Do You Need an Apple TV in 2019? Here Are 6 Reasons You Don’t
If you've been using your Apple devices to consume more and more content, you may be wondering whether or not it's a good idea to buy an Apple TV this year. An Apple TV does make it much easier to watch iTunes content on your TV, but there are a few good reasons to wait. Here's why. Continue reading to learn 6 Reasons You Don't Need an Apple TV in 2019.
You Already Have Its Apps
When the Apple TV first came out, it was positioned as a high-end "set-top box" for Apple users. The problem is, that as the years have passed, set-top boxes have entered somewhat of a dead-end zone where, well, you don't really need one anymore.
The majority of popular apps on the Apple TV – YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Network TV apps, Sling TV, and so on – are available everywhere else, too. You can get those apps on your game console, your smart TV, your computer, or your satellite receiver, without needing to buy an Apple TV. Unless the majority of your content is on iTunes, the Apple TV struggles to be as useful as it once was.
You Don't Need to Spend That Much Money
Let's say that you do want new digital TV options; maybe you cut the cable cord at last and need a replacement for your old channels since you don't have a gaming console or smart TV. In that case, a Roku or Chromecast device will get you everything you need at a much more affordable price: The latest Apple TV starts at $149, while you can get the other similar devices for ~$35. The primary reason to consider an Apple TV here is if you badly need the storage space for your content – but even then, getting an external SSD would probably be the cheaper option.
You Can Already Control Your Smart Home
By connecting to iCloud, you can turn your Apple TV into a smart home hub to control your HomeKit devices. While this is a nice feature, it's really not worth buying an Apple TV. For one, not all of your smart devices may be compatible with HomeKit (although it's worth checking to see).
Also, many other different devices can function as a smart home controller, including an Amazon Echo speaker (which includes voice command technology) and even the iPhone you already own. You could even choose a smart display like the Lenovo Smart Display or Echo Show 2, which add their own touchscreens that can help you better control your smart home. The Apple TV just doesn't have as much to offer here..
You Probably Don't Have Much 4k Content Yet
The big selling point of the latest Apple TV is 4K compatibility. This can vary between users, but most people don't have enough 4K content yet to justify making this upgrade. Remember, only limited modes and certain channels have 4K options when streaming, and you have to buy 4K/UHD movies if you want them in the highest resolution. You also need a 4K TV, of course. That limits the usefulness of this feature unless you're already heavily invested in 4K.
The exception here, of course, is if you are already heavily invested in iTunes content. iTunes offers free 4K upgrades for all of its movies, for example, and the Apple TV 4K also offers nice HDR options to make sure that content interacts well with your TV.
You Have Better Gaming Options
As we noted previously, porting video games, even iOS games, to the tvOS platform is not an especially lucrative option for developers. The Apple TV isn't known as a gaming device, and most people aren't buying it for gaming. There aren't any Apple-branded gaming controllers that work with it either. So developers are largely staying away, and consumers have other options like Nvidia to look to when seeking an alternative gaming console (although having iOS games ported to a console would be an interesting, attractive move).
Apple Is Likely to Reinvent Apple TV Anyway
The previously mentioned issues are primarily problems with competition and lack of a market niche. Apple knows this! And that's why it's a good idea to wait on the idea of purchasing an Apple TV right now. It may not be this year (although Apple may have some exciting TV news in 2019 regarding streaming services), but Apple is likely to change directions for its upcoming models. We look forward to Apple reinventing its Apple TV in more of a low-cost Roku-esque way to be better suited within the current market. Expect big changes in the following months, and wait until then to make your decision.