You probably have a large TV as big as 80 inches in your front room. But have you considered a projector that can deliver video as big as 200 inches? This is where the NEBULA Cosmos 4K SE Projector comes in.

Priced at $1299 / £1299, Nebula's latest product wants to redefine what it means to use a projector, which brought me back to a time when I was back in school. Back then, projectors were used to showcase Microsoft PowerPoint presentations to large classrooms, but the image would be so dark and grainy that it would be hard to decipher what the slides displayed.

Fast forward to 2024, and projectors have come a long way. Compact projectors can generate gigantic images with no degradation with very high brightness. The Cosmos 4K SE Projector takes this to the next level, with the ability to project your videos and photos in crisp 4K Dolby Vision, with a brightness technology called HybridBeam that can display content at 1,800 lumens. There's even a handle, perfect to bring along for family vacations, especially for when the kids might want to watch some shows on the Cosmos 4K SE.

Lights, Projector, Action

Since testing the Cosmos 4K SE for a few days, we've found it to be a fantastic option for your front room or when traveling. Being able to use it almost anywhere with a flat surface, as well as maintaining picture quality for watching movies and playing games is second to none. In fact, I'm considering replacing my LG C2 TV and using the Cosmos 4K SE full-time instead. The convenience of moving it around my home when needed is hard to resist.

Granted, this projector may be a bit steep price-wise, but for what the Cosmos 4K SE offers, you could argue that the £1299 is justified, especially if you like to live the full van life.

When you combine the brightness levels that the Cosmos 4K SE is capable of, as well as the ability to watch the best Apple TV Plus shows, as well as use apps like Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube thanks to Google TV, you've got a fantastic projector that you can take anywhere, bringing the full cinema experience with you.

When you're shopping in the world of streaming devices the Apple TV 4K is very much at the top of the pile. It's the best Apple TV device that Apple has ever made, with a fast Apple-designed A15 Bionic chip as well as support for 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ content. There's Dolby Atmos support for high-spec audio fans, while you'll also get the upgraded Siri Remote with actual buttons rather than the terrible touch-sensitive panel of older versions. But it might have some new competition from Google.

The device is sleek, coming in porcelain and hazel colours – quite the upgrade. The reason for ditching the dongle design? There's a Thread border router and support for Matter smart home gadgets crammed inside. Under the hood, there's a chipset with 22% more processing power and twice the RAM compared to the Chromecast with Google TV, promising a smoother experience when navigating the Google TV UI. Despite this boost, Apple TV 4K still holds the crown for gaming performance.

Around the back, you'll find HDMI 2.1a, gigabit Ethernet for those who despise buffering, and USB-C power delivery. Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1 may seem a tad outdated, but they’ll handle Chromecast streaming.

The Streamer also comes with Google's new Gemini AI, which provides show summaries and user reviews to save you from the agony of binge-watching a terrible series. The generative ambient mode screensavers give you an extra option, when the screen fades off. Google's remote has had a revamp, too. Volume buttons have moved to the front – no more fumbling around the sides – and there's a customisable button that defaults to launching the Google Home panel. For those prone to losing the remote, a button on the back of the streamer makes it beep until found.

The Google TV Streamer will hit the shelves in the US on 24 September for $100. No word on global availability just yet. But how does it compare to the Apple TV 4K?

Google TV Streamer vs Apple TV 4K

Google’s offering is a cool $100, while Apple TV 4K comes in at $179. If your wallet’s feeling a bit light, Google has the upper hand here. Both devices support 4K HDR content, both with Dolby Vision support.

In terms of design, both devices are sleek, but Google’s porcelain and hazel colours might have the edge if you’re looking for something that blends seamlessly with your decor. When it comes to processing power, Google’s new chipset boasts 22% more power than the old Chromecast with Google TV, but Apple TV 4K’s A12 Bionic chip is still the champ, especially for gaming.

Connectivity-wise, Google TV Streamer includes HDMI 2.1a and gigabit Ethernet, while Apple TV 4K also sports HDMI 2.1 but goes one better with Wi-Fi 6. Bluetooth 5.1 on Google’s box might feel a bit archaic compared to Apple’s Bluetooth 5.0, but it gets the job done.

Smart home integration is where Google TV Streamer shines, with a Thread border router and Matter support. Apple TV 4K has HomeKit and can act as a Matter hub, but Google’s integration feels more robust, especially with the Gemini AI for show recommendations and smart home control right on your screen.

Google’s revamped remote is a hit with its customisable button and front-facing volume controls. Apple’s remote, though, is no slouch with its Siri integration and touchpad. However, the Google remote’s ability to beep when lost is a simple but genius feature that we've been asking Apple to add for years.

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The latest beta version of tvOS, released on August 5, introduces a new feature to wirelessly send web links from an Apple TV to an iPhone.

