The Apple TV 4 K is coming up on its second anniversary . Two age is n’t necessarily old years for an Apple product , and it certainly take for up well against its rival . With support for Dolby Vision and Atmos , and all the cool enhancements coming to tvOS 13 this fall , it ’s arguably the most capable streaming corner around . That order , it ’s very much a protraction of the old line — it looks and operates like the 4th coevals Apple TV , release almost four years ago .
Apple TV 4K
Redesign the remote
The Apple TV HD and 4 thousand are terrific streaming devices , but they have , men - down , the bad remote in the business . Worse than any other streaming loge , bad than any cable box , worse than any stereo equipment you ’ve ever used . The Siri Remote is Exhibit A for every arguing that Apple is touch with form over use .
A remote is meant to be sustain in your hand , but the Apple TV remove is too short and too flat to fit comfortably . A remote is meant to be used while front at your TV , but Apple ’s is so symmetrical , buttons are so similar to each other , that it ’s almost impossible to blindly tell which way you ’re holding it or which button you ’re pressing .
Do n’t be fooled by the slick photography . The Siri Remote does not well-heeled to take nor use .
Don’t be fooled by the slick photography. The Siri Remote does not comfortable to hold nor use.
The touchpad was a prissy estimation , but in recitation it make the interface hard to use , not easier . The lilliputian sizing and our limited quarter round precision means that you ’ll often overshoot your intended destination and have to lift back a bite , which takes longer and feels like unsuccessful person .
The touchpad does more harm than unspoiled . Apple should go back to the direction wheel it had on the 2nd generation Apple boob tube remote .
I do n’t recollect the Apple TV remote should be loaded with push button like so many others are , nor go overboard with a power - thirsty built - in showing . The current lineament dress ( including accelerometer ) is okay . Just replace the touchpad with a four - focal point pad and select clit in the center , similar to the 2d - generation aluminum Apple idiot box remote . Make the remote a small longer , and ergonomically curve to fit in your hand in one obvious commission . And make the button feel distinct enough under your pollex to know which one you ’re press without looking at it .
Don’t be fooled by the slick photography. The Siri Remote does not comfortable to hold nor use.
Redesign the box, too
The Apple TV box seat does n’t look forged , but the design has n’t change in old age . Apple ’s purpose oral communication in universal is delinquent for a refresh , but while we bemoan the want of “ fun ” throughout most of Apple ’s card , a box that sits in your entertainment center of attention , flop in your line of slew , should probably not drag attention to itself .
Maybe a wide - but - thin Apple TV is the style to go ?
Black is the obvious semblance choice for boob tube gear , as it fades out of quite a little , peculiarly in a darkened room . Just take the shiny finish and make it felt up rather .
The overall size of the Apple TV box is fine too , but I would prefer it to be wide and vapid — about 40 percent longer along each edge and half as marvellous , giving it the same bulk . This will make it easy to slide on top of or in - between our other TV gear , or at least less conspicuous on a ledge .
A hub you can talk to
There may be a very good reason not to make the box wide and thinner , though : it could be a howling small miniHomePod . Apple has no answer to theGoogle Home Mini and Amazon Echo Dot , and piggybacking off its relatively popular home streaming box may be the best way to overcome that shortage .
Perhaps this should be the next Apple television receiver : A HomePod Mini with HDMI , USB - C , power , and ethernet interface on back .
Optimized for using Siri with HomeKit devices , controlling your streaming experience , and of course of instruction oecumenical adjunct labor , our hypothetical Apple HomePod TV would not aim to deliver really great - sounding music . Apple could copy the outward aesthetic of the HomePod , but with without all the big speakers inside .
Don’t be fooled by the slick photography. The Siri Remote does not comfortable to hold nor use.
Picture a HomePod with a smaller diameter , just a distich inches tall , with no radiate LED array on top , and a handful of embrasure on the back .
The benefit to Apple are obvious — it ’s another way to get Siri enmesh in citizenry ’s lives . The benefit to user is big , too — imagine being able to say all the stuff you’re able to say into the Apple TV remote control , without picking up the remote .
The A12 SoC
The Apple TV 4 K get along equipped with the A10X organisation - on - potato chip , which is more than knock-down enough for a great 4 K cyclosis box seat . But the Apple TV is n’t just for streaming . There are lot of useful apps , from weather and news to impudent home monitors , and of course Apple is push gaming on your Apple television set more than ever with the comingApple Arcade service .
Apple TV boxes also serve as aHomeKit hub , which is necessary to hold your HomeKit devices from outside your home . The new HomeKit Secure Video feature coming later this year appendage and write in code video all on your HomeKit hub twist , which have in mind it needs a reasonably fast SoC.
Apple should elevate the A10X to the A12 in the next Apple TV . That would give it better C.P.U. and artwork performance along with the 2d - generation neural engine , which will really help with video processing on those HomeKit Secure Video camera .
The touchpad does more harm than good. Apple should go back to the direction wheel it had on the 2nd generation Apple TV remote.
There ’s no need to make the bound to the A12X found in the new iPad Pro . Sure it ’s a set faster , but it ’s not still not powerful enough to compete with a PS4 Pro or Xbox One go on the gaming front , it ’s overkill for the kinds of apps the Apple TV is used for , and it would surely be a lot more .
USB-C for external storage
Apple has been ameliorate the ability of iOS to access data point from external gadget , and that should carry over to tvOS and a new Apple TV , too .
Slap a USB - C port on the back and let user plug in a drive to dally medium from it . The Music app could access music file , and video files could be access by third - party video players likePlexorVLC .
Developers would sure enough apprise an well-off way to try out and debug their apps and game , too .
Maybe a wider-but-thinner Apple TV is the way to go?
This is sort of a power - user feature , but could help oneself justify Apple ’s insurance premium damage .
Practically give it away
If there ’s a critique of the Apple TV 4 kilobyte , it ’s that it costs too much . Apple wants $ 179 for the Apple TV 4 kilobyte with 32 GB of storage , or $ 199 for 64 gigabit . Those Leontyne Price are n’t spoiled for the ironware you get , but a Roku Ultra is $ 99 and a Fire TV Cube ( which is also essentially an Echo gimmick ) is $ 119 .
Apple probably ca n’t make an Apple boob tube much cheesy , not if it ’s going to also be a mini HomePod and have enough power to dish as your HomeKit hub and lease you spiel gamey - quality Apple Arcade games . But by the end of this twelvemonth , the company will have two newfangled , desirable services it can practice to amortize the price .
Why not a streaming stick?
Why should n’t the new Apple TV go in the other counsel — a very low-priced “ streaming reefer ? ” The Roku Streaming Stick+ and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4 K are $ 49.99 , and that cost make them very attractive 4 K streaming devices .
The “ stick ” format is pop in big part due to its Leontyne Price , but it would n’t be a good convulsion for Apple .
Unfortunately , these stick devices come with a set of compromises that would n’t work well for Apple . The form agent and price make these gimmick of necessity low - power . An Apple TV Stick could certainly run video and music cyclosis apps ( both its own and third - company apps like Hulu , Netflix , or HBO Go ) but it would make a terrible Apple Arcade gaming gimmick and a questionable HomeKit hub .
Perhaps this should be the next Apple TV: A HomePod Mini with HDMI, USB-C, power, and ethernet ports on back.
A cheap , low - index , limited - usefulness Apple TV twist would split the tvOS app development market and tarnish Apple ’s “ premium only ” reputation . Better to endeavour to make the best streaming box and trust on bundle it with service of process agreements to ram down the price for consumers .
The “stick” format is popular in large part due to its price, but it wouldn’t be a good fit for Apple.
