Apple appears to be retiring the X series, so the only question per ATV is why they didn't go with the A13 or A14.
I was thinking this too, and I don't think they intended this to really be an upgrade. The A12 is better in somethings and worse in other compared to the a10X. I think the largest benefit was to shutdown the production line on the A10X as the AppleTV was the only thing using it. The A12 is being used in the iPad, iPad Mini, and now the Apple TV 4k. (all value devices) I hope there is still a more pro or gaming version of an AppleTV coming, but who knows. IMHIO it's not worth upgrading to this from 5th Gen Apple TV.
I appreciate the mute button and Thread support, but other than that, I’m really finding this upgrade to be completely lackluster. Apple really missed a prime opportunity here to increase their market share by either delivering a revolutionary new product or by lowering the price on them. I’ll be a day one buyer, obviously. But how many casual, mainstream customers will be tempted by yet another expensive and iterative upgrade?
I can't decide whether the new iPhone 12 color or the Apple TV spec bump was the least exciting announcement today.
Is a new color option (other than perhaps PRODUCT(RED)) even an Apple CEO announcement worthy thing? I'm thinking that maybe the killer new iPad mini 6 wasn't quite ready for prime time at the last moment and they had to back fill the time slot? Yeah, that makes sense.
The Apple TV 4K spec bump is okay, I guess, but again nothing in there that would compel me to yard sale my old 4K and rush out to buy a new one. My current 4Ks never break a sweat, current HDR is perfectly fine, and I'm actually at peace with my current Apple TV remotes after slipping them into silicone cases. Not going to spend $60 for a mute button either. Heck, I could buy a Fire TV Stick 4K (or 2 when they go on sale) for the price of an Apple TV Remote with Mute Button. Un ... Der ... Whelmed.
Okay, to be fair, maybe the Podcast related announcement was the real gap filler today. Unfortunately, or not, I had to take a bathroom break and missed it entirely.
This is what happens when we work ourselves into a froth whenever we hear that Apple is having an "Announcement."
elijahg said: Actually part of it is Apple forces devs (with Apple Arcade at least) to target the iPhone 6S as a minimum spec.
Apple Arcade has a baseline spec, but all of the games scale the quality of graphics (like textures/lighting effects) to the SoC that is being used. That's similar to how PC gaming works.
Supposed to* except games look identical on my X as they do on the 6S it replaced, and on my iMac. Devs don’t bother with multiple levels of assets, apparently.
Came here to say exactly that. It reminds me of the old remotes before they used a touch pad. I dread “click, click, clicking” around m the screen rather than just a swipe which can get me to the other side of the screen in a single gesture.
Thought I was the only one who liked and understood what the touch remote accomplished.
When did that ever work? Anyway they said you can swipe across the top wheel.
I was fairly pleased with this event. A new iMac, Apple TV, new product in AirTags, and most importantly a decent remote! I'll be getting the tags and the remote. I expect Apple isn't done with the aTV yet, and also I expect some more Macs in WWDC.
The remote is the best thing, good night Johnny Ive and don't let the door hit ya on the way out. Or do. Who cares.
Will the new remote work with the old 4K Apple TV?
Per Apple website: "The Siri Remote (2nd generation) brings precise control to your Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD" with no distinction being made between the new 4K/HD boxes and the 2017 4K and 2015 HD Apple TV boxes (at least not yet).
Compatibility
Apple TV Models
Apple TV 4K (2nd generation)
Apple TV 4K (1st generation)
Apple TV HD
Sounds promising. I see little need for an A12.
Agreed! While the A12 brings some minor performance improvements, I have rarely noticed sluggishness in the 2017 4K.
Given it has been 3-1/2 years since the last update I was hoping for a bit more of an update. The (new) remote could have been offered as an "upgrade" a couple years ago.
Perhaps the biggest upgrade to the AppleTV itself is the switch to HDMI 2.1. Perhaps they are eyeing a 4K 120 FPS or 8K update at some point... heck, maybe 4K-3D once the Apple glasses come out.
No mention of whether or not this new Apple TV will support Spatial Audio. Any idea?
On an iPhone and iPad, spatial audio in your AirPods Pro functions by identifying where the screen is, so that when you turn your head, the sounds orientation stay locked with the screen. This works on those devices because the device and screen are in the same place, and that device communicates that location/orientation information with your AirPods Pro. With an Apple TV box, it can sit in any orientation, near or far from your TV screen, so achieving that same audio orientation in your earphones/buds would require some sort of manual prompt that asks the user to confirm first that they are upright and facing the screen. Other than that, one would think any AppleTV 4K hardware could support the audio processing. It already supports Dolby Atmos sent to an external amp/speaker setup.
I wonder how this "new color balance feature" actually works and is it literally changing the TV''s settings, can it be disabled, does it restore to original settings when exited? My Sony Bravia XBR55A9G was professionally calibrated and I don't want my iPhone mucking with anything.
Hopefully this all happens on the box itself and not on the TV, similar to how you can calibrate an external monitor using your mac and not have to change settings on the TV. I also would imagine this is optional and not a mandatory feature. Time will tell.
Without having held one, the new remote seems pretty good. - Inclusion of a mute button is nice. - I definitely like the discrete power button. - The rework of the touchpad appears to be well executed... dedicated buttons and a jog function while maintaining the touch area, well done! - I like changing the "home" button to a back/previous caret. Negatives (to me): - I would prefer black (or charcoal grey). - Putting the Siri button the on the side of the remote is, to me, a good idea. What I find interesting is the choice to put a single button on the right side of the remote. Given Apple's love of all things "inclusive", this slight at the 10% of the population who are left handed is odd. For a relatively modest cost Apple could have included a button on both sides allowing for ambidexterity in the remote. I do hope they provide the ability to disable the button to prevent accidental activation.
