The newest Apple TV adds some long-awaited features to a device that hasn't been updated since 2012, a lifetime in the world of streaming media.
While Google's first connected media platform, Google TV, didn't catch on, Android has still become a powerhouse for media hubs thanks to the Amazon Fire TV and Android TV devices. Roku was one of the first dedicated media hub brands, and it's gained in popularity thanks to an easy-to-use interface and hundreds of content channels. There's also a slew of sticks you can just plug into the back of your HDTV, as well as smart HDTVs with built-in apps. A lot has changed in three years.
Apple TV's biggest competitors are the Amazon Fire TV and Roku 3. Both are $99 and have plenty to offer, though the Fire TV is currently out of stock. A Fire TV 2 might be on the horizon, but in the interim, the Fire TV Stick$39.00 at Amazon offers most of the Fire TV's useful features, with less gaming power and no microphone in the remote.
More niche users might want to also check out the pricier Nvidia Shield Android TV$199.99 at Amazon for its game support, while the PlayStation TV is a uniquely appealing device on its own. And for pure Android TV, Google's Nexus Player is an option.
Let's see how the new Apple TV stacks up to the Fire TV, Roku 3, PlayStation TV, Nexus Player, and Nvidia Shield Android TV.
Apps and Services
With the addition of apps to Apple TV via tvOS, all the aforementioned devices now have some sort of app ecosystem. Of them, Roku's is the most established, with Amazon Fire TV's Android-based interface coming in a close second. Both offer hundreds of apps and services, including big names like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Instant Video, Sling TV, HBO, and Twitch. They also have loads of subject-specific apps for news, weather, culture, and media genres.
The Nvidia Shield Android TV and Google Nexus Player also have a strong selection through Google's Android TV platform, but they pale in comparison to Roku and Amazon. The PlayStation TV is the weakest of the bunch on this front, with few streaming services or non-game apps.
Apple TV could go either way, though we know that big services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Showtime will be available at launch. The big question is how widely will tvOS be adopted as a platform for apps, and what depth and breadth of apps can we expect after a few months of development? The Apple TV isn't the iPad or iPhone, just like the Google Nexus Player and Nvidia Shield Android TV aren't Android smartphones or tablets. Their app ecosystems might be built on the same foundations, but we'll have to see just what developers build on top of them.
Remote
The Fire TV and Roku 3 both come with some very nice remotes that include built-in microphones for voice control (more on that below). The Roku 3 adds motion controls for some games and a very handy headphone jack for listening to your movies and shows without disturbing the people around you. The Fire TV, meanwhile, offers an optional gamepad controller.
The Nexus Player and Nvidia Shield Android TV also have microphone-equipped remotes, though the Shield comes with a mic-equipped gamepad and the conventional remote is optional. The PlayStation TV can be controlled with a DualShock 3 or 4 gamepad or the PlayStation 3's Bluetooth remote, but it doesn't have its own remote.
The Apple TV's new remote has everything the Fire TV, Roku 3, Shield, and Nexus Player remotes have (except for the headphone jack), and more. It has motion controls and a microphone, plus a touchpad. There's no first-party gamepad option, but that's not a big loss for a media streamer, and Apple is promoting the Nimbus Steelseries Controller on its website if you really want one.
Voice Features
Voice search is the new big feature for media streamers, and the new Apple TV introduces it to Apple users. It joins various voice search systems available on the Fire TV, Roku 3, and the Android TV devices, all of which have remotes with built-in microphones.
Of the voice-search features we've currently seen, the Android-based Android TV and Fire TV voice searches are the strongest, offering generally good media suggestions across movies and television. The Roku 3's voice search (and voice search supported on other Roku devices) can also find plenty of content, though it isn't quite as powerful as the Android devices. The PlayStation TV has no such feature.
Considering the new Apple TV's voice search is driven by Siri, it's safe to expect it to be a functional, reasonably intelligent feature. The demonstration during the new Apple TV's announcement showed off some pretty flexible voice search, playback control, and navigation options, and if they work as advertised it could be an edge for the Apple TV over other media streamers.
Games
Media streamers usually aren't big game systems, but it seems like every major streamer has tried to offer at least some video game experience. Generally, the better a media streamer a device is, the more disappointing the games.
The Amazon Fire TV and Roku 3 have some games, but the selection is fairly paltry and doesn't rise above, or even near, the collection of casual titles you can play on your smartphone.
The Nvidia Shield Android TV, on the other hand, boasts some impressive Android-powered games and can stream PC games from your desktop or notebook if you have a compatible graphics card. The PlayStation TV is almost entirely a gaming system, offering PS Vita, PSP, PSOne Classic, and PlayStation Now titles, and can stream PS4 games from your console. However, it isn't a very good media hub, because of its Vita interface and lack of a remote.
The new Apple TV promises some games like a platform-exclusive multiplayer version of Crossy Road, plus Disney Infinity and Harmonix's new Beat Sports. TvOS offers an iOS-like platform for game development, and supports Apple's Metal framework, so bringing major iPad and iPhone games to the Apple TV is a strong possibility. Again, this depends on what developers want to do with their games, and how many will actually be ported.
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