Are you aware what Apple TV is? It’s not only a streaming gadget or an app — it’s a complete ecosystem encompassing {hardware}, software program, and even a premium streaming service.
Apple TV — the {hardware} — is a small streaming gadget you set in your front room, bed room, or wherever. The Apple TV app is usable in your cellular gadget or good TV and offers you entry to a lot of the identical content material you’d discover on the bodily Apple TV field.
In the meantime, Apple TV+ is a premium streaming service. You pay for it to entry high-quality video content material, together with movies, TV reveals, sports activities, and extra.
Are you continue to confused? Don’t be. Let’s have a look.
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Apple TV {hardware}
Typically talking, whenever you discuss Apple TV, you’re speaking about {hardware}, or what generally is known as a set-top field, which plugs into your tv by way of HDMI. The official title of the present {hardware} is Apple TV 4K, which is now in its third technology.
The field itself is in regards to the dimension of a few decks of playing cards. And in typical Apple style, it’s a reasonably stark design. Matte black plastic, with simply the Apple emblem on prime, and a few ports on the again.
There now are a few variations of Apple TV 4K, which was final refreshed in October 2022 and sport largely minor enhancements on the earlier model. They share the identical components and options for probably the most half. Apple refers to them because the “Wi-Fi mannequin,” and the “Wi-Fi + Ethernet mannequin.”
Because the names indicate, one solely has wi-fi networking, and the opposite has a gigabit Ethernet port. That’s not the one distinction, although. The mannequin with Ethernet has double the onboard storage at 128GB, and help for the Thread networking normal, which can make good house help much more seamless.
Each fashions are powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic processor, which suggests each are very overpowered for what they at the moment do. That’s not a nasty factor, although.
And each share the identical Siri Distant. It’s nonetheless the smooth silver deal we’ve loved for some time now (and it’s nonetheless maybe a bit smaller and boxier than you’d like). It nonetheless has a mix directional/clickable button/pad factor that sounds bizarre on paper however works high-quality surely, with a minimal smattering of buttons. And it has correct energy and quantity controls, so there’s a reasonably good likelihood it’ll be the one distant you want.
And it now recharges by way of USB-C as an alternative of Apple’s proprietary Lightning cable.
The Wi-Fi-only Apple TV 4K prices $130, whereas the one with extra storage, plus Ethernet and Thread help, prices $150. In case you want us to spell it out, you must simply go forward and spend the additional cash. As a result of for those who can plug in into your community, you must. and for those who ever need help for Thread, that is the way you get it. And no one has ever mentioned, “Welp, I want I didn’t have this a lot storage for apps and stuff.” Simply do it.
Apple TV software program
The unique Apple TV {hardware} was born in January 2007 and ran a modified model of Mac OS X Tiger. Issues have modified fairly a bit since then, in fact. Apple tvOS is a devoted department of Apple software program that feels a bit bit like for those who instructed somebody to take the iPhone or iPad expertise and stick it on a residing room-sized show.
The house display is so simple as it will get — icons for apps. And people apps all come from the Apple TV app retailer.
And … that’s it. Principally. You’ll be able to maintain down the TV button on the distant to slip open a Management Heart that very a lot appears like what you’ll discover on iPhone, iPad, or a Mac. Or click on it twice to see thumbnails of your open apps, which you’ll be able to then swipe away to shut manually.
Phil Nickinson/Digital Traits
Obtainable apps run the gamut. There are all of the streaming companies, in fact, like YouTube TV or Hulu With Reside TV. And utilities. And music and different movies. And for those who’re a gamer, Apple TV has a bunch on the prepared, too, by way of Apple Arcade.
There’s additionally help for a number of consumer accounts, so you’ll be able to have a very totally different expertise from a member of the family, be it apps or notifications or no matter. And tvOS stays a superb platform for issues like AirPlay, the place you’ll be able to mirror your telephone or use the characteristic to look at any content material from a handheld gadget or Mac in your TV as an alternative.
And for those who’re the proprietor of an Apple Watch, Apple TV is a superb approach to make use of Apple Health+.
For individuals who are into Apple’s good house ecosystem, Apple TV (the {hardware}) means that you can use HomeKit (the software program) to manage supported gadgets. That ecosystem ought to develop exponentially as soon as Thread help is mainstream, in order that’s a cause to get the dearer of the 2 present Apple TV 4K choices.
Like different Apple merchandise, tvOS will see updates alongside Apple’s different software program.
The TV app on Apple TV
We’ve talked about the TV button on the Siri Distant. Press it, and it takes you to the TV app. That is the place issues begin to get an excellent bit extra complicated.
The brief model is that Apple is attempting, with varied levels of success, to make the TV app the one place to go for all TV on Apple TV. Besides it’s not.
Phil Nickinson/Digital Traits
Quite a lot of main video apps enable their content material to be surfaced within the TV app. That’s the way you may see an on-demand film from, say, HBO Max, alongside one thing from Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video. There are greater than 130 companies that may pipe content material into the TV app. However not taking part, nonetheless, is Netflix. So for pretty much as good because the TV app is in serving to you determine what you wish to watch with out having to care about which app you’ll have the ability to watch it on, it’s not all-encompassing.
The Apple TV app is also the place you’ll discover MLS Season Cross. It’s a separate subscription that will get you each MLS recreation, plus playoffs, with none blackouts. Along with the stay video games themselves, you’ll additionally get replays, interviews, and options on each staff.
The cool factor, although, is that the TV app is obtainable on iOS, iPad OS, Mac OS, and Apple TV.
But it surely positively tends to make issues a bit extra complicated, and we wouldn’t blame you for ignoring it.
Apple TV+ streaming
Then there’s Apple TV+. It’s Apple’s personal premium streaming service that’s all about exclusives. When you’re watching it on Apple TV+, be it a film or sequence, you’ll be able to’t watch it wherever else.
Phil Nickinson/Digital Traits
Apple TV+ is also required for those who’re going to look at Friday Evening Baseball. Apple used to point out video games free of charge. However beginning with the 2023 season, you’ll want a subscription.
However there’s nothing notably unique about Apple TV+ itself. Whereas, sure, you’ll be able to watch Apple TV+ within the TV app in your Apple TV, you can also watch it just about wherever else, be it on {hardware} from Roku or Amazon, and even Google. Or in an online browser. And that is sensible, as a result of what good is a streaming service that’s solely accessible on sure {hardware}?
Apple TV+’s exclusivity isn’t notably distinctive. Though you’ll be able to watch it on the Apple TV app, you can too entry it on different platforms corresponding to Roku, Amazon, Google, and net browsers. This widespread availability is sensible as a result of a streaming service wouldn’t be useful if it had been solely accessible on particular gadgets.
Apple TV+ might be bought for as little as $9.99 per 30 days after a 30-day trial or $99 for a complete yr. It’s additionally accessible via any of the Apple One bundles, which begin at $19.95 and embrace different Apple companies like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud storage, and extra.
In some circumstances, you may get an Apple TV+ subscription free of charge whenever you buy a brand new Apple product. Nevertheless, that supply isn’t accessible fairly often.