I struggle to find a real value-add here and I want to - many TVs have the AppleTV+ app now and AirPlay2. If I have a A12/A14 in my phone, M1 in my iPad.... do I really need another under the TV.
Value-add vs. the current 4K version? I agree, not much. Particularly if all you do is video viewing.
Value add vs. apps on your TV?
Depends on how frequently you replace your TV. Expect to have app updating/new apps on TVs stop well before they would on an Apple TV.
Case in point, my late 2016 LG OLED TV can't get the Paramount+ or HBO Max apps (maybe others that I haven't tried).
Also, all those TVs, Rokus, and Firesticks, surveil the hell out of you, show you ads, and sell whatever data they harvest. Apple TV's do not. If that doesn't bother you, it's not a problem!
No mention of whether or not this new Apple TV will support Spatial Audio. Any idea?
Now? No. But Macs weren't initially supported either and that appears to be changing.
Yes, but I’m just surprised that it wasn’t mentioned as it seemed like a no-brainer new feature addition, seeing as Spatial Audio is one of the new and coolest selling points of AirPods Pros and Maxes when WATCHING MOVIES!
No mention of whether or not this new Apple TV will support Spatial Audio. Any idea?
On an iPhone and iPad, spatial audio in your AirPods Pro functions by identifying where the screen is, so that when you turn your head, the sounds orientation stay locked with the screen. This works on those devices because the device and screen are in the same place, and that device communicates that location/orientation information with your AirPods Pro. With an Apple TV box, it can sit in any orientation, near or far from your TV screen, so achieving that same audio orientation in your earphones/buds would require some sort of manual prompt that asks the user to confirm first that they are upright and facing the screen. Other than that, one would think any AppleTV 4K hardware could support the audio processing. It already supports Dolby Atmos sent to an external amp/speaker setup.
Yeah, however, the most common placement of the AppleTV is where the television is. Mine sits just below it. I also imagine it would be relatively simple for Apple to use a software directional compensater for those who do place their Apple TVs elsewhere. Just surprised it’s not an available feature.
I guess the only remaining question I have is: will it play 4K videos from my photo library at 4K? As it stands right now with the most recently available Apple TV 4K, it will only play my own videos back in 1080p resolution. This seems to be an artificial limitation, since it's obviously possible to play back 4K video from many different sources in various HDR formats at up to 30p on the current box.
If the new model is required for 4K playback of personal videos, that would be petty, but would probably still convince me to upgrade. But if not? Between the new remotes working with the older models as well as the iPhone-aided calibration working with the older models, there's not much going for the new model from what I can tell.
The Apple TV 4K also gains a new color balance feature, that uses
advanced sensors in the iPhone to set the colors accurately on a user's
TV set. Using the camera and proximity sensor, it guides users with an
onscreen target to manage color balance automatically.
Any reason this feature couldn't be used with the original 4K model? Seems like most of the heavy lifting is done in the phone.
Unlikely. It has been explained to me that the color balance feature adjusts the output of the Apple TV and does NOT adjust the TV itself.
Just saw that the feature is compatible with the first generation 4K ATV.
I guess the only remaining question I have is: will it play 4K videos from my photo library at 4K? As it stands right now with the most recently available Apple TV 4K, it will only play my own videos back in 1080p resolution. This seems to be an artificial limitation, since it's obviously possible to play back 4K video from many different sources in various HDR formats at up to 30p on the current box.
If the new model is required for 4K playback of personal videos, that would be petty, but would probably still convince me to upgrade. But if not? Between the new remotes working with the older models as well as the iPhone-aided calibration working with the older models, there's not much going for the new model from what I can tell.
You may want to look into running something like a Plex server. All my personal videos are either 1080P or 4K and all play in their native format via my Plex server and the Plex application on my AppleTV 4K.
Comments
I, too, use mine with a wired connection. :-)
The remote is the best thing, good night Johnny Ive and don't let the door hit ya on the way out. Or do. Who cares.
Given it has been 3-1/2 years since the last update I was hoping for a bit more of an update. The (new) remote could have been offered as an "upgrade" a couple years ago.
Perhaps the biggest upgrade to the AppleTV itself is the switch to HDMI 2.1. Perhaps they are eyeing a 4K 120 FPS or 8K update at some point... heck, maybe 4K-3D once the Apple glasses come out.
- Inclusion of a mute button is nice.
- I definitely like the discrete power button.
- The rework of the touchpad appears to be well executed... dedicated buttons and a jog function while maintaining the touch area, well done!
- I like changing the "home" button to a back/previous caret.
Negatives (to me):
- I would prefer black (or charcoal grey).
- Putting the Siri button the on the side of the remote is, to me, a good idea. What I find interesting is the choice to put a single button on the right side of the remote. Given Apple's love of all things "inclusive", this slight at the 10% of the population who are left handed is odd. For a relatively modest cost Apple could have included a button on both sides allowing for ambidexterity in the remote. I do hope they provide the ability to disable the button to prevent accidental activation.
Value add vs. apps on your TV?
Depends on how frequently you replace your TV. Expect to have app updating/new apps on TVs stop well before they would on an Apple TV.
Case in point, my late 2016 LG OLED TV can't get the Paramount+ or HBO Max apps (maybe others that I haven't tried).
Also, all those TVs, Rokus, and Firesticks, surveil the hell out of you, show you ads, and sell whatever data they harvest. Apple TV's do not. If that doesn't bother you, it's not a problem!