely there with the ATV4, but the first implementation out the door definitely isn't worth the coin they're charging for it. If I keep the ATV4, how will Apple know how badly it needs to be fixed?
At $199, why would I keep it when it has a worse UX than the $69 ATV3 I already have? We can already watch Netflix, ESPN, HBO, Hulu, Disney Channel on the ATV3. And neither the ATV3 nor ATV4 has support for Amazon Prime.
What I'm "missing out" on by returning the ATV4 is:
A maddening UI for entering login/password information for each service/app.
No support for any of my Bluetooth keyboards or Apple's Remote app (a previously solved problem).
Basic iPhone apps ported to the ATV that look like basic iPhone apps airplayed to a TV.
The promise is definitely there with the ATV4, but the first implementation out the door definitely isn't worth the coin they're charging for it. If I keep the ATV4, how will Apple know how badly it needs to be fixed?
Good point. If Apple does not see or hear of the negatives, they will not be addressed.
4. Can't charge the remote using the Apple TV (because either a Lightning-USB-C cable is not included or the USB-C port does not charge at all), and no charger included in the box.
So I'm curious - does the Siri Remote provide any enhanced features when plugged into a computer? Does it function as a USB microphone, does it have a digital voice recorder, can it be used as flash drive, or anything that would make Apple assume that everyone has a computer in the living room and will want to plug the remote into it?
They obviously assumed anyone buying the ?TV owned a smartphone or tablet and would already have an adapter. Not saying I agree, just my guess on their thinking.
4. Can't charge the remote using the Apple TV (because either a Lightning-USB-C cable is not included or the USB-C port does not charge at all), and no charger included in the box.
They obviously assumed anyone buying the ?TV owned a smartphone or tablet and would already have an adapter. Not saying I agree, just my guess on their thinking.
Just an aside, that would be a better assumption if their Remote app worked with the ATV4. ;-)
At $199, why would I keep it when it has a worse UX than the $69 ATV3 I already have? We can already watch Netflix, ESPN, HBO, Hulu, Disney Channel on the ATV3. And neither the ATV3 nor ATV4 has support for Amazon Prime.
What I'm "missing out" on by returning the ATV4 is:
A maddening UI for entering login/password information for each service/app.
No support for any of my Bluetooth keyboards or Apple's Remote app (a previously solved problem).
Basic iPhone apps ported to the ATV that look like basic iPhone apps airplayed to a TV.
The promise is definitely there with the ATV4, but the first implementation out the door definitely isn't worth the coin they're charging for it. If I keep the ATV4, how will Apple know how badly it needs to be fixed?
Most of the issues you described are software based which makes me hopeful they can be fixed quickly. I've been tweeting/retweeting things to Eddy Cue, Tim Cook and Phil Schiller. I don't know how much of that stuff gets to them but it's worth a try. This launch is just weird. In some ways it seems like a 'soft' launch considering there was no press release from Apple (I didn't get an email about it until Friday morning) regarding when you could start ordering or when it would be in stores. Yet you have Eddy Cue going on CNN to talk about it. Just weird.
Most of the issues you described are software based which makes me hopeful they can be fixed quickly. I've been tweeting/retweeting things to Eddy Cue, Tim Cook and Phil Schiller. I don't know how much of that stuff gets to them but it's worth a try. This launch is just weird. In some ways it seems like a 'soft' launch considering there was no press release from Apple (I didn't get an email about it until Friday morning) regarding when you could start ordering or when it would be in stores. Yet you have Eddy Cue going on CNN to talk about it. Just weird.
Maybe this launch will be used as leverage to fire Cue if it flops...
Apple has had all the time in the world to get it right, and still, like so many products, they release a half-assed technology that breaks more than it fixes. if you can't use the voice commands to enter text, then supply a better remote. For all its defects (and they are many) the Remote app worked a whole lot better than entering text on a grid with an arrow. Perhaps someday Apple will stop treating its customer like beta-testers/
Apple has had all the time in the world to get it right, and still, like so many products, they release a half-assed technology that breaks more than it fixes. if you can't use the voice commands to enter text, then supply a better remote. For all its defects (and they are many) the Remote app worked a whole lot better than entering text on a grid with an arrow. Perhaps someday Apple will stop treating its customer like beta-testers/
Apple has typically been much, much better than Microsoft or Google in this regard. I see these recent stumbles as fixable, but only if Tim starts kicking ass and demanding more of quality control. Someone needs to be willing to sit there and be critical of every pixel in addition to usability.
Maybe this launch will be used as leverage to fire Cue if it flops...
