Does anyone have apple tv

And if you have a model, is it worth upgrading to a model? The Apple TV 4K is very similar to the older version. Basically, if you've bought a new 4K TV within the last year or two, the Apple TV 4K will likely be able to get the most out of it. It scrapes the old touchpad in favor of a more traditional D-pad controller, and it has dedicated buttons for power and Siri.

Also, it's a little thicker, more ergonomic and not as symmetrical so it should be easier to navigate in the dark. Apple has integrated the new Apple TV 4K with Thread, a low-power mesh networking standard similar to Zigbee or Z-Wave that's designed to make smart home devices — such as smart home cameras, smart doorbells, small thermostats and more — work better with each other.

It's one of two Apple products that supports Thread, including the HomePod mini, but there a large number of third-party gadgets that support Thread and Apple is expected to release new gadgets that support Thread in the future, as well.

So if you're building a smart home around Apple's HomeKit and you want the best possible experience, it's a good idea to update to the new Apple TV 4K. Apple takes the protection of your person information very sincerely, which is a big reason to use Apple's streaming hardware over just using its services on a third-party TV or dongle.

If you don't have an Apple TV streaming box, then your streaming activity and account information isn't monitored by Apple, but by the hardware companies that are running its software — and they likely don't have the same rigorous standards of protecting your information as Apple.

Getting Apple's TV hardware gives you the extra peace of mind that your information is throughly being protected.

You can read more on this topic via John Gruber's blog, Daring Fireball. If you have a HomePod or HomePod mini, an Apple TV lets you use them as speakers for your television, which makes for a sneakily good surround sound system. So if you frequently watch cable or play a game console, you can get the HomePod to work with those as well. The public beta for tvOS 15 is available now.

The full software update is expected to roll out later this year likely in September. Similar to how services like Netflix allow you to switch between different profiles, offering individualized experiences split between different members of the household, so too does the Apple TV. For example, if you watch a lot of action movies, and your wife watches dramas, and your son or daughter watches cartoons — all those movie and TV show suggestions don't get muddled together.

Here's the catch: for the new functionality to work, content needs to reside in the cloud. In other words, it has to be purchased via iTunes or synced up to iTunes using iMatch.

The timing of the update was well-planned. There's a lot of innovation happening in the streaming devices space, from Spotify Connect, to Google Chromecast, to recent updates to the Roku, to the development of cheaper Smart TVs. Apple followers are suggesting that rumors of a new Apple TV console could be true. The latest guesses are that the new console could be announced as early as Tuesday, October 22nd. So why is Apple making these investments? It turns out that the device is a big seller.

It's the most popular streaming device on the market, with 56 percent market share according to the latest Global Consumer Video Devices Market report. The hottest audience is among those that have an integrated Apple suite of products, and want to take advantage of the AirPlay technology described above. The opportunity here isn't about attracting new customers. Strategically, Apple TV represents an opportunity to further entrench devoted Apple fans into a world that blends streamlined content consumption, device integration, and connectivity.

It remains to be seen whether the latest generation of Apple TV technology will encourage more people to buy or give the technology another chance.

Simply hold down the button and ask Siri to open Netflix, search for movies by a particular genre, enter text in a search field, etc. Amazon Fire TV also includes a great remote with a directional click-pad for navigating the interface. Much like the Siri function on Apple TV, an Alexa button is included with the Amazon Fire TV, so you can call up the assistant to help you search for a movie or quickly open apps.

If you want to open a specific app or search for content, just ask Alexa—similar to how you would use an Amazon Alexa device. We also dislike that Amazon continues to shove advertisements in its user interface, although we know that some users are unfettered by the constant ads.

Apple presents an interface that is much cleaner and easier to navigate. However, each device offers a few of its own exclusive special features. Another feature is Apple Arcade, which supplies unlimited ad-free access to a large selection of video games, including Oceanhorn 2 , Chu Chu Rocket Universe , and Sayonara Wild Hearts. If you have HomeKit devices in your house, you can control them using the Siri remote.

The Apple TV HD can even act as a smart home hub, allowing you to control your home smart devices even when you are away from home. This feature is perfect for when you want to turn on the lights or adjust the thermostat before arriving home. The immediate standout is the ability to use the Alexa voice assistant to control any Alexa-enabled smart home devices in your home.

Apple TV HD wins when it comes to special features. Apple tends to win whenever it comes to its App Stores; after all, the company has spent years assembling some of the greatest apps and games for their platforms, including the Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad. While we previously mentioned Apple Arcade, a great option for those who love to play games on Apple TV, Amazon also has a service known as Luna.

As of now, Amazon Luna is in early access, and only available to select subscribers within the United States. Luna does involve a monthly paid subscription. For games, both platforms offer their own library of stand-alone games, as well as options for subscription services.

However, the Apple TV 4K product page notes that the Siri Remote, logic board, and plastic construction use recycled materials.