The new Apple TV goes on sale today is now on sale. It comes in two flavors, 32GB (US$149) and 64GB (US$199). If you are reading this, you no doubt are considering a purchase.
Which version should you buy? Is it worth spending the extra $50? Do you need that extra storage?
If these questions click for you, take a read of this iMore article, written by Rene Ritchie. In it, Rene walks you through the 32GB vs 64GB decision tree, explores the elements that impact storage, helps you home in on which model to buy.
As to value of the new Apple TV vs its older, cheaper sibling (US$69), spend a few minutes reading this Brian Barrett article from Wired.
On universal search:
About that remote! It’s new, too, and has fun new tricks like a touchpad and a dedicated Siri button. Tap it, and you can ask Siri to whisk you away to a specific app, or to recommend a funny show (keeping in mind that your idea of “funny” may not align with Siri’s, although she does use Rotten Tomatoes to determine what’s good), or to fish a specific piece of content out of one of your many streaming options.
That last trick is thanks to universal search, another new feature previously found on Roku and, to a lesser extent, Amazon’s Fire TV. You can access it by yelling at Siri or with good old typing. Want to watch Miller’s Crossing, but aren’t sure where to find it? The new Apple TV will tell you your options; it’s currently free on HBO Now, versus a $10 iTunes purchase. And with that, you just saved yourself 10 bucks (or, more likely, the frustrating of not getting to watch Miller’s Crossing).
To me, universal search, Siri integration, and the new touchpad-driven remote are the dividing line, the features that make the new Apple TV so compelling.
Here’s a link to the Apple TV page. I just ordered the 64GB model.
that sounds disappointing. I wonder if that is intentional or an oversight, or technically more complicated and therefore lower on the priority list.
Exciting. Gonna let you and your colleagues shake it out first, though, just for safety. Looking forward to upgrading, been getting TV, movies & podcasts solely via the ATV for a two years & loving it.
Thats what the Plex App is for man; which they have announced coming to the new Apple TV. App’s on Apple TV FTW!
Put my money on intentional. Apple TV is meant to stand alone so they probably don’t want to give the impression that you need a computer to get the most out of it.
I would love to buy the new Apple TV, especially for its new search features.
BUT… Seems that more than half of the movie content we watch is through Amazon Prime Video. Having two boxes, i.e. a Roku to handle Amazon Prime, and a new Apple TV box to handle everything else, along with dealing with different remote controls for each, just doesn’t make sense.
Sadly I’ll have to sit on the sidelines until Apple and Amazon start working and getting their together.
I think Apple has figured out that the people who will use Siri and universal search to find a movie won’t be the people who use Airplay. People who read The Loop may be upset, but most people won’t even know a feature is missing.
Plex’s monthly/yearly/lifetime fee isn’t required to use Plex. That’s only for premium features. You can get Plex and share content to your devices for free.
I wouldn’t call it “until they start working together” as much as “until amazon stops trying to force everyone to use their hardware only” (I know the same thing could be said for Apple content, difference being Apple never supported other platforms, amazon is pulling their apps from other platforms that are competition) They stopped supporting their Android TV app to force people to buy Fire TV, They stopped selling the Apple TV and Chromecast because they don’t support Prime video even though amazon didn’t make an app for it. They can make an Apple TV app if they choose, support Chromecast if they choose etc. So ultimately Amazon needs to stop withholding their app from platforms that compete with them. Roku doesn’t sell content, TiVo doesn’t sell content so thats why you see the app on those platforms.
So, a couple of months ago I was revisiting my Comcast plan and realized I could get an upgrade in service for the same money. Part of the upgrade is their X1 platform and part of that is voice integration.
it’s amazing and if the new ATV is anything like this, that feature is worth the new ATV by itself. “Show me movies with (ACTOR)” and they all come up. “BBC” and it tunes to BBC. Hell, I’ve got no idea what channel BBC actually is.