Two high profile product launches from his org this year that have been less than stellar. I love my ?watch (for the things I use it for) and I love my 6S and 3D Touch. And if Apple announces an iPad Air 3 with Apple Pencil support next year I'll be one of the first in line to buy it. But Apple Music is very un-Apple like and ?TV seems not quite ready for prime time (that 9.0 score from the Verge has me scratching my head). Obviously I see the potential but first impressions are important. I've felt for a long time that Cue either has too much on his plate or maybe is not the guy for this job.
Apple has typically been much, much better than Microsoft or Google in this regard. I see these recent stumbles as fixable, but only if Tim starts kicking ass and demanding more of quality control. Someone needs to be willing to sit there and be critical of every pixel in addition to usability.
Or shift his focus from political issues back to the products. I get the feeling Apple is struggling a bit with its bigness. Growing pains if you like. It doesn't help that Wall Street treats the company like some pop group or movie studio constantly expecting hit after hit after hit and the minute Apple releases something immediately asking what's next.
i am also unable to pair an apple wireless keyboard. Also a bug?
Do you live in a cave with no electricity? Apple’s own statement says it does not support Bluetooth keyboards, Apple’s or otherwise. Not a bug, a decision, one many hope will be reconsidered.
Maybe this launch will be used as leverage to fire Cue if it flops...
Two high profile product launches from his org this year that have been less than stellar. I love my ?watch (for the things I use it for) and I love my 6S and 3D Touch. And if Apple announces an iPad Air 3 with Apple Pencil support next year I'll be one of the first in line to buy it. But Apple Music is very un-Apple like and ?TV seems not quite ready for prime time (that 9.0 score from the Verge has me scratching my head). Obviously I see the potential but first impressions are important. I've felt for a long time that Cue either has too much on his plate or maybe is not the guy for this job.
The all-bells-and-whistles iPad Pro was going to be my Christmas present request (well, you know how that works...), but I am not so sure now. I think I am going to take an Apple store card instead, and wait.
The all-bells-and-whistles iPad Pro was going to be my Christmas present request (well, you know how that works...), but I am not so sure now. I think I am going to take an Apple store card instead, and wait.
My hope there is it will be better because it's not coming from Cue's shop. My guess is he probably had very little to do with it.
Anyway, this is iMore's wish list for ?TV. They agree with everyone else that BT keyboard and remote app support is needed now.
Previous Apple TVs had a solution in the form of the Remote app, which let you use your iPhone's virtual keyboard to enter any text you might need to type. Unfortunately, that app has yet to see an update that supports the fourth-generation Apple TV.
Nor can the new Apple TV connect to a Bluetooth keyboard—it just doesn't show up in the Bluetooth menu—so you are, as of now, completely confined to one-letter-at-a-time text entry.
I don't really need to say it, but I'm going to: Apple, this sucks. It's so easy to set up the Apple TV with an iPhone; why can't there be an option for all password prompts bounce over to a nearby unlocked iOS device? Or, barring that—give us an update to Remote app. Or a Bluetooth keyboard. This is painful.
Apple may be stretched too thin right now, with new releases of OS X, iOS, watchOS, tvOS, the iPad Pro with Pencil, and continuing improvements to Maps and Siri. Hopefully its engineers will be able to focus on filling in the holes by Thanksgiving or worst-case Xmas.
The comments are hilarious to read. "I don't like entering a password so I am taking mine back". Seriously, how many times do you have to enter a password on the AppleTV? Once, for each service that requires it. Is it really that hard to type it in for a few seconds? The Remote App. I never used it because I did not want to drain the battery on my iPhone, and navigating by touch was a pain. I used a keyboard once or twice, but realized it was more of a hassle. If the remote is in my hand, why do I want to put that down and pull a keyboard out of a drawer or off a table to type in a few letters? Navigating AppleTV with a keyboard was a joke. Is your life really that horrible that you can't spend a few seconds typing in a few letters when you decide you want to search for something? You don't have to type in the entire word to find something and most people can do it pretty quickly with the original square grid on the AppleTV3 and earlier.
After I set up the new AppleTV, I realized my Logitech Harmony remote worked just fine. Siri is not all that great, especially since she cannot search your local library, which most people watch anyway. I used the new remote to play around with it and the touch interface on something you are looking at is not all that great to use. This is not an iPhone or iPad in which you are actually touching the item you want to select. The new remote requires you to drag your finger around while you watch the cursor float around on the screen, hoping to land on the item you want. The long line of alpha letters for the password or username entry was odd. With the new remote you can quickly drag your finger to 'swipe' along the letters, but you still have to move your finger around to get it on the right letter. The smaller 'buttons' for caps, small, and symbols are now smaller, making it harder to land the cursor on it with your dragging finger. The AppleTV works much better with the old remote or a universal remote when you are clicking to navigate, knowing exactly what you are going to land on to select. Siri is hit and miss.
