3 Big Reasons Why Apple TV is Different from other Digital Media Players
The 1st generation Apple TV was released in 2007. Apple powered the device with the modified version of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. The 2nd and 3rd generations of Apple TV were based on iOS platforms. 2nd generation runs on iOS 4 and iOS 7 platforms. 3rd generation runs on iOS 5, iOS 6 and iOS 8 platforms.
What will help you distinguish an Apple TV software version is from the iOS platform that runs it. For example, Apple TV Software 4.0 is based on iOS 4.1 while the latest Apple TV Software 7.0.3 is based on iOS 8.1.3. Apple TVs were also assigned with model numbers for quick identification during product support handling.
Apple TV keeps on improving
From 2007 to present, Apple engineers have embedded powerful technologies inside Apple TV. One of these is the Apple single-core A5 chip. Apple TV’s strong hardware and software foundation could be one of the main reasons why Apple TV became one of the standards in modern TV entertainment systems.
It was significant that after the launching of the 1st generation Apple TV, there were hundreds of reported modifications and hacks on this network appliance and entertainment device. But Apple’s determination in protecting its proprietary rights over this product finally succeeded on the 3rd generation device. Apple removed the bootrom exploit that exposes the system to jailbreaks.
Apple TV is the first of its kind
There are many digital media players available in the market today. If you are going to explore their development backgrounds, you will get to discover that Apple TV is the first of its kind. Apple TV was officially unveiled on January 9, 2007 while here are the release dates of other popular devices.
Google Chromecast: July 24, 2013
Amazon Fire TV Stick: April 2, 2014
WD TV: September 2013
Roku DVP: May 2008
Apple TV set the foundation in digital media streaming using 720p format HDTV broadcasting via a Wi-Fi network appliance.
In fact, some analysts called the 1st generation Apple TV a “DVD Killer” while Steve Jobs once mentioned that it was the “DVD Player of the Internet”.
AirPlay is a powerful technology
According to Apple, “AirPlay lets you wirelessly stream what’s on your iOS devices and Mac to your HDTV and speakers”. With that said, Apple TV is a brilliant invention. Apple combined the capability of AirportExpress, iOS and OS X in order to deliver audiovisual streaming, screen mirroring, dual screen display, and peer-to-peer connectivity over-the-air services.
Apple, on its website, detailed the complete requirements for these AirPlay features to work. Here they are.
AirPlay requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later) with an iOS device running iOS 4.3 or later or a Mac with iTunes 10.2 or later.
Peer-to-peer AirPlay requires a Mac (2012 or later) with OS X Yosemite or an iOS device (late 2012 or later) with iOS 8; and an Apple TV (3rd generation rev A, model A1469 or later) with Apple TV software 7.0 or later.
AirPlay Mirroring is available with iPhone 4s or later; iPad 2 or later; iPad mini; iPod touch (5th generation); and iMac (Mid 2011 or newer), Mac mini (Mid 2011 or newer), MacBook Air (Mid 2011 or newer), MacBook Pro (Early 2011 or newer), and Mac Pro (Late 2013) with OS X Mountain Lion or later.
Dual-screen capability is available with iPhone 4s or later, iPad 2 or later, iPad mini, and iPod touch (5th generation).
The capability of AirPlay doesn’t yet end there. Apple added iTunes and iCloud to further enhance the entertainment experience of Apple TV users. The remote app that lets users control their computer’s iTunes library and Apple TV leverages the capability of home Wi-Fi network. And with iCloud, users can buy music, movies and apps from iTunes and store them on secured cloud storage.
What Apple did is it combined Wi-Fi networking, OS software, mobile computing, cloud computing, software application and HDTV broadcasting technologies in one mini-box.
It is obvious that Apple led the way to the development of modern and robust TV entertainment systems. Apple and its wide range of products and services truly made Apple TV a powerful invention of our generation. Apple TV, at its present state, is truly making a big difference in the tech world.
