Apple TV has never been a hit, but Apple has been paying more attention to the product in recent years with the advent of streaming services. However, as noted by my 9to5Mac colleague Zac Hall, Apple no longer has an affordable option for customers who don’t want to spend more than $100 on a set-top box.
As rumors suggest that Apple might introduce a new Apple TV later this year, we want to know if you would prefer an upgraded Apple TV with improved hardware or just a cheaper model.
When Apple TV was first introduced in 2007, televisions were completely different from what they are today. Most TVs lacked smart features at that time, while Apple TV offered a new and easy way to enjoy music, movies, and podcasts right on the TV. Even after Smart TVs with apps became popular, Apple TV still stood out for having well-built apps and features like AirPlay and HomeKit integration.
But almost 15 years later, the situation is quite different. Pretty much all TVs nowadays are Smart TVs with third-party apps and access to the most popular streaming services. More than that, Apple now offers some of its services for Smart TVs, which includes Apple TV+, Apple Music, and even AirPlay technology — which are present in TVs from Samsung, LG, and more.
While this definitely helps Apple in getting more market share for its services, it also puts Apple TV in a tough spot. Apple executives have long referred to Apple TV as a “hobby,” although they have brought serious improvements to the device in recent years with the App Store and 4K HDR support.
However, why would someone spend more than $100 on a device that does almost the same thing that a modern TV does? Well, I’m someone who has a Smart TV with all those fancy features, and I still prefer the experience that Apple TV provides with tvOS. At the same time, I keep asking myself if this experience is worth the price Apple charges for it.
Sure, Apple TV now has several games with Apple Arcade, but I’m not sure all consumers are concerned about this. There are people who just want the great tvOS experience to access their favorite streaming apps, and they don’t need the most powerful hardware to do that.
Considering that Apple might introduce a new Apple TV this year, would you prefer the company to launch an upgraded version with better hardware to enhance the gaming experience and things like that, or a smaller, cheaper model (such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick or Roku Express) focused on streaming apps?
Let us know in the poll and comments section below:
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