The new AppleTV comes with zero apps. Thanks Apple. How about at least pre-installing the most popular apps, like the previous AppleTV, and then if you don't want them, delete them? It was annoying that some free apps simply downloaded and other free apps kicked you to another confirmation screen to 'buy' a free app. I only played around a little bit, but if the video service apps from the App Store are as awful as the horrible apps in Smart TVs, I may consider returning it, not sure yet. But knowing Apple, they obviously killed support for the AppleTV3, so we won't see any software updates on those models, so who knows how long those will continue to work. All it would take is a new software update and iTunes update to break support on the older AppleTV boxes. Visually, the interface is very pleasing, it is just the weird quirks of some of the interface. As many reviews have stated, it would be a dream to have your cable company log in credentials stored in the settings, just like iCloud and AppleID, so those apps could automatically authentic, rather than going to a website to put in a code and user info. The bluetooth setup from my iPhone was a breeze, but then it still asked me for iTunes Store password information, but gave the option to not ask again after that, so just an extra security measure.
Are these quirks a deal breaker, not really. Just something to get used to. So where is my new Siri AppleTV remote? In the drawer where the old AppleTV remote was stored. No reason to use it when my Logitech Harmony did just fine with the old AppleTV, and does just fine with the new one. I think people are overreacting on this one, but the comments were funny to read.
I just listened to Gruber's podcast and he had lots of praise for ?TV. He thinks it's Apple's best UI. I go back and forth. On the one hand I like the parallax effect and how the OS feels kind of 3D. But sometimes I wish it was darker because at night in the dark this light gray blurred background is a little hard on the eyes. And the light gray on dark gray text is sometimes hard to read. Gruber also takes about ?TV UI having buttons/borders. Of course it has to because otherwise you'd have no clue where you are on the screen. It's not like there's a mouse pointer as an indicator. ?TV needs buttons way more than iOS does. Anyway he was overall quite impressed.
Comments
Some of these posts are hilarious. The faux outrage starts off as silly minor complaints that have reached the crescendo of "I'm taking mine back" hilarity.
It's such a minor issue. Annoying, yes. But some are being a bit dramatic.
At $199, why would I keep it when it has a worse UX than the $69 ATV3 I already have? We can already watch Netflix, ESPN, HBO, Hulu, Disney Channel on the ATV3. And neither the ATV3 nor ATV4 has support for Amazon Prime.
What I'm "missing out" on by returning the ATV4 is:
The promise is definitely there with the ATV4, but the first implementation out the door definitely isn't worth the coin they're charging for it. If I keep the ATV4, how will Apple know how badly it needs to be fixed?
Good point. If Apple does not see or hear of the negatives, they will not be addressed.
They obviously assumed anyone buying the ?TV owned a smartphone or tablet and would already have an adapter. Not saying I agree, just my guess on their thinking.
4. Can't charge the remote using the Apple TV (because either a Lightning-USB-C cable is not included or the USB-C port does not charge at all), and no charger included in the box.
They obviously assumed anyone buying the ?TV owned a smartphone or tablet and would already have an adapter. Not saying I agree, just my guess on their thinking.
Just an aside, that would be a better assumption if their Remote app worked with the ATV4. ;-)
Most of the issues you described are software based which makes me hopeful they can be fixed quickly. I've been tweeting/retweeting things to Eddy Cue, Tim Cook and Phil Schiller. I don't know how much of that stuff gets to them but it's worth a try. This launch is just weird. In some ways it seems like a 'soft' launch considering there was no press release from Apple (I didn't get an email about it until Friday morning) regarding when you could start ordering or when it would be in stores. Yet you have Eddy Cue going on CNN to talk about it. Just weird.
Maybe this launch will be used as leverage to fire Cue if it flops...
Apple has typically been much, much better than Microsoft or Google in this regard. I see these recent stumbles as fixable, but only if Tim starts kicking ass and demanding more of quality control. Someone needs to be willing to sit there and be critical of every pixel in addition to usability.
Two high profile product launches from his org this year that have been less than stellar. I love my ?watch (for the things I use it for) and I love my 6S and 3D Touch. And if Apple announces an iPad Air 3 with Apple Pencil support next year I'll be one of the first in line to buy it. But Apple Music is very un-Apple like and ?TV seems not quite ready for prime time (that 9.0 score from the Verge has me scratching my head). Obviously I see the potential but first impressions are important. I've felt for a long time that Cue either has too much on his plate or maybe is not the guy for this job.
