For some time now I have been wondering if Apple would stop making and selling the AppleTV now that Roku and other smart TV’s and devices have the AppleTV app. It reminds me of the Microsoft/IBM hardware versus software debate that ultimately led to Microsoft superseding IBM. With the AppleTV app software now ubiquitous, what’s the ROI on AppleTV hardware? That then made me fear for Infuse as it is iOS/TVOS exclusive and made me wonder if Infuse would now subsequently ponder branching out to other hardware providers’ software.
Then Apple announced adding FaceTime to AppleTV which rolls out next week. Am I correct IYHO that AppleTV hardware could be in its latter days or does FaceTime and other unforeseen rollouts for TVOS save it? And finally, based on your answer to that, does Infuse need to consider its future in the event of an all the sudden end to AppleTV production?
I think as long as apple is releasing a hardware product they will continue supporting it for several years. But yes, if Apple doesn’t update it in the next few years, then may be a problem.
Yea, of course they’ll support if they keep producing and selling it. My pondering question was does any think Apple might be contemplating exiting the manufacturing of the AppleTV product altogether now that the AppleTV app is available outside of their hardware?
The ATV is much more than just the Apple TV app. It‘s one of the best (if not the best) streaming media player, now with tvOS 17 it’s even more present in the Apple ecosystem and is the only streaming media player that can automatically change the frame rate in all apps and supports both 23.98fps and 24fps. Not to mention that you only have iTunes Extras and higher bitrates with the ATV.
And tvOS is much, much better (more intuitive and faster) than Android TV or Google TV.
And like someone already said, Apple launched 2 ATV models in the last 2 years. I think it’s safe to say Apple isn’t abandoning the ATV anytime soon.
That’s like saying Tesla will stop making electric cars now as other manufacturers have also started making them and there’s no need for Tesla to make EVs anymore because their objective of making an affordable electric car is already achieved.
There is not a single hint of the termination of the release of apple tv. Over the past few years, the company has released a media player on three different chips. Constantly updating the software.
Take the example of Nvidia Shield. Here its users can think about whether this media player has a future.
As for the Apple TV app. Then this is a completely different level. The A12/15 Bionic chip, and even the A10, together with tvOS, give a completely different user experience than the realtek/amlogic/mediatek chips from android.
It would be great if Apple released its own TV, with tvOS and the same A15 Bionic That’s when we would install infuse directly on the TV and that’s it
I still know people who think that AppleTV is a TV set, not a streaming device. Apple does have a naming issue. Now people are confusing atv device with atv app, thinking there the same thing.
Apple must be out of names and keeps using the name over again.
Appletv device is a great device, the app is just an app, not the same thing.
I don’t like or use the app, and remove it when I can.
I quite like the Apple TV app. There I have access to my Disney + and Max subscription and my iTunes purchases. I have access to everything in just one app.
I’m sure it gets used but I have no use.
Just a quick question, do you run your appletv app on your appletv device and refer to appletv to cover both? Maybe that’s Apples reason for naming them the same.
No, there’s zero indication of that. Apple TV’s have continued to get upgraded constantly and it’s a product that’s been around for 16 years. Not to mention that it’s a relatively simple and popular product for Apple, that mainly just reuses existing chips and software.
I don’t know why you’d be worrying about it being discontinued. But if you think it doesn’t get upgraded often, that’s mainly because most people use it for such basic functionality, it doesn’t need much updating. It’s not a sign of an abandoned product, it’s the sign of a mature product.
It keeps getting updated with all the stuff that matters, like 4K support, AirPods with spatial audio, and so forth.
The AppleTV is just not a streaming device. It is the premiere home hub that is used in HomeKit (Apple’s home automation system). I don’t see it going anywhere soon.
I have owned all iterations of Apple TV and currently own five 4k units for all TV’s. I’m guessing by the responses to this thread there aren’t any business owners commenting. I was trying to engage in a business conversation, not a what AppleTV is conversation.
Like any business, Apple will contemplate retiring any non-primary device (Wall Street largely looks at number of iPhones sold as measurement of consideration for a primary device) that isn’t a profit center, loss leader, or if the ROI is consistently in the red. That’s how publicly traded companies analyze their business. I guarantee you this discussion has occurred once they pushed the AppleTV app (software) to other devices. Any number of board members if not supplied the information would want to know as a profit center does the software have a much higher ROI than the hardware. Particularly considering the software has no inherent manufacturing costs and is a source of recurring revenue for Apple. If for example AppleTV hardware doesn’t have a significant ROI Apple would want to consider retirement because it ceased to be a loss leader once the software was available elsewhere. Meaning AppleTV hardware was no longer the sole gateway to AppleTV+ programming, so selling the hardware wasn’t the only means to developing recurring revenue for AppleTV+ subscriptions.
As for the naming debate the marketing and branding arm of Apple either didn’t care about confusion around AppleTV software and hardware bearing the same name or they did it strategically to give them space to retire the hardware and move forward with software only.
That’s when we would install infuse directly on the TV and that’s it