Many Americans have ditched the traditional television service and started streaming the content they used to watch through their cable provider. Apple released their new Apple TV on September 9th as part of their fall annual event, and they are hoping to revolutionize the way that you and your family watch TV. This upgrade is Apple’s first improvement of the device since its original release in 2012.
What’s New
The original version of Apple TV has not been updated since 2012 leaving a lot of room for several note-worthy improvements.
Instead of having apps that are only developed by Apple, the new Apple TV will have an app store allowing third party developers to capitalize on the streaming device. The app store will feature the staple items like Netflix, Hulu, and Watch ESPN, but it will also provide plenty of games and apps that match up with what is currently offered in the IOS based Apple products. The release event showed racing and sports games being played with a remote similar to what is used with Nintendo Wii. Unlike other streaming devices, Apple TV promotes multiplayer games with players using iPhones and third party developed controllers.
The introduction of Siri’s voice search on the Apple TV should entice all movie lovers. The one-minute commercial showcased several remarkable features. If you’re looking for the newest released movies, simply say, “Show me something new.” Maybe you want an animation film for the whole family, just say, “An animated family movie.” Looking for a favorite actor? “Show me movies with Will Smith.” The voice search tool will be able to sift through almost all of your streaming apps to find the perfect movie.
Pay TV vs. Apple TV
Using the features and apps offered through Apple TV allows for the possibility of significantly reducing the cost of watching television. According to a recent Leichtman Research Group study, the average pay TV bill in the United States is $99.10. This works out to almost $1,200 per year that the average person is spending on pay television.
Comparing this $1,200 expense to the price of streaming all your television through Apple TV demonstrates an eye opening cost savings. With Apple TV, instead of purchasing television through satellite or cable, you have access to a wide selection of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus.
Netflix provides a wide array of movies, previous seasons of television shows, and original content only available on Netflix. The Netflix service will cost you $8.99 per month.
Hulu Plus focuses mostly on shows that have aired recently on ABC, NBC, FOX, and the CW. That service will cost you $7.99 per month.
CBS decided to go alone for their streaming service which you can get for $6 per month.
If you think that these three services aren’t enough, you can add Amazon Prime for $99 a year, which translates to about $8.25 a month. This service also comes with a bunch of goodies from Amazon like free two-day shipping on all orders.
If you pay for all four services, you will be paying a grand total of $31.25 a month. That works out to $375 per year for streaming, a whopping savings of $814.20.
Gaming
Currently the hardcore gamers are going to stick with the Xbox and PlayStation platforms, but if you are a casual gamer or have not purchased one of the expensive systems for your kids then Apple TV may be a real competitor.
The Games will work similarly to the big boys and can support up to four controllers simultaneously.
The speedy A8 processor will allow for some very good graphics and is poised to support more robust gaming in the future.
When it comes to price, the high-end Apple TV will be $150 less than either the Xbox One or PS4. We haven’t heard much about the cost of games, but the expectation is that they will be far less than the $50 per game we see on the main consoles.
The Biggest Drawback
There has been one drawback to streaming video that has helped the pay TV industry avoid a streaming takeover: live sports. While you can purchase a nice outdoor antennae for about $100 to pick up the over the air local stations, not having access to ESPN will make it difficult to catch all your favorite sporting events.
Since Disney/ESPN seems reluctant to offer stand-alone streaming service, the avid sports enthusiast will still be forced to choose between cable and satellite sources to catch all the games.
The Bottom Line
A new Apple TV will set you back $149 for the 32 GB model or $199 for the 64GB model. If you’ve been considering ditching your cable bill, then Apple TV is a great way to do it.
With the addition of the app store and third-party apps, you’ll never be at a loss for entertainment and you can save yourself upwards of $70 a month for video service and even more on gaming.
