My Apple TV makes me want I had an iPhone

The Apple TV 4K is my favourite streaming machine in the marketplace, and it is not significantly shut. To be truthful, absolutely anything is best while you’re coming from the smart TV interface, however the Apple TV has gone above and past my expectations. I solely have a first-gen machine, and though it is getting up there in age, it certain beats utilizing my TV’s apps for my streaming wants.

Maybe probably the most attention-grabbing a part of proudly owning one is the way it does not want the better Apple ecosystem to work. If you happen to’re like me and do not personal any other Apple devices, you’ll be able to relaxation simple figuring out an Apple TV remains to be so simple as shopping for it and plugging it into your TV. You possibly can nonetheless get pleasure from all the identical apps, the identical reveals, motion pictures, and all the things else any individual that is a part of the ecosystem enjoys. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless some options I am lacking out on as a result of I haven’t got an iPhone. Amazingly, I am nonetheless hanging onto my OnePlus 8 Pro, however an improve is coming sooner fairly than later, and my Apple TV has me eyeing an iPhone.

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I want I had an iPhone

Issues could possibly be a lot better

I need to reiterate that my Apple TV 4K works simply nice with out an iPhone. The whole lot I need to do with my machine I will, however there are some cool options I am leaving on the pill by not investing additional within the Apple household. For some time, I used to be okay with simply watching TV and flicks, however now I want I may do some extra.

It is easy to take without any consideration how unified issues are with Apple if all you’ve got ever had are Apple merchandise. You is likely to be effectively conscious of the Discover my iPhone characteristic, however that additionally applies to the Apple TV distant. With the distant being so small, it is simple to misplace it or lose it in your sofa cushions. As an alternative of getting to spend hours in search of it, you should utilize your iPhone and discover it by means of the Discover my Distant characteristic. That is an enormous factor I am lacking out on by not having an iPhone, and it does not cease there.

Whereas I am unable to think about I would use it fairly often, FaceTime is one other characteristic included with the Apple TV 4K that solely works if I’ve an iPhone. The Apple TV runs the app whereas I may use my iPhone as a digicam. It is a cool characteristic, and even when I used it solely sparingly, it might be cool to have the choice.

Maybe the biggest thing is InSight. If you happen to’re aware of Prime Video’s X-Ray mode, it is the identical factor. This characteristic allows you to see the actors in a scene and the tune taking part in with out having to pause this system and look it up your self. It is a godsend for individuals who acknowledge a face however simply cannot place their finger on who it’s. With an iPhone, you are able to do all of it out of your cellphone with out having an additional menu pop up on the TV display. This can be a technique to quietly reply your query if you happen to’re strolling alongside any individual else.

To be truthful, investing in a single model is usually value it within the tech world, so I am unable to simply single out Apple for this. If I had a complete Google ecosystem, I may reap the identical advantages. For instance, my outdated Google Chromecast works with my Google House as I can simply ask it to solid a channel from YouTube TV, and it does it. The factor that stopped me from going additional into the Google ecosystem is the sheer indisputable fact that I like utilizing my Apple TV extra. This implies when the time involves get a brand new cellphone, I am going to strongly weigh getting an iPhone, or not less than an iPad for some extra performance.

For me, having an Apple TV 4K with out one other Apple machine is a bit like having a PS5, however solely utilizing it to solely play PS4 video games. It really works for that objective, however you are leaving so much on the desk through the use of it that approach. I am certain there’s much more that I am not conscious of simply because I am not entrenched within the ecosystem. In some methods, it is higher that I do not know all the things I am lacking out on, as a result of it could solely make the FOMO even better. They are saying data is energy, however the one factor data does right here is make me want I had a unique cellphone.

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If you happen to’re on the fence about shopping for an Apple TV 4K as a result of you do not have one other Apple product, I would say ignore that feeling and simply go for it. I have been getting by simply nice with out some other Apple merchandise, however you possibly can very simply find yourself like me and need you had different merchandise to pair with it. You will shortly discover out that merely shopping for a $1,000 cellphone is not so simple as it sounds, and then you definitely’ll be caught with figuring out about all these cool issues with no approach to make use of them.

One other factor that flies below the radar with the Apple TV being your solely product is that it is troublesome to cancel a subscription. I signed up for the then-Bally Sports activities app on my Apple TV 4K, and once I wished to cancel it, I needed to undergo the Apple TV 4K. On the floor, that is not a problem, however once I run into error messages, there is no different technique to cancel a service. I needed to undergo Apple Help to lastly get it canceled, however it was one thing I believed was extra sophisticated than it wanted to be.

That is simply one of many actual world conditions I bumped into with out proudly owning one other Apple product. I am not dashing out to improve my cellphone instantly due to these options, however it does give me a way of being on the surface trying in. Lots of people can get by simply nice with out having an iPhone to pair with the Apple TV 4K, however there is no doubt you are lacking out on a whole lot of cool issues.

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