The downside to the Comcast implementation is that it’s closed to Comcast – there’s no Netflix integration, no Hulu integration. The ATV implementation has this and that would be nice.
If I were Comcast I’d get as many people on X1 as possible. While it’s likely not as good as Siri on the ATV, it has that ‘good enough’ feel and I think Apple will expose a lot of people to just how nice it is to be able to say “Show me…” vs remembering what channel a show is on.
This. Comparatively few people have huge video libraries that they’ve ripped to a network share. People who read this site are much more likely to, but for most normal people the access to online streaming will be just fine.
It’s not so much their devices that they want to sell, it’s that they want to sell via the interface and they can do that on the Fire stuff. They can’t do that via an app in the Apple ecosystem unless they pay Apple their cut and Amazon doesn’t want to do that.
I understand all of the above – that’s a given. Still, until there is an Amazon app on the Apple TV the unit makes no sense for my (and I suspect many others’ ) living room, as much as I’d love to have an Apple TV for other reasons. Amazon is killing it on content lately and there’s no way I’d want to cut that out, or have to have a Roku and Apple box, each with different remotes.
By working together, I meant at a much higher strategic level than Amazon just creating an app. Not finding a mutually beneficial solution will hurt Apple’s adoption not being able to stream Amazon content.
“Amazon is killing it on content lately”
Honest question… what are you loving on Amazon that’s only available there? last I looked, Prime Video content is mostly available also on Netflix aside from the Amazon originated series.
As far as not having Amazon on the AppleTV, who needs another box? I can stream from the app on my phone or iPad to the ATV. That’s a lot less hassle than setting up another Roku or FireTV.
We have Netflix streaming and Amazon Prime Video. They complement each other nicely. Many times movies are not available on Netflix streaming and Amazon covers that void. Vice-versa as well.
you dont need a roku — just beam your Prime content from an iOS device to the ATV. youll get remote support and you can still surf or whatever on the device.
yeah exactly. not sure why anybody would want a second set top device, second remote, switching inputs, etc..
My issue is still mostly with the removal of the optical cable (that I use — with a digital-to-audio converter — to drive my Zone 2 speakers in the backyard). Anyone have any thoughts on a workaround?
interesting. Last I looked there was a lot of overlap but it’s been close to 2 years.
And that’s my point. I don’t want a second box, even one from Apple, when the Roku I use now supports Amazon and Netflix.
You could get an HDMI switcher, like from Monoprice, that includes an optical output.
.. and do remember, if Siri integration is an important feature for you, to check that it’s available where you live. Only 10% of the launch countries get the Siri remote and Siri integration, the rest get the Apple TV Remote.
Easy, freedriverx. Plex perfectly reads metadata from mp4/m4v files, if that’s what you look for. It also works wonders for those who have not spent the time to curate their library. Yes, it requires a server app running on a Mac/PC/NAS, but iTunes Home Sharing does as well. Yes, some features are behind a paywall (devs gotta make a living) but in your home network it works for free and without even having a plex account.
It will be a delight to see their app on Apple TV.
But it doesn’t support iTunes or AirPlay. Everyone gets to decide what is important and purchase the hardware that best takes care of them. That said, I hope Apple users pressure Amazon to bring the Prime Streaming app to AppleTV. Options are good.
I have sent an email to Amazon sharing my intent to not resubscribe to Amazon Prime if they don’t change their stance on AppleTV and Chrom Cast.
Yeah. ATV will be better than X1 because Apple can do deals with Netflix, Hulu etc on streaming and with apps, can accommodate local video via Plex and similar. But the X1 really opened my eyes to just how NICE voice navigation is. It’s not just channel tuning… I can say “Show me movies with John Cusak” and it brings up everything. Or I can say “What should I watch” and it will do recommendations.
Honestly, I don’t even use Home Sharing. All the movies on my iMac are either ripped from my own DVDs or came as a digital download with a DVD/Blu-ray. If I want to watch them on my TV I just watch the disc. But you do make me wonder what’s so embarrassing about scrolling through a list?