How Does Apple TV Work: Everything You Need To Know

How does Apple TV work? With content providers’ streaming battles in full swing and an increasing number of households consuming material on their TVs, there is a significant market need not just for streaming services but also for set-top boxes that provide quick access to services – mimicking the convenience of using a standard TV. 

Like Roku and Amazon, Apple has joined the OTT business as a hardware producer and, more recently, as a streaming platform provider. The Apple TV Plus subscription costs $4.99 per month. However, it is free (for the first year) for people who have just purchased an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV 4K.

It’s a logical move for Apple to monetize its outstanding market presence and undercut seasoned competitors like Roku and Amazon by exploiting the company’s existing market position and experience in making high-end hardware. This brief post will look at the Apple TV hardware, provide a fast summary of the OTT environment, and explain how does Apple TV work?

What Exactly is Apple TV?

How does Apple TV work? Apple TV, like Roku and Google’s Chromecast, broadcasts movies and TV shows to your HDTV but is only one function. It also allows you to listen to and watch podcasts, play games, stream music, and do various other things. Everything is dependent on the programs you install. Some apps are free, some are not, and some need a fee.

The only things you’ll need to get started with Apple TV (apart from a TV) are an HDMI cable (not included) and an internet connection. Apple TV has an Ethernet connector for a hardwired Internet connection and Wi-Fi compatibility. It also has a remote control.

When you connect it to your TV with an HDMI connection and turn it on, it will go through a brief setup procedure. This procedure requires you to input your Apple ID, the same ID you use to check in to iTunes and download apps to your iPad. If you’re connected wirelessly, you’ll also need to provide your Wi-Fi details.

You can speed up this procedure if you have an iPhone. Apple TV and the iPhone will exchange some of this information for you, saving you the trouble of inputting data with a remote.

How Does Apple TV Work?

How Does Apple TV Work? Apple TV transforms your television into a “smart” television. You can rent or stream movies from iTunes, watch TV shows and movies from Netflix and Hulu, listen to music from Apple Music and Pandora, listen to podcasts, and even use it to replace your regular cable TV subscription with services like Sling TV.

The most recent version of the hardware, Apple TV 4K, is powered by the same fast CPU as the iPad Pro, making it as powerful as most laptop computers. It also contains a graphics processor that is powerful enough to transform it into a game console.

Apple’s streaming box is also a part of the Apple ecosystem, so it works well with your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You may see your iCloud Photo Library on your TV, including the Memories photo album films created automatically by the iPad and iPhone from your photo albums. You can also use AirPlay to mirror your iPhone or iPad screen to your TV, allowing you to interact with any app on your smartphone or tablet while watching TV.

Is Apple TV Compatible with HomeKit?

Apple TV also includes Siri and may function as a HomeKit base station. The remote features a Siri button, which allows you to control your TV using your voice. You can also use Siri to make requests, such as having it tell you who the actors are in a given movie or displaying movies from a specific genre, actor, or director.

HomeKit serves as the command center for your smart home. HomeKit may control smart equipment such as a thermostat or lighting. You can even use your iPhone when you’re not home to interact with your Apple TV to operate your smart gadgets.

What are the Distinctions Between Apple TV Models?

There are presently two versions available for purchase, with one model recently discontinued. And there are some significant variances between them.

Apple TV 4K: This is the top-tier Apple TV device with 4K, HDR video capability, and the same A10 CPU as the iPad Pro. This is the model to choose if you want to buy Apple TV.

Apple Television (4th Generation): This model offers 1080p HD video and is powered by the A8 CPU, also found in the iPhone 6. While you might be tempted to get the 4th-generation if you still need to get a television that supports 4K or HDR, this model not only gives you the flexibility to update your screen in the future but also doubles the CPU performance and quadruples the graphics speed.

Apple Tv (3rd Generation): This model is no longer available, but you might find one on auction sites like eBay or person-to-person sites like Craigslist. This version supports video streaming but lacks processing power and does not have access to the App Store. Because it’s older, it’s less expensive than the other versions, but you could be better suited investing in another streaming device, such as a Roku or Amazon Fire TV.

What is Apple TV 4K?

Despite being more expensive than competitors, Apple TV 4K is the greatest value in streaming gadgets. Apple TV 4K is fantastic for various reasons, the most important of which is that if you possess one, Apple will update your iTunes movie library to 4K.

The typical price difference between an HD and a 4K movie version is $5-$10. If you have ten movies in your iTunes movie library, the upgrading to 4K alone is worth roughly $75. Apple TV 4K virtually pays for itself if you have twenty-five movies. If you don’t already possess a movie, Apple will sell the 4K version for the same price as the HD version. You won’t have to pay a premium to see the same movie in its finest possible version.

In terms of image quality, Apple TV 4K supports 4K resolution and HDR10. While 4K is all the rage, High Dynamic Range (HDR) may be more essential in image quality. According to Apple, 4K provides more pixels on your screen, whereas HDR provides sharper pixels. Instead of raising the resolution, HDR delivers a broader spectrum of colors, improving the image’s clarity and depth. Dolby Vision, a kind of HDR with a wider color gamut, is also supported by Apple TV 4K.

However, Apple TV is more than simply a video streaming device. Its strong CPU allows it to play games and has so much power that office programs like Numbers and Pages may find their way to the Apple TV.

Apple TV 4K also excels in terms of internet access. It includes a 1 Gigabit Ethernet connector and features the most recent Wi-Fi technology, including MIMO (multiple-in-multiple-out). If you have a dual-band router, the Apple TV 4K connects to it twice (once on each “band”). When dealing with 4K information, the doubled-up wireless connection might be faster than a single cable connection.

What Exactly is the Apple TV App?

Because we live in a streaming world where everything is available anytime, it might take time to decide what to watch. And where to view it, owing to so many different providers.

Apple’s response is a new “TV” app. It’s comparable to Hulu Plus or another app. You’ll see a selection of episodes and movies, beginning with those you’ve recently viewed and progressing to suggested titles. These films come from several sources, including Hulu Plus and your iTunes movie library.

The TV app collects all of this material in one place so you can conveniently navigate it. It even features a Sports channel that broadcasts live events and current results. Unfortunately, Netflix isn’t included in Apple’s TV app, so you’ll have to check that app separately.

Is an Iphone Necessary to Use Apple TV?

While purchasing an Apple TV makes sense if you’re already involved in the ecosystem, you don’t need an iPhone to utilize it. You’ll need an iTunes account to log in and buy things like TV series and movies on Apple TV.

Apple TV allows you to watch content from major streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Disney+, and many more. Of course, an active subscription is required to view the material – Apple TV is only a platform for displaying the content on your TV screen.

Although, as noted in the above paragraph, you do not need an Apple device to utilize Apple TV, non-Apple users will miss out on some capabilities. Apple TV, for example, offers AirPlay, which allows you to reflect your MacBook or iPhone screen on the TV (provided these devices are on the same Wi-Fi network).

EndNote

The rising popularity of Smart TVs encourages more people to enjoy a variety of activities on a large screen, creating a plethora of options for mobile businesses. As tvOS and the Apple TV gain popularity, a rising number of content producers will begin to explore new methods to capitalize on what the medium offers. And it will bring challenges: revenue methods, app discovery, and customizations are all factors that companies should consider in their long-term plan if they decide to join the platform.

You need to seek a reputable OTT development partner to build for Apple TV. Send us an email about your project, and we’ll see what we can do for you. As the Apple TV evolves and adds new features and capabilities, new use cases and experiences will arise, driven by early adopters who are fast to capitalize on the platform’s new prospects.

Also read: Everything You Need to Know About Center Channel Speakers