Now Apple wants to take over your telly!
Last week Apple made a slew of announcements that showed how seriously it is about repositioning itself as a service company. From TV channels, to original content and even a dedicated arcade for gamers, Apple is determined to be at the centre of the living room, and your entertainment. I’ve been using an Apple TV streaming box for years. After last week’s announcement I decided to get myself ready for their autumn launch and I upgraded my kit to the highestspec box they make, the Apple TV 4K. Unpacking and setting up the Apple TV 4K is much like any other Apple product. Beautifully designed and packed up in their minimalist way, Apple make it easy to get going, quickly. In the box there’s the Apple TV, a power lead, a USB to Lightning cable and the new style Apple remote. Set-up really is a snap. I connected the Apple TV box to my TV with a HDMI cable. Then,
after connecting the box to my Wi-Fi and signing in with my iTunes account I was ready to go.
The first thing I noticed is the makeover that the whole Apple TV menu has been given. The icons and images have all been redesigned and the images are crystal clear. Also, as I played around with the options and played some trailers I was surprised by the speed of this little gadget. This is explained by the fact that it has an A10 chip inside it, the same chip found in some iPads.
The Apple TV remote has a lovely sleek surface, so you can quickly find what you want. You can also adjust the volume on your TV or A/V receiver. The apps I use most, iTunes movies and Netflix are there. Amazon’s Prime Video is also there and this is the only way I’ve found to get it on to my TV easily.
There’s plenty of other content that you can access via the specially built Apple TV apps. MUBI, Bloomberg news and TED talks are there but there’s also broader content like the excellent QVC app.
The picture quality is excellent. Native 4K movies still surprise me with their deep and rich colours. For movies that aren’t in 4K, they get upscaled. This works, but not predictably and is one of the few negatives about this box.
The other drawback is the price and comparable devices from Roku or Google cost significantly less. However, if you’re an Apple user – iPad or iPhone – this is probably the streaming box for you.
You can connect your Apple Music account to your TV and audio set-up. You can easily play your iCloud photos or videos straight to your TV, and even use your iPhone as a remote.
For those already in the Apple ecosystem though, this upgrade sort of future proofs you for Apple’s new TV offerings come the autumn. While the Apple TV 4K isn’t perfect or the cheapest 4K option, it’s a sensible upgrade for Apple users.