In a post on Threads, Sigmund Judge explains how some immersive videos, designed for Apple Vision Pro, can be sent as a web link via AirDrop to the best iPhones or iPads. In tvOS 18 beta 5, Judge demonstrates a new button that enables users to wirelessly send a link to a video to their iPhone, which will open in Apple’s Safari web browser. For those unaware, AirDrop is a feature that allows users to wirelessly send types of media or a link to another device, such as a photo, contact information, and more. This new feature may suggest that Apple wants to make it easier to send links from Apple TV to other devices thanks to AirDrop, but the company could be laying the groundwork for more.

Judge notes that the latest beta of tvOS 18 has code that hints at the “ability to distribute related media like books, soundtracks and AR experiences to iPhone and iPad.”

With new features like Distraction Control in Safari now available in the latest betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, it’s good to see a new feature come to tvOS as well. 

However, time will tell if the ability to send web links via AirDrop will expand to other media types, as Judge mentioned, by the time the update is released.

Apple says that tvOS 18 will be available for compatible Apple TV devices later this year.

What else is new in tvOS 18?

tvOS 18 didn’t receive as many new features compared to iOS 18, but there are still some updates worth mentioning. First, Insight allows users to check the actors in a show they’re watching, similar to Amazon Prime Video’s X-Ray feature. Apple’s version goes further by recognizing the music being played in certain scenes, allowing users to play the track in Apple Music.

Enhanced Dialogue, a feature that can raise the volume of characters speaking in a scene, has seen a big improvement. Previously, this feature was only available when Apple TV was connected to a HomePod. In tvOS 18, Enhanced Dialogue can be used with TV speakers, a soundbar, and more. In addition, Screensavers have been redesigned to feature scenes from the best Apple TV Plus shows. 

Overall, tvOS 18 looks to be a collection of small improvements to make a big impression in the upcoming update. If you use Apple TV daily, you’re likely to benefit from what tvOS 18 will offer when it becomes available later this year.

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Despite the rough state that Resident Evil 4 Remake appears on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, it’s still a fantastic time. The same feeling applies when I switch to my Mac or iPad to continue my progress. Yet there’s one Apple device that’s starting to stick out like a sore thumb.

Yes, it’s the Apple TV 4K, the company’s set-top box that’s meant to sit aside your television so you can watch the best Apple TV Plus shows, play the best Apple Arcade games, and more. I do exactly this, as well as using the great feature that lets me FaceTime my wife on the TV using my iPhone’s camera when she’s away.

It is a great device, yet the more I play games like Resident Evil and Death Stranding on my iPhone, the more puzzled I become as to why I can’t carry on my progress on my Apple TV. You might think, “Why not just use AirPlay mirroring to send your iPhone or Mac’s display to your Apple TV?” This is something I’ve done, and it doesn’t work well. The Apple TV gets confused with my Mac’s resolution, especially when a game launches and forcibly changes the resolution, making everything dim and pixelated. Essentially, it’s a hassle.

It’s clear to me that it’s high time for Apple to release a new Apple TV that focuses on games being offered by developers like Capcom and Kojima Productions. This way, I can play these AAA games in my living room, just like millions of gamers do with their Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox consoles.

The Ghost of Pippin

If you’ve been an Apple fan in the last few decades, you may remember the company’s efforts in the early 90s when it tried to enter the gaming market with its own console, called the Pippin.

This gaming console looked like the result of a special hug between the Sony PlayStation and SEGA Saturn consoles. A white box with many buttons on the top, its controller was wireless — innovative for its time but was awkward to hold, due to it resembling a boomerang. This design wasn’t too dissimilar from Sony’s prototype controller for its PlayStation 3 console almost ten years later, which was quickly scrapped.

Apple partnered with Bandai, a Japanese toy manufacturer, to help build the console. It was eventually made available in Japan in March 1996, followed by a release in the U.S. market in October 1996, priced at $599.

The games made available for the Pippin were, unremarkable. The library mostly consisted of titles from Bandai that focused more on educational subjects like Math and English. Safe to say, the console failed in 1996.

Why am I mentioning this, you say? Because Apple has never taken games as seriously as it does now. The company’s efforts with Game Porting Kit, which allows developers to easily port games to Apple devices, has opened up how modern games can run on Macs. In addition, features like ray-tracing debuting on the A17 and M4 Apple silicon chips have highlighted Apple’s new commitment to gaming. After so long, the pieces seem to be in place for a new Apple TV to make a huge impact on the company’s gaming efforts.

What can a new Apple TV offer?

The current Apple TV has been out for two years now, which is enough time for an upgrade. Not only could a new model include a powerful M4 chip but also offer exclusive features, to take advantage of the fact that it’s always plugged into a wall socket instead of running on a battery.

This constant power source could allow for an M4 chip with a faster clock speed, without worrying about a battery being drained. Additionally, there’s also the factor of games needing to run at higher resolutions than they do on the best iPhones, iPads, Macs. Most televisions display in a 4K resolution (3840x2160). If we take the display resolution of a MacBook Pro 16-inch at 3456x2234, that’s almost 4K. Yet most games render at a far lower 1920x1080 resolution. Metal, Apple’s gaming framework, upscales and renders the game with MetalFX, resulting in a clearer image on Mac displays.

