Apple TV ascends into a console?

[Rradcircless]

I've looked at it from a few different angles. Apple's current foray into gaming is centred around hardware prerequisites, not a single device. They're retroactively upgrading devices we already own into a platform for AAA games and building even more capable hardware with the new M3 family.

At the moment, the conversation is about Mac vs PC, with entry prices similarly astronomical.

Is there any future where the Apple TV receives the M3 or M4 chip, a 1tb SSD, 16bg unified memory and is sold as a new competitor against the PlayStation and the Xbox?

On one hand, they'd hypothetically sell it at the same AUD800 price point as current-gen consoles, which is less than it costs to upgrade to the same specs in an already expensive MacBook Pro.

But on the other hand, they could more than double the price of the current Apple TV 4K and wouldn't Apple just JUMP at that?

What do you believe is possible, what would you like to see?

 

[jaw04005]

Is there any future where the Apple TV receives the M3 or M4 chip, a 1tb SSD, 16bg unified memory and is sold as a new competitor against the PlayStation and the Xbox?

That's Apple's hope with future consumer-oriented versions of the Vision Pro, not Apple TV.

If anything, I'm concerned they'll cancel the Apple TV box down the line because they've deployed Apple TV.app and AirPlay to almost all Smart TV manufacturers and tvOS hasn't been well received with developers.

Additionally, the iPhone now has USB-C and easy TV out.

We've lost the Apple that used to make Apple-designed ecosystem products like speakers, docks, displays and routers with little regard to margin.

For better or worse, it's Tim Cook's Wallstreet-focused Apple now. If you're a low margin product, your days are numbered.

 

[bozzykid]

Is there any future where the Apple TV receives the M3 or M4 chip, a 1tb SSD, 16bg unified memory and is sold as a new competitor against the PlayStation and the Xbox?

No. But it won't stop people from constantly making these posts for the last few years. Apple isn't going to compete with consoles with the Apple TV.

 

[Pakaku]

The first thing that would need to happen is for Apple to suddenly start actually caring about serious videogames. They obviously don't, and the Apple Arcade is a great indicator of that. Videogames don't fit the pristine image Apple wants, and they already make tons of money elsewhere, so they simply just don't care.

 

[Rradcircless]

The first thing that would need to happen is for Apple to suddenly start actually caring about serious videogames. They obviously don't, and the Apple Arcade is a great indicator of that. Videogames don't fit the pristine image Apple wants, and they already make tons of money elsewhere, so they simply just don't care.

They’ve partnered with Capcom to port Resident Evil games, some of the most popular and well regarded games in recent years.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If anything, I'm concerned they'll cancel the Apple TV box down the line because they've deployed Apple TV.app and AirPlay to almost all Smart TV manufacturers and tvOS hasn't been well received with developers.

AppleTV the box and AppleTV the app are as different as iPhone the box and any single app installed on iPhone. The big mistake here is Apple giving both box and lone app the same name... so that this kind of confusion can fly.

One can own AppleTV the box, never utilize AppleTV the app and still get enormous utility out of the former. I for one very rarely ever use that app but a variety of AppleTV boxes in my home get used every single day. There is a relatively enormous number of other apps for the box that are not woven into the app of the same name.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I've looked at it from a few different angles. Apple's current foray into gaming is centred around hardware prerequisites, not a single device. They're retroactively upgrading devices we already own into a platform for AAA games and building even more capable hardware with the new M3 family.

At the moment, the conversation is about Mac vs PC, with entry prices similarly astronomical.

Is there any future where the Apple TV receives the M3 or M4 chip, a 1tb SSD, 16bg unified memory and is sold as a new competitor against the PlayStation and the Xbox?

On one hand, they'd hypothetically sell it at the same AUD800 price point as current-gen consoles, which is less than it costs to upgrade to the same specs in an already expensive MacBook Pro.

But on the other hand, they could more than double the price of the current Apple TV 4K and wouldn't Apple just JUMP at that?

What do you believe is possible, what would you like to see?

I doubt this "AppleTV PRO" will ever come to be. I doubt the market for AppleTV is interesting enough to Apple to create another tier like that. They've already experimented with price points significantly above current prices- several times actually- and found that they could not sell enough units at those levels to keep things going there. I would guess a push for even higher prices yet again would not fly.

IMO: the best hope for this niche want would be to revive an old Mac app called Front Row. Front Row was basically the AppleTV interface as an alt layer one could run on any Mac, effectively turning it into an AppleTV. With a Front Row: The Next Generation launch, anyone with this kind of interest could allocate a Mac Mini or even Studio (even with Mx Ultra) to being this super-charged AppleTV.

