(ThyBlackMan.com) The Apple TV 4K can easily make you want to love it. It is obviously not a perfect device, but it is closer to the vision of the future of TV. Why the device is still away from what it could achieve because it’s a very ambitious product by Apple. If you are an average user and looking for a simple TV streaming device, other cheaper options such as Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV Stick are much better because they offer more simplicity, and one can easily put on some videos without going through a lengthy process with better support.
Apple’s new device brings some of the best features available in the TV streaming realm but there are still many limitations. From a great interface to 4K HDR support and various content focused features, the Apple TV 4K brings many things you are going to see first time on a TV streaming device.
One of the biggest issues come from the content side. The Apple TV 
4K doesn’t support VP9 video format, so it doesn’t support 4K HDR playback as a result. The company has not confirmed when the support update for the feature will be rolled out, so just like how iOS and Mac devices don’t support this feature, we will need to see for how long the issue will remain with the TV 4K. In simple terms, Apple TV users cannot watch 4K HDR YouTube videos until Apple figures out a solution.
The Apple TV supports a wide range of audio formats and surround sound formats as well, but it lacks Atoms support. The lack of support for the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X is not something that can turn out to be a deal breaker for you because not everyone prefers 3D surround upgrades with their home theatre systems, but those who do will likely get disappointed with the fact that Apple doesn’t support it, but fortunately, the TV gives PCM audio and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound output.
Why Atoms matter because it is one of the technologies which is there to stay. Just like 5.1 surround, Atoms support is easily available with many electronic devices including the Xbox One S, and even some Roku player models. Apart from product manufacturers, services like Netflix are also supporting Atoms and nowadays, almost every remastered movie is coming with Atoms support. So on this front, the Apple TV 4K disappoints and is not at all acceptable at the US$179 price.
The HDR support is one of the major factors why Apple can sell its new product, but to some extent, the HDR support has made things worse. Some HD videos don’t look good when processed in HDR. From the point of content availability, there is still a lot of content which is not available in 4K HDR on the Apple TV 4K, meaning that you will have to wait to see if the updates regarding the availability of some movies arrive in future.
The good thing with Apple is the availability of content. On 4K HDR from YouTube, it fails but doesn’t disappoint in terms of bringing 4K HDR content at best prices. If you compare it with other premium store offerings, buying movies from Apple’s virtual TV store is cheaper. As far as the best features of the Apple 4K TV are concerned, you get movies for rent and purchase at a lower price than the other service providers. Those who have purchased content on iTunes will be able to get their library upgraded to 4K HDR for free. One of the most important features is the UI. With an easy-to-use and navigate interface, the Apple 4K TV leads. Amazon is also expected to arrive so soon it will join the other premium content providers on Apple’s TV 4K.
Staff Writer; Corey Shaw
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