3rd-gen Apple TV departs Apple retail, remains at big-box stores
Even though Apple didn't update last year's fourth generation Apple TV at Wednesday's "See You on Sept. 7" event, the three-year-old third generation Apple TV is being pulled from its store shelves -- but other big box retailers aren't doing the same, yet.
Besides just the store shelf removal, Apple has also purged the third generation Apple TV from its product page for the device family after Wednesday's "See You on Sept. 7" release event. The media player is still available from Apple's online sales portal, but only through Google searches, or by bookmarked link.
AppleInsider has learned that while the devices are being pulled off of the retail store's shelves, they are available for sale by request, until stock is depleted. No further shipments of the device are expected at the brick and mortar Apple stores.
Retailers Target and Best Buy have not as of yet received any orders to pull the device from sale, or reduce pricing to clear out inventory. Representatives from both locations have told us that stocks on the devices have been somewhat limited for the last three months, but never utterly depleted.
The third generation Apple TV was released in March 2012, and brought 1080p video to the device for the first time.
Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the fourth generation Apple TV in the Sept. 2015 Apple release event, with the device shipping on Oct. 30, 2015. The fourth generation device retained 1080p video, but introduced apps to the set-top box, with Cook calling apps "the future of television."
Besides just the store shelf removal, Apple has also purged the third generation Apple TV from its product page for the device family after Wednesday's "See You on Sept. 7" release event. The media player is still available from Apple's online sales portal, but only through Google searches, or by bookmarked link.
AppleInsider has learned that while the devices are being pulled off of the retail store's shelves, they are available for sale by request, until stock is depleted. No further shipments of the device are expected at the brick and mortar Apple stores.
Retailers Target and Best Buy have not as of yet received any orders to pull the device from sale, or reduce pricing to clear out inventory. Representatives from both locations have told us that stocks on the devices have been somewhat limited for the last three months, but never utterly depleted.
The third generation Apple TV was released in March 2012, and brought 1080p video to the device for the first time.
Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the fourth generation Apple TV in the Sept. 2015 Apple release event, with the device shipping on Oct. 30, 2015. The fourth generation device retained 1080p video, but introduced apps to the set-top box, with Cook calling apps "the future of television."
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And it won't be a huge leap forward, in any sense of adoption or popularity. The truth is, geeks like me are far more impressed with 4k video than the average person. Most people felt that 720p was fine, and didn't truly appreciate the benefits of moving to 1080p. The same is true for the move to 4k. This fact alone is why the adoption of 4k TV's and and 4k content is slow as molasses. Think about it...look at other products on the market, and the speed with which people upgrade expensive items like smartphones, tablets, computers, even cars. TV's on the other hand...get updated about as often as the couch. Why is that? Its not purely cost...all the other items I mentioned are on par or far exceeding. Its not purely the size and inconvenience of moving/selling/relocating old TVs. Its the plain fact that, if you have anything above a 720p TV....most people don't see anything wrong with it....they don't see anything glaringly in need of updates.
And just a footnote: AppleTV is already a HomeKit hub. And its not becoming an Echo. It has a Remote for issuing Voice commands. It is not an upgrade to the user experience to put a microphone on the Apple TV itself and yell at it from across the room.
Remember this isn't something that needs to be thin as we're not carrying it with us. Look at the monstrosity the new PlayStation is and I bet more gamers will buy it anyway. Knowing Apples obsessiveness with thin technology, I know they can develop a powerful machine that's half the size of competitors.the 4th gen is too small to pack a powerful punch.
PS4 Pro:
Weak graphics 4th gen Apple TV
Open the lightning port to 3rd parties for accessory support and do something with the damn Kinect team already!!!
Even at 1080p, I had to force lower bitrates via resolution settings on the ATV or settings on the services themselves to avoid blasting past my ISP's monthly usage allowance. I'm sure I'm not alone here as many providers have moved to monthly allowances.
I forgot to mention this. I believe Apple will not release a 4K Apple TV until they offer 4K iTunes content. They'll most likely launch same day.
It seems strange that Apple doesn't have content higher than 1080p. Do they not believe 4K is the future? Will they release 5k iTunes content for Macs that down convert to 4K for TVs?
Some people own hundreds of movies/shows and I own thousands of dollars in content. Will we get a discount for upgrading from HD to 4K?
2012 15 Mbps unlimited for $XX.XX
2013 allowances were implemented with no change in price - speed increased to 50 Mbps so you could exceed your allowance more quickly
2016 unlimited returned, but only by paying for a faster, 100 Mbps tier
So, I'm now paying considerably more to have unlimited usage. I see no personal benefit to the speed increase form 15 to 100 Mbps. Even 15 Mbps is faster than what i need. I stream, browse, and download music - all of which worked perfectly at the slower speeds. Instead of paying for a faster connection just to get unlimited, I'm much rather have downgraded my speed in exchange for unlimited usage, but it doesn't work that way.
It serves my wifes and I's needs. She gets to stream and I get to game at the same time and this month theres a big push on 4k sports and other content so a new tv might be in order.
Enough of this 4K thing, when it happens it'll happen, but it's not ready yet and the vast majority of people are fine with that, and since Apple can't make the studios offer *all* their current and old content in 4K PLUS make the ISPs offer faster, unlimited bandwidth, it's not likely to happen for some time. Not Apple's fault, stop your fucking whining and unreasonable expectations.
I love my ATV4, just as I loved all previous versions of the ATV. It's true I'm still waiting and hoping we'll see some better offerings for games, especially now they've dropped the requirement to support the Siri Remote, that could possibly boost games developers to do something. Exciting the new A10 chip and yesterday's comment about console level gaming on the iPhone, perhaps next year we'll get a new ATV with either this A10 or a new A11 late next year with even better graphics capabilities, that box will definitely be more games ready than this one already is, but I wouldn't expect an update till end of next year earliest, no reason at this point, not until the hardware holds up usage, and right now usage hasn't even begun to tap the potential of the hardware.