The Apple TV as a media streamer is likely on its way out. The announcement of the Apple TV app, Apple TV+, and the availability of both (along with AirPlay 2) on various smart TV and media streaming platforms leads up to believe that Apple is planning to eventually phase out the Apple TV itself and rely on other companies’ hardware for accessing its content stores and libraries.
If you simply want to access iTunes content on your TV and already have an iPhone or iPad, your TV might be able to do just that without a media streamer. Several 2017, 2018, and 2019 LG, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio TVs are getting or have gotten Apple AirPlay 2 support, which lets you stream media from your iOS device directly to your TV over Apple’s own platform. Those platforms, along with Fire TV and Roku, will also be getting the Apple TV app in May, and will be able to access Apple TV+ when it launches this fall.
The Apple TV 4K is still available, though it’s expensive compared with nearly every other alternative out there. For the price, you get a remote that lets you talk to Siri, lots of streaming compatibility with your iOS and macOS devices, and a decent handful of apps via the Apple TV app store. However, with AirPlay 2 and the Apple TV app coming to other, much more affordable media streamers, we can’t find much of a reason to recommend the Apple TV 4K much longer, even if you’re a dedicated iOS user.
