It’s no secret that companies want you to buy into their ecosystems so they can keep getting money from you. I admit, it’s a fair strategy, and it’s something that’s kept me attached to the Google line. I have an Android phone, a few Google Homes, and I used a Chromecast for a while.
All of that changed when I picked up an Apple TV 4K. The only reason I did it was for Dolby Atmos on Apple Music, and while that was enjoyable for a while, my subscription was short-lived. However, I had fallen in love with my Apple TV 4K, and it quickly replaced my Chromecast. It didn’t take long for me to realize the drawbacks of the Apple TV being my only device in the ecosystem, however. If I lost my remote, I couldn’t use my phone to track it down. I couldn’t cast to my Apple TV like I could with my Chromecast. Anything I bought on my Google Play account was inaccessible on my Apple TV.
What was left for me to do was to slowly convert to an Apple household. However, it didn’t happen. The Apple TV 4K is still my only Apple product, and while I’m interested in grabbing things like an iPad, I’m not in any hurry to do so. I thought I would slowly start to make the switch, but I haven’t budged at all yet. I finally upgraded my old phone, but instead of grabbing an iPhone, I picked up a Google Pixel 9a. Something I thought was inevitable has been fended off. I even started to ask myself why that was the case, and I don’t even think I have a great answer myself. I guess I’m comfortable with what I have.
- Brand
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Apple
- Bluetooth codecs
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5.0
- Wi-Fi
-
6
- Ethernet
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Gigabit (128GB model only)
- Storage and RAM
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64GB, 128GB
The Apple TV hasn’t converted me yet
I don’t know if it ever will
I’ve had the Apple TV 4K for a few years now, so I would’ve thought the Apple overlords would have their hooks in me by now, but they haven’t. In fact, I haven’t felt the desire to go out and grab an Apple product at all, despite being in a clear situation where I’d benefit from it. It’s strange because Apple products especially feel like they thrive when they are paired with other Apple products.
The problem is that I’d have to replace a bunch of stuff to make it worthwhile. I don’t like to create a lot of e-waste, and that’s what I’d be doing in this scenario. My phone, tablet, speakers, etc. all work just fine, so what would I do with them? I use my Google Home all the time, and while it’d be fine if I had an Apple product there using Siri instead, it’s just not needed. If I was starting from scratch with my Apple TV 4K, I’d probably buy Apple products, but that’s not the situation I’m in.
A full conversation isn’t something people just do. It takes a lot of thought, and you’re probably better off just switching a few things over at a time. I’m sort of considering that by getting an iPad when my current Android tablet needs an upgrade. By doing this, I can slowly make a switch over without losing all of my content. I could also just keep using my Google Pixel and have both of the storefronts. I don’t watch videos on my phone since I have a tablet for that, so an iPad makes a lot more sense for me than an iPhone.
Ultimately, I’m happy that I haven’t had to go out and buy more products to make my Apple TV fit in. The idea of a unified ecosystem is great for corporations, but it’s kind of hard for me to get on board as a consumer. I tend to buy the best product available when I can, so it’d be a bummer to be locked into iOS and see Android get the cool foldable phones knowing I have no way of getting them. I know there have been rumors about a foldable iPhone, but I’d rather not wait around hoping for my brand loyalty to pay off if I don’t have to.
The exclusive features don’t move me
I’m fine with being left out here
Things I’m currently missing out on by not having any other Apple products are the Find my Remote feature and FaceTime. I’m not particularly interested in using an Apple TV to video call people, and I have a universal remote now, so it wouldn’t matter if I lost it as my phone wouldn’t help me anyway. Don’t get me wrong, these are cool features, and I can’t figure out why Apple would lock something like finding a lost remote behind a separate device. The Roku Ultra has a dedicated button to help you find your remote on the device itself, so I’m not sure why Apple doesn’t do that too.
The way it stands right now is having extra Apple products act as icing on the cake. Yes, losing the ability to cast is a big loss, but that’s really the only negative I can think of. I still have a Google TV, so it’s not like I’m locked out of it entirely. As long as things stay this way, I’ll be happy. I really don’t want to be pushed in one direction or the other. When the time comes and I finally get an iPhone, if I do, I want it to be on my own terms.
