Apple TV
Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small piece of networking hardware that sends received media data such as video and audio to a TV or external display. Its media services include streaming media, TV Everywhere-based services, local media sources, and sports journalism and broadcasts.
This article is about the hardware media player. For the streaming service, see Apple TV+. For the media player app from Apple, see Apple TV app. For other uses, see Apple TV (disambiguation).Developer
- 1st generation: January 9, 2007
- 2nd generation: September 1, 2010
- 3rd generation: March 7, 2012
- 3rd generation Rev A: January 28, 2013
- HD: October 30, 2015
- 4K (1st generation): September 12, 2017
- 4K (2nd generation): May 21, 2021
- 4K (3rd generation): November 4, 2022
8,000 total apps, including 2,000 games and 1,600 video apps
(as of October 27, 2016)[4]
Second-generation and later models function only when connected via HDMI to an enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen television. Since the fourth-generation model, Apple TV runs tvOS with multiple pre-installed apps. In November 2019, Apple released Apple TV+ and Apple TV app a la carte.
Apple TV lacks integrated controls and can only be controlled remotely, through a Siri Remote, iPhone or iPad, Apple Remote, or third-party infrared remotes complying with the fourth generation Consumer Electronics Control standard.
Limitations[edit]
Functionality[edit]
Apple TV contains neither a TV tuner nor a personal video recorder.[82][85] Both capabilities can be applied to the connected home computer through various third-party products, such as allowing PVR software to connect to iTunes and enable scheduled HDTV recordings to play automatically via Apple TV for playback.[164] Apple TV HD and newer can be linked with Wi-Fi-based tuners such as HDHomeRun.[165]
The Front Row interface lacks some iTunes functionality, including rating items, checking the account balance, adding funds to the account, synchronizing from more than one computer,[166] full Internet radio support,[83][167] and games.[168]
The Movies search box only searches the iTunes Store, not local hard drives and networks.[169]
Movies rented on Apple TV must be watched on Apple TV, unlike iTunes rentals, which can be transferred to any video-enabled iPod, iPhone, or Apple TV.[170][171] Movies purchased on Apple TV can be moved to a video-enabled iPod or iPhone via iTunes.[172]
Apple TV prior to 4th generation (Apple TV HD) did not support the HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (HDMI CEC) protocol.
On the Apple TV (2nd generation), digital output audio is up-sampled to 48 kHz, including lossless CD rips at 44.1 kHz. Although this is a higher frequency and the difference is not audible, it is seen by some as falling short of digital transmission of data standards due to the audio not being 'bit perfect'.[173]
Sales[edit]
1st generation[edit]
Within the first week of presales in January 2007, Apple TV was the top pre-selling item at the Apple Store.[174] Orders exceeded 100,000 units by the end of January and Apple began ramping-up to sell over a million units before the 2007 holiday season.[175] Analysts began calling it a "DVD killer"[176] that could enable multiple services. Analysts also predicted that Apple could sell up to 1.5 million units in the first year.[177] Besides the Apple Store, Best Buy was one of the first retailers to carry the device;[178] Target and Costco[179] followed shortly thereafter.
Two months into sales, Forrester Research predicted at the time that Apple would only sell a million Apple TV units, because consumers prefer advertisement-supported content over paid content. Forrester predicted that cable companies would be the clear winners over content providers such as the iTunes Store.[180] Shortly after, Apple released YouTube functionality and Jobs stated that Apple TV was a "DVD player for the Internet". Some market analysts predicted that YouTube on Apple TV "provides a glimpse of this product's potential and its future evolution",[181] but overall, analysts had mixed reactions regarding the future of Apple TV. Some negative reactions followed after Jobs referred to the device as a "hobby", implying it was less significant than the Macintosh, iPod, and iPhone.[182]
In the fourth quarter of 2008, sales were triple that of the fourth quarter of 2007.[183]
In Apple's first-quarter 2009 financial results conference call, acting chief executive Tim Cook stated that Apple TV sales increased three times over the same quarter a year ago. Cook mentioned that the movie rental business was working well for Apple, Apple would continue investment in movie rentals and Apple TV, but Apple TV is still considered a hobby for the company.[183] Due to the growth of digital TV and consumers turning to Internet media services, an analyst at the time predicted sales of 6.6 million Apple TVs by the end of 2009.[184]
2nd generation[edit]
The second generation sold 250,000 units in the first two weeks it was available. On December 21, 2010, Apple announced that they had sold 1 million units.[185] In the second fiscal quarter of 2011, it had topped 2 million in total sales, with 820,000 sold in that quarter alone.[186]
On January 24, 2012, Apple announced they had sold 1.4 million units in the first fiscal quarter of 2012,[187] and 2.8 million units in all of fiscal year 2011.[188] (4.2 million units through January 1, 2012).
3rd generation[edit]
Tim Cook announced at the All Things Digital conference in May 2012 that Apple had sold 2.7 million of the 3rd generation model in 2012.[189]
In the Q4 FY2012 earnings call, Engadget reported comments from Tim Cook that Apple had shipped 1.3 million Apple TV units in the 4th Quarter (presumed to be 3rd generation).[190]
MacObserver reported statements by Tim Cook in the Q1 FY2013 earnings call that Apple sold over 2 million Apple TV units in the December Quarter (presumed to be 3rd generation).[191]
These reports lead to a cumulative volume of the 3rd generation device of 6 million units, as of January 1, 2013.
On February 28, 2014, at Apple's shareholders meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that in 2013 Apple TV brought in 1 billion dollars of revenue for Apple.[192]
A market survey published by Parks Associates in December 2014 found that Apple TV has lost consumer traction to Google Chromecast, garnering only a 17% market share.[193]
Tim Cook announced at the Apple Special Event on March 9, 2015, that Apple had sold a total of 25 million Apple TVs up to that point.[194]
HD, 4K and later[edit]
During an Apple earnings call on January 27, 2016, CEO Tim Cook stated that the Apple TV had record sales. However, no specific sales figures were mentioned; Apple TV is included in an "Other products" category, which also includes the Apple Watch, iPods, and Beats products, and is not broken down by individual products.[195] In June 2019 it was estimated that there are 53 million units of all generations in use worldwide.[196]
In 2019, Apple analyst John Gruber stated the Apple TV sells at a low profit margin or a loss, saying units are effectively sold at cost.[197]