In order to fully take advantage of 4K televisions, Apple may need to introduce a new version of MetalFX that can upscale games to a 4K resolution. In my opinion, this is crucial, because users could easily switch on their PlayStation 5 console and play Resident Evil 4 at 4K with a 120FPS framerate.

Because of this, Apple must ensure that they’re offering the best gaming experience on a new Apple TV model by rendering games at a native 4K resolution as standard.

Apple TV can right the wrongs of Pippin

When I look at the Apple Siri Remote and what tvOS offers, I’m happy. There are no glaring omissions that need fixing or adding to Apple TV. For me, the next step is games. It’s time for Apple to take gaming seriously, more than it ever has before.

Apple failed with the Pippin in the 90s, but now there’s a great opportunity. The Apple TV can sit beside other gaming consoles in the living room and let you play Death Stranding, and soon, Resident Evil 2 in the best quality. Make it happen Apple.

Google is working on a sequel to its popular Chromecast with Google TV dongle, and its brand new ‘Google TV Streamer’ just leaked with a design that will have Apple fans mourning for AirPower all over again. 

It’s been revealed this week that Google is dropping the discrete dongle in favor of a front-and-center streaming box. But rather than adopt the small black box form factor of the Apple TV 4K or rivals like Roku, Google appears to have opted for a much lower-profile white number that looks more like a charging pad or wireless router. 

Images shared by 9to5Google reveal “a set-top/table-top design that has a slanted, pill-shaped surface.”

Google’s Apple TV challenge 

The leaked images reveal a rounded remote with a similar makeup to Apple’s own Apple TV remote, replete with a D-Pad and buttons for back, home, microphone, and volume. The remote is a bit more comprehensive than Apple’s offering, however, with dedicated shortcut buttons for YouTube and Netflix. 

The design of the streamer itself is interesting, its reduced height would make it ideal for position underneath a TV where headroom might be more limited. Conversely, it looks like it will take up a lot more real estate because of how wide it is. Apple fans of recent years will note the striking similarity to Apple’s canceled AirPower project, the company’s unreleased charging mat first unveiled in 2018. 

This is purely a design leak at this stage, so gleaning any kind of specs or functionality is pretty much impossible at this stage. Given the current Chromecast with Google TV only costs 29 bucks, it’s likely this more comprehensive offering is going to be a bit more expensive. However, it seems unlikely it will challenge the premium price tag of Apple’s $130 Apple TV 4K. 

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I know this feature is basically just a rip-off of Prime Video's X-Ray technology, but I don't care. I'm super excited about Apple's upcoming InSight feature for the Apple TV app.

As reported by 9to5Mac, the InSight feature went live for users running the latest iOS 18 and tvOS 18 developer betas today. iOS 18 beta 3 and tvOS 18 beta 3 both rolled out to those signed up to the beta program today and, with it, developers can finally feast their eyes on the most exciting feature for tvOS in years.

As Apple described in its press release, InSight allows you to see "timely information" about an actor, character, or music playing on a show or movie from Apple TV+, the company's streaming service.

"This fall, the Apple TV app introduces InSight, a feature that displays timely information about actors, characters, and music from Apple TV+ movies and shows onscreen in real time. Users can simply select an actor to view their background and filmography page, or quickly view the song that is playing in a scene and add it to an Apple Music playlist. Viewers can also see InSight information on their iPhone when using it as an Apple TV remote."

This is the most exciting feature for Apple TV in years

It sounds dumb, but this is the most exciting feature I've seen come to the Apple TV in a while. I think the last time we got something this cool for the Apple TV was when the company redesigned the Apple TV app altogether.

There are so many times when I'm watching a show or movie on Apple TV+ (or any other streaming service) that I want to know the song that is playing. Up until now, we've always had to grab our iPhone and fire up the Shazam app. More recently, Apple made this easier by integrating Shazam directly into Control Center but still, it wasn't the most seamless experience.

Even if you were ready to Shazam, you would need enough time to understand the song. There's been plenty of times that the song wouldn't play long enough or there was too much dialogue overtop of it for the app to figure out what song it was.

With InSight, you won't need to reach for your iPhone to catch the song in time anymore. Apple is really taking advantage of the fact that it owns both Apple TV+ and Apple Music to show the song immediately. Plus, since things are integrated so well, you can add the song to your Apple Music library right while you are watching your show or movie without leaving the Apple TV app.

I wonder if the song is going to be added to your library or favorited? This is the one thing that I'm a little worried about a disjointed experience here. On the Apple Music app on the iPhone, you "Favorite" a song when you're on the Now Playing screen. However, the Apple TV app seems to be a "plus" icon, indicating that you're adding it to your library. I have no idea what Apple's plan is here, but I hope it simplifies things soon — this kind of stuff bothers me.

Regardless of that potential inconsistency, I can't wait to finally be able to add every song I hear and like during a show or movie to my library in the easiest way possible. The only thing left to be is for Apple to be able to bring this technology to more services than just Apple TV+. If it can open it up to developers and they adopt it as well, