Apple TV

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Apple TV is a digital media player and a microconsole developed and sold by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance and entertainment device that can receive digital data for visual and audio content such as music, video, video games, or the screen display of certain other devices, and play it on a connected television set or other video display.

Apple TV is an HDMI-compliant source device. To use it for viewing, it has to be connected to an enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen television via an HDMI cable. The device has no integrated controls and can only be controlled externally, either by an Apple Remote or Siri Remote control device (which is included with Apple TV) or by a third-party app that is compatible with the device.

Apple TV runs on an operating system called tvOS which is a variant of iOS. It is available with either a 32 GB or 64 GB hard drive. The device also includes a dual-core A8 chip with 64-bit architecture, and supports 1080p resolution for high-definition graphics.

History[edit | edit source]

The first generation of the Apple TV was unveiled by Apple Inc. on January 9, 2007, and was released on March 21, 2007. The major development of the device included the ability to rent and purchase content directly from it, as well as support for streaming from an iTunes library. Apple also enhanced the capability of the Apple TV to support the 1080p videos from iTunes and YouTube.

The second generation of the Apple TV was unveiled on September 1, 2010, and was the first to run on a variant of iOS. The device was now housed in a very small all-black case, and the pricing was reduced to $99. In addition, it was the first to support voice control via Siri.

The third generation Apple TV was announced on March 7, 2012, and included 1080p video output support and the new user interface. The fourth generation Apple TV, with support for third-party software via an App Store, was announced on September 9, 2015, and launched on October 30, 2015.

Features[edit | edit source]

Apple TV allows consumers to use an HDTV to stream video, music, and podcasts as well as downloading apps and games from the Apple App Store. The Apple TV supports streaming content from iTunes, as well as services such as Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. Users can also mirror content from their iOS devices to the TV via AirPlay, as well as using the device to play games with the Siri Remote and third-party controllers.

See also[edit | edit source]





Apple TV Resources

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD