Apple TV needs a reboot

Apple TV was created to bring the Apple experience to non-Apple displays at a time when flat-screen TVs were becoming affordable and smart TVs weren’t a mainstream thing yet. However, although its debut came just minutes before the original iPhone, Apple’s streaming box hasn’t matured as quickly Apple’s ubiquitous smartphone. 

Steve Jobs affectionately referred to Apple TV as a “hobby” at the time, and in many ways it still feels that way. Despite having a powerful chip inside and running tvOS, the Apple TV seems to have been left behind as both its competitors and other Apple devices gain more features and functionality. 

Yes, it’s fast, has a clean interface, and offers a better user experience than anything else in its class, but Apple’s two-decade-old streaming device seems to be getting more and more expendable at a time when it should be a vital piece of the ecosystem.

Apple TV is easy to like, but hard to justify

If you’ve ever tried using the native apps that come pre-installed on your smart TV, you’ve probably found them frustrating at times. These apps are usually slow and web-based, and navigating them is a frustrating mess.

Apple TV, on the other hand, is a really enjoyable product. Since it runs tvOS (which is essentially a version of iOS with a TV interface) and is powered by the same chips found in iPhones and iPads, the device excels at performing simple TV-related tasks and navigation.

Everything works just as you’d expect. There are smooth animations throughout the system, and streaming apps open almost instantly. You also don’t constantly need to enter your passwords, since you can simply use your iPhone to sign in to apps such as Netflix and HBO.

Plus, if you really want to, Apple TV can do more than just stream content. You can find a selection of games and other types of apps available on the App Store, play Apple Arcade games, and easily stream music and photos. So why is Apple TV so hard for some people to justify?

First, there’s the price. The Apple TV 4K starts at $129, nearly twice what most competing streaming devices cost. For comparison, the newest Amazon Fire TV 4K Plus costs just $49 and is frequently lower than that. Apple TV boxes rarely go on sale and aren’t even sold at Amazon.

And if you think about it, Apple TV doesn’t do anything so different from what other streaming boxes do. Yes, Apple TV runs much better software and offers superb quality, but it seems that Apple has been missing the opportunity to make Apple TV an even better and more appealing product.

A smarter way to watch TV

Of course, the Apple TV experience has come a long way since the first version. It now supports 4K content, third-party apps, and even functions as a home hub for smart accessories. But still, when it comes to watching content, things work pretty much the same way.

You download an app, open it, and search for the content you want. Apple has tried to improve this experience a bit with the TV app, which brings together multiple streaming platforms in one place, but several services, including Netflix, aren’t part of it. It’s also tried to make Apple TV smarter by adding TV-specific features to Siri, so you can search for movies and TV shows more accurately using your voice. But of course, Siri is still quite limited, and there’s still nothing particularly revolutionary about anything Apple TV does.

But it could be. One way Apple can set Apple TV apart from its competitors is by making the device much smarter. The next generation of the device needs a chip capable of running Apple Intelligence features.

Imagine, for example, an Apple TV with Visual Intelligence for on-screen awareness. You could simply ask Siri about an object or piece of clothing you saw in a scene, or even information about the filming location of the scene you’re watching.

Search could also be greatly improved with Apple Intelligence. Apple TV users can already use Siri to find a show or movie in a specific genre or starring a specific actor, but AI could make this search much more natural and advanced. 

It would be great to be able to ask Siri to find a specific scene in a movie and skip straight to it. And if you’ve been away from a series for a few weeks, you could ask, “Siri, give me a quick recap of what happened in the last two episodes” before you start the new one.

Apple’s home strategy waits for Intelligence

Apple TV is only part of the problem. In fact, Apple has been slowly trying to break into the smart home device market. We now have the HomePod and the HomePod mini, in addition to HomeKit technology. But something is holding Apple back from making progress in this segment.

It’s been almost four years since Apple last updated the hardware for Apple TV and HomePod, and the reason is likely the lack of additional AI features and a more advanced Siri.

Mahmoud Itani / Foundry

According to multiple reports, Apple already has new versions of these devices ready to go. The company has also developed a new smart ‘HomePad’ device that combines the features of a HomePod and an Apple TV with a built-in 7-inch screen.

However, Apple wants these products to be deeply integrated with Apple Intelligence features, including a more natural Siri. But since the company has yet to deliver the features promised at WWDC 2024, it has reportedly decided to postpone the launch of new smart home accessories.

This brings us to Apple’s new leadership. With John Ternus stepping up as CEO later this year, there’s a good chance we’ll see major changes ahead. He’s known for being a products guy. After all, he’s an engineer.

One of his first and most defining challenges will be delivering on the rumored smart home vision. If Ternus can bridge the gap between hardware that is ready and AI that is truly smart, the Apple TV 4K might finally stop being a “hobby” and become the essential centerpiece of the Apple home. Until then, we’ll wait and see if Apple will at least give us a hint of any AI features coming to the current Apple TV with tvOS 27 at WWDC in June. Or at least a new model with the capabilities to handle it.