Since Macs and AppleTV both have the same root hardware platform, I could much more easily imagine a Front Row: TNG app to scratch this itch than an AppleTV Pro (hardware creation). Those serious about gaming via AppleTV could buy whatever level of Mac power they want for their gaming and sub that Mac in for an AppleTV. One standout use of this idea would be to find a new purpose for aging Mac hardware. Instead of trading in or selling the old one you have just replaced with "latest & greatest," maybe it becomes a much more powerful AppleTV?

AAA Games Dev is NOT About Latest Hardware
We keep this illusion/delusion going that AAA gaming dev is about superior hardware- "if you build it, they will come"- when, in fact, it's about MONEY. Apple could jump forward a decade+ and bring back the M20 chips to put in an AppleTV Pro and the AAA games will still not come without a hefty allocation of money to be spent on Apple platform AAA game development... much like the hefty budget and resources allocated for AppleTV+ video service exclusives. Until Apple "shows <devs> the money" (and stops suing big game brands into oblivion over "30% right off the top"), AAA games will NOT come. There's much more lucrative opportunity- with much less legal jeopardy- developing for Microsoft and Sony platforms.

Fantastic new hardware won't change that. But big money would. A big enough allocation of cash could get an AAA exclusive developed for the remnants of Amiga... or even Commodore 64. No allocation of cash from Apple just steers developers to the much 'greener' pastures of Microsoft & Sony.

If you want some great AAA gaming with AppleTV now, buy yourself a gaming PC with Nvidia graphics card, install the Moonlight app on AppleTV and basically stream AAA games from that PC through your AppleTV to your television. While I was skeptical that this would work well, I was wrong: it works really well... and delivers the multitudes of AAA games on PC today to your AppleTV.

Bonus: if you ever need some full Windows (not limited ARM Windows) compatibility, a true PC can run ANY Windows app without compatibility/emulation concerns... and without annual "subscription" renewals to stuff like Parallels. It is "old fashioned bootcamp" in the purest form.

Bonus #2: if you need raw computing Power over Power Per Watt, toss that kind of task to your PC. It will likely get the computing done faster instead of more power (usage) efficiently.

 

[Basic75]

Is there any future where the Apple TV receives the M3 or M4 chip, a 1tb SSD, 16bg unified memory and is sold as a new competitor against the PlayStation and the Xbox?

You mean a Mac mini? Though it would be nice if they gave Mac users the option to launch into the Apple TV user interface as application. A bit like the old, what was it called, Front Row?

 

[cateye]

There needs to be some kind of Tilting At Windmills Championship Death Match between the "there will be larger iMac with Apple Silicon" and the "there will be a gamer-class AppleTV" camps. Keep it clean everyone. Ready? ding! ding! ding!

 

[jaw04005]

AppleTV the box and AppleTV the app are as different as iPhone the box and any single app installed on iPhone. The big mistake here is Apple giving both box and lone app the same name... so that this kind of confusion can fly.

One can own AppleTV the box, never utilize AppleTV the app and still get enormous utility out of the former. I for one very rarely ever use that app but a variety of AppleTV boxes in my home get used every single day. There is a relatively enormous number of other apps for the box that are not woven into the app of the same name.

Yeah, the box exists solely as a front for iTunes/Apple Music/Apple TV+ content now. They tried to make it another platform and failed. It's sad it hasn't taken off.

They're still making the box (which I love too and own every SINGLE iteration of including the original pizza box) because they can, but it's just a matter of time.

I keep hoping they'll want to take the "smart home" seriously and they'll try to reinvent the box as a "real" hub or even as a HomeKit router, but as the years go by it looks less and less likely. The iPad or a new HomePod with a screen could get the Hub role and the Apple TV.app is going to be running on everything imaginable.

They seem to be killing everything that's not driving margins and we know this box isn't driving margins.

 

[Rradcircless]

The first thing that would need to happen is for Apple to suddenly start actually caring about serious videogames. They obviously don't, and the Apple Arcade is a great indicator of that. Videogames don't fit the pristine image Apple wants, and they already make tons of money elsewhere, so they simply just don't care.

They’ve partnered with Capcom to port Resident Evil games, some of the most popular and well regarded games in recent years.

 

[bozzykid]

They’ve partnered with Capcom to port Resident Evil games, some of the most popular and well regarded games in recent years.

Porting old games isn't going to make them suddenly try to compete with consoles.