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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Update Now TV app for apple TV

Will the Now TV app for Apple TV ever get an update?

 

The current version is complete rubbish and makes me regret ever getting a Now TV pass.

 

Unless there is an update my Now TV experience will be very short indeed.

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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Out of interest, what do you feel a new ATV will offer you over the current ATV 4K?

 

Paul

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I don’t think this was aimed at me, but I am also holding out for a new Apple TV to be released, currently I have 3x non 4K (HD) ones.  My personal reason is I don’t want to buy 2 year old technology for likely the same price as new tech that is semi imminent.

 

Plus I’m hoping for a better remote, today there are rumours the new Apple TV will have a U1 chip to help locate items inside your home using the yet to be announced but long rumoured AirTags. 

 

 

AlexB83
Scholar 2

I don't think a new Apple TV is coming this week, maybe spring next year if I was to guess

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User  Yeah, it was. 😁

 

IMO, a new ATV 4K will give you nothing over the current one, other than possibly gaming chops. The current ATV 4K supports all the current video and audio formats,  so there's nothing a new one can offer in this respect.

It may well be 2 year old technology but, they got it right 2 years ago, so there's very little to no scope for real improvement.

 

I can agree re the remote though. The current one is not to my taste but if you have an iOS device, you can use that instead. There's also an One for All remote that is available that looks very good.

 

If you're concerned about paying over the odds for one, I'd suggest an official Apple refurb. That's what I bought and I'm not entirely sure Apple understand the phrase 'refurbishment' as mine was new, just in a plain white box with 'Refurbishment' written on it. IIRC, it cost £139.99 for a 32GB version.

 

Paul

Anonymous User
Not applicable

The current box has no support for HLG, which is why the few shows the BBC have in 4K HDR aren't available on the Apple TV version of iPlayer. The iPhone 12 supports this, so it could be in the next ATV as well. 

 

There's also no VP9 support, but as YouTube moves to AV1 (which Apple do support) that becomes less important. 

 

Personally I'd like to see a much better remote. The current one is not backlit, it's far too thin, and it could use a few more buttons. 

 

Also, more storage, more RAM, and a modern GPU for Apple Arcade. 

nst
Elite

@Anonymous User 

 

Interesting question... and especially with set top boxes... what WILL a new one bring to the table.

 

@Anonymous User Though correct.. it is galling buying something thats more than 2 years old...  having said that... 4K is 4K and something that was very capable 4 years ago and still on sale now will be just as capable of 4K streaming for years to come.  In my opinion the 4K appleTV still runs rings round most others out there as others seem to be under powered and just meet requirements to save money - the current very cheap NowTV stick being a good example of something brand new... that only just works - its user interface is appalling and very sluggish when compared to the (x years old) current appleTV models.

 

However.. what will a new model bring?  I think that the only reason they are updating it is to accommodate their aspirations for Apple Arcade to become more ubiquitous.  To most of us, the AppleTV is a fine streaming box.. and more than capable and very fast at what it does...  however Apple want it to be a games console too - and of course with an ever changing array of games available on Apple Arcade.. the AppleTV will need to keep up with the changing requirements the latest games offer... therefore they are forced to update the AppleTV with a faster processor to keep the AppleTV in line with the same games that the current gen iPhones and iPads can handle.

 

I imagine they will also take the opportunity to make some tweaks to the remote... though personally I like the current remote.... the white raised circle they added for the 4K box is a welcome addition but apart from that its perfectly fine.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@nst 

I'd disagree that "4K is 4K", as there are several formats that fit under the 4K moniker. I.e. The HDR formats, and these aren't universally supported.

Fortunately however and leading back to my previous comments, the ATV 4K supports 2 of the main HDR formats, those being HDR10 and Dolby Vision. IMO, this covers the whole HDR spectrum as HDR10+ is not important with todays modern HDR capable displays. And HLG is for broadcast TV only.

 

Paul

nst
Elite

@Anonymous User 

 

yes.. but my point being that the AppleTV 4K box is just as fast, and capable today as it was when it was released a few years ago.

 

I do not find myself yearning for a replacement when it is very fast and does a good job and supports the main formats.

 

I love to change things and upgrade... but with the TV there seems to be not much that is desperate apart from supporting the gaming platform.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@nst 

 

I agree, as per my previous post.

If one were to be released tomorrow, I very much doubt it's gaming credentials would change much though. If you compare how big serious games consoles are, that alone would prevent it from competing with the next gen consoles. It would need to be several times larger than the current offering.

I'm no expert but I don't think that's what the typical ATV customer would want either. And then there's the exercise of building a games catalogue. If they followed the Apple TV+ approach, it would be a non starter.

The more I think about, the more I don't think they'll ever try and compete as a 'proper' games console.

 

Paul

nst
Elite

@Anonymous User 

 

Not at all.

 

Its not going to become... nor will it even be a 'proper' gaming console... however the silicone that runs the appleTV needs to be kept up to date or on a par with that which is currently found in iPhones and iPads.

 

This is likely to be the only change with the exception of tweaking the remote slightly.

 

yes, there is no point making it a super-duper gaming console.. thats not the point of what they are trying to achieve.  It will never come close to Xbox and Playstation - What they are trying to achieve is to encourage more people to subscribe to apple arcade.... and in order to do that they need to emphasise the fact that the games can be played on iPhones, iPads, AND AppleTVs.... and with the current chipset this is not the case and may hold back innovation on the types of games they can offer.

 

So... you say if they release a new one tomorrow... well I think actually tomorrow they WILL release a couple of refreshed AppleTVs.  One HD, one 4K.... with newer faster chips to accommodate Apple arcade, and a refreshed remote... but nothing more.

 

But to those people who 'only' want to stream in 4K and atmos etc... the current box is just fine and will continue to be so until you feel the urge to branch out into subscribing to Apple Arcade.