Apple TV Review (2012)

Of all the devices in Apple's product lineup, the Apple TV has always been an odd outlier. Unlike an iPhone or an iMac, the Apple TV doesn't have a clearly defined purpose of its own. Instead, its primary function is to serve as an extension of Apple's other core products and services in the living room, delivering streamlined access to iTunes content, media stored on other Apple devices and a modest collection of third-party streaming products, like Netflix, Vimeo, YouTube and others.

It's rumored that Apple will more clearly define its home theater product strategy later this year with the introduction of its first HDTV and integrated television service, but for now it has tweaked the Apple TV to incorporate an A5 processor with support for 1080p video, iCloud integration and a revised user interface. The result is a slightly refined user experience with some small, but appreciated, feature expansions at the same price of $99.

The new Apple TV's design is literally identical to the model released in 2010. It bears the same matte and glossy black palm-sized casing and the same array of ports on the back: power, optical digital audio, micro USB, HDMI and an ethernet port. The remote also remains unchanged, featuring a slim aluminum design with four-way directional pad, play/pause button and menu button. Inside, Apple has replaced the A4 chip from the last-gen model with a special single-core A5 processor. The new version also maintains the integrated 802.11 Wi-Fi receiver and 8GBs of flash storage for caching purposes.

The new A5 chip enables the system to support 1080p video, improved from the 720p-only capabilities of the last model. The feature should be a welcomed addition for videophiles, as now all iTunes content presented in HD supports 1080p output, as well as HD Netflix videos. For those with a discerning eye, the difference is definitely noticeable. Video is crisp and clean with only minimal compression artifacting, though image quality may vary by connection speed. Overall, however, I've found that connection and buffer times were incredibly fast, loading in a matter of moments.

What's most exciting about the new Apple TV are the changes that have been made to the system's OS, most notably iCloud integration. Now, if you've ever purchased a movie using your iTunes account or redeemed a digital copy of a Blu-ray, you can access and stream it to your TV. In effect, you can now make a single movie or TV purchase and access it in your home theater, on your home Mac, MacBook when traveling or your iOS device on the go. The result is a far more compelling case for moving film purchases to digital through one unified service.

Apple has also made some notable tweaks to the user interface, dropping the text-heavy design of yesteryear in favor of a new app-style icons, representing each of the device's core functions and third-party services. In all, there are 18 icons arranged in a grid of rows of 5. The list cannot be rearranged or reorganized in any way, but since the number of icons is currently few, it's not much of a hassle. Even with the shift toward more icons, the Apple TV still maintains heavy use of cover flow box art.

Overall, the improvements to the UI are a step in the right direction, but the experience still lacks the effortless look and feel that other Apple products have come to embody. Browsing media still feels somewhat clunky and the division between Apple's first-party offering and third-party services like Netflix is still apparent.

To help bridge the gap, Apple has made it possible to subscribe to Netflix with a single click, foregoing the lengthy sign up and verification process of the previous version. Now, all you have to do is load the Netflix menu and sign up using your iTunes account, billing the monthly charges to the associated credit card.

The one feature that is often glossed over on the Apple TV is its AirPlay support, which allows users to wirelessly display video content from an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch to their TV. If a friend comes over and has a movie loaded onto his or her iPad, they can simply connect to your home Wi-Fi network and watch it on your big screen. Owners of the latest iPad can also use AirPlay to wirelessly mirror their iPad interface to an HDTV, making it a great screen extension for productivity apps and presentations.

As I noted after the Apple TV was redesigned in 2010, there are also overlooked applications for AirPlay in regards to gaming. With games like Real Racing HD 2 supporting wireless on-screen multiplayer via AirPlay, the Apple TV more or less acts as an iOS game console, producing gorgeous visuals on a bigger display.

But the biggest flaw of the previous version of the Apple TV is the same in the current iteration: a comparative lack of content. While iTunes' library of video content is extensive and Netflix offers a lot of additional viewing, the Apple TV lacks other services like Hulu Plus, HBOGO and Amazon Instant Video, all of which can be found on the similarly priced Roku 2. While it may not be entirely within Apple's control to bring those services onboard, the product suffers from their absence regardless. Until Apple makes a deal or introduces its own alternative, the Apple TV will always fall short of being a truly all-inclusive home entertainment center solution.

At the end of the day, the new Apple TV is a solid iterative update, but the product still lacks a clear edge over the competition. For those looking for streamlined access to iTunes media and their digital library, it is adept solution at an impressively low price. But with a bulk of the changes being made available to existing Apple TV owners via downloadable software update, the only real benefit for those looking to upgrade is 1080p video output.