Streaming Gets Serious with the New Apple TV 4K
By Mike Agerbo
October 03, 2017
Product Discovery
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With the announcement of the new iPhone 8, iPhone X and Apple Watch Series 3, Apple also announced the new Apple TV 4K. If you’re in the market for a new streaming device, you should definitely consider the Apple TV 4K and here’s why:
Using four times more pixels than HD, 4K offers the highest quality viewing experience with crisper images. In addition to 4K, the new Apple TV also has HDR, or High Dynamic Range, delivering more realistic colours and greater detail. This all translates to a more lifelike viewing experience.
To get the most out of 4K, it’s best to view content on a TV that supports 4K viewing. Even if you don’t have one of these TVs right now but need a new streaming device, I would recommend considering the Apple TV 4K so you’re all set if you decide to upgrade your TV in the future.
Image quality aside, the Apple TV 4K also offers a very polished streaming experience. For starters, the remote control is equipped with a touchpad that makes navigation a breeze. Making navigation even easier, Apple’s assistant Siri is integrated into the Apple TV 4K. Since 4K content is still relatively new, it’s still a tricky to find on streaming services like Netflix but Siri is here to help. You can simply ask her to locate 4K HDR content for you. Using the search function on the new Apple TV also now yields results from all apps as opposed to just those on iTunes.
With iOS 11, all iPhones and iPads now have access to the Apple TV app so you can pick up where you left off on your iPad or iPhone. iCloud and Apple Music can also be connected so you can enjoy your music and photos on your Apple TV.
Streaming devices have become very popular in the past few years with a lot of households cutting the cord on their cable subscriptions. However, cable still offers something that many streaming services and devices can’t: live news and sports. That’s beginning to change slowly and the Apple TV 4K offers live content from apps like NBA, Sportsnet, and CBC News.
While I believe that you should definitely consider the Apple TV 4K if you’re in the market for a new streaming device, there are other options. For example, the Roku Premiere+ Streaming Player and the Chromecast Ultra both allow you to stream in 4K HDR at a lower cost. Depending on your overall ecosystem and preferences when it comes to user experience, these devices are also fantastic options that are worth considering.
4K and HDR
Using four times more pixels than HD, 4K offers the highest quality viewing experience with crisper images. In addition to 4K, the new Apple TV also has HDR, or High Dynamic Range, delivering more realistic colours and greater detail. This all translates to a more lifelike viewing experience.
To get the most out of 4K, it’s best to view content on a TV that supports 4K viewing. Even if you don’t have one of these TVs right now but need a new streaming device, I would recommend considering the Apple TV 4K so you’re all set if you decide to upgrade your TV in the future.
A Polished Streaming Experience
Image quality aside, the Apple TV 4K also offers a very polished streaming experience. For starters, the remote control is equipped with a touchpad that makes navigation a breeze. Making navigation even easier, Apple’s assistant Siri is integrated into the Apple TV 4K. Since 4K content is still relatively new, it’s still a tricky to find on streaming services like Netflix but Siri is here to help. You can simply ask her to locate 4K HDR content for you. Using the search function on the new Apple TV also now yields results from all apps as opposed to just those on iTunes.
With iOS 11, all iPhones and iPads now have access to the Apple TV app so you can pick up where you left off on your iPad or iPhone. iCloud and Apple Music can also be connected so you can enjoy your music and photos on your Apple TV.
Stream Sports and News Live
Streaming devices have become very popular in the past few years with a lot of households cutting the cord on their cable subscriptions. However, cable still offers something that many streaming services and devices can’t: live news and sports. That’s beginning to change slowly and the Apple TV 4K offers live content from apps like NBA, Sportsnet, and CBC News.
Other Options
While I believe that you should definitely consider the Apple TV 4K if you’re in the market for a new streaming device, there are other options. For example, the Roku Premiere+ Streaming Player and the Chromecast Ultra both allow you to stream in 4K HDR at a lower cost. Depending on your overall ecosystem and preferences when it comes to user experience, these devices are also fantastic options that are worth considering.