Adam Kos A device called Apple TV has been with us since 2007, and it certainly hasn't achieved the same success as the iPhone, iPad, MacBook or Apple Watch or even AirPods. There is little to see, and Apple only talks about it sporadically. It's a shame? Quite possibly yes, although many modern smart TVs already adopt many of its functions.
Of course not all of them. Hardware in the form of Apple TV still has its place here. It offers several advantages that you simply cannot get in a smart TV (regardless, of course, if your TV does not have smart functions at all). Yes, you can have Apple TV+, Apple Music, and AirPlay on your TV, which lets you send content from your Apple device to the big screen. But then there is exactly what this Apple smart-box will bring you in addition.
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ecosystem
When you look at the description of this hardware in the Apple Online Store, you will immediately see the fundamental advantage of the entire product. The company says here: "Apple TV 4K connects the best of the world of film and television with Apple devices and services." Thanks to the performance of the device, you are guaranteed smooth operation, and you don't have to worry about what a manufacturer provides and what not. Here you have everything from Apple on a golden platter.
Apple TV 4K
Home center
If your home is already smart enough, Apple TV can serve as its hub. It can be an iPad or a HomePod, but the Apple TV is the most ideal for this. The HomePod is not officially sold in our country, and the iPad can still be a more personal device that you can use outside of your home.
home pod mini
App Store
Even if smart TV manufacturers try their best, they just won't give you Apple's App Store. Sure, it depends on what apps and games you actually want to use and play on your TV, but you might be surprised what you can find and end up using here. Apple TV can thus also be considered a low-budget console. The designation here is then used in terms of the quality of the games, not how much you pay for them.
Other uses
You can use the connection to the projector for presentations not only at work but also in education. With the growing power of VOD, and if you also watch TV broadcasts only sporadically, you can practically get by with just one controller in a typically "Apple" environment without using the remote from the TV itself. But there is also a limitation - Apple TV does not offer a web browser.
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Vratislav Holub The price is the biggest problem with this Apple smart-box. The 32GB 4K version starts at 4 CZK, 990GB will cost you 64 CZK. 5GB Apple TV HD costs CZK 590. One of the cheapest smart TVs with the Android operating system, that is 24" Hyundai HLJ 24854 GSMART, which provides Apple TV+, costs only CZK 4. E.g. TV 32″ CHiQ L32G7U at the price of CZK 5, Apple already provides AirPlay 599. We are not evaluating the quality here (which will probably have its flaws), we are just stating the facts. So it can be said that for many users only a smart TV with limited options will be enough. If you want more, if you want to use the benefits of the entire Apple ecosystem, you will not be satisfied with just a television.
eARC from TV to homepod does not work without ATV. So, unfortunately, that stuff is also necessary for a smart TV.
What I miss most about AppleTV is the ability to connect a camera and make video conferences (now it works by mirroring the iPad, but it could be better...)
I can connect the Apple TV to anything, I don't need a TV set for it and therefore I don't have to pay a burning fee. And it's really impossible to compare a tiny cheap 32" TV with a well-made and reliable TV. In addition, it acts as a hub for Home Kit and simply works reliably. Who knows why, has TV, the others are looking for reasons for and against.
Have you tried PS? Only the impossibility of linking them together deters me from buying...