Apparently ?TV 4 doesn't support BT keyboards right now. Shocking, I know.
Or shift his focus from political issues back to the products. I get the feeling Apple is struggling a bit with its bigness. Growing pains if you like. It doesn't help that Wall Street treats the company like some pop group or movie studio constantly expecting hit after hit after hit and the minute Apple releases something immediately asking what's next.
Well, no BT keyboard and no remote app = bad. At least the HDMI-CEC volume control works with my Bose cinemate.
I also bought a steelseries game controler, works nice. But sometimes it disconned and its hard to reconnect.
i am also unable to pair an apple wireless keyboard. Also a bug?
Do you live in a cave with no electricity? Apple’s own statement says it does not support Bluetooth keyboards, Apple’s or otherwise. Not a bug, a decision, one many hope will be reconsidered.
The all-bells-and-whistles iPad Pro was going to be my Christmas present request (well, you know how that works...), but I am not so sure now. I think I am going to take an Apple store card instead, and wait.
My hope there is it will be better because it's not coming from Cue's shop. My guess is he probably had very little to do with it.
Anyway, this is iMore's wish list for ?TV. They agree with everyone else that BT keyboard and remote app support is needed now.
http://m.imore.com/apple-tv-good-here-are-six-ways-it-could-be-even-better#comment-form
Apple may be stretched too thin right now, with new releases of OS X, iOS, watchOS, tvOS, the iPad Pro with Pencil, and continuing improvements to Maps and Siri. Hopefully its engineers will be able to focus on filling in the holes by Thanksgiving or worst-case Xmas.
The comments are hilarious to read. "I don't like entering a password so I am taking mine back". Seriously, how many times do you have to enter a password on the AppleTV? Once, for each service that requires it. Is it really that hard to type it in for a few seconds? The Remote App. I never used it because I did not want to drain the battery on my iPhone, and navigating by touch was a pain. I used a keyboard once or twice, but realized it was more of a hassle. If the remote is in my hand, why do I want to put that down and pull a keyboard out of a drawer or off a table to type in a few letters? Navigating AppleTV with a keyboard was a joke. Is your life really that horrible that you can't spend a few seconds typing in a few letters when you decide you want to search for something? You don't have to type in the entire word to find something and most people can do it pretty quickly with the original square grid on the AppleTV3 and earlier.
After I set up the new AppleTV, I realized my Logitech Harmony remote worked just fine. Siri is not all that great, especially since she cannot search your local library, which most people watch anyway. I used the new remote to play around with it and the touch interface on something you are looking at is not all that great to use. This is not an iPhone or iPad in which you are actually touching the item you want to select. The new remote requires you to drag your finger around while you watch the cursor float around on the screen, hoping to land on the item you want. The long line of alpha letters for the password or username entry was odd. With the new remote you can quickly drag your finger to 'swipe' along the letters, but you still have to move your finger around to get it on the right letter. The smaller 'buttons' for caps, small, and symbols are now smaller, making it harder to land the cursor on it with your dragging finger. The AppleTV works much better with the old remote or a universal remote when you are clicking to navigate, knowing exactly what you are going to land on to select. Siri is hit and miss.
The new AppleTV comes with zero apps. Thanks Apple. How about at least pre-installing the most popular apps, like the previous AppleTV, and then if you don't want them, delete them? It was annoying that some free apps simply downloaded and other free apps kicked you to another confirmation screen to 'buy' a free app. I only played around a little bit, but if the video service apps from the App Store are as awful as the horrible apps in Smart TVs, I may consider returning it, not sure yet. But knowing Apple, they obviously killed support for the AppleTV3, so we won't see any software updates on those models, so who knows how long those will continue to work. All it would take is a new software update and iTunes update to break support on the older AppleTV boxes. Visually, the interface is very pleasing, it is just the weird quirks of some of the interface. As many reviews have stated, it would be a dream to have your cable company log in credentials stored in the settings, just like iCloud and AppleID, so those apps could automatically authentic, rather than going to a website to put in a code and user info. The bluetooth setup from my iPhone was a breeze, but then it still asked me for iTunes Store password information, but gave the option to not ask again after that, so just an extra security measure.
Are these quirks a deal breaker, not really. Just something to get used to. So where is my new Siri AppleTV remote? In the drawer where the old AppleTV remote was stored. No reason to use it when my Logitech Harmony did just fine with the old AppleTV, and does just fine with the new one. I think people are overreacting on this one, but the comments were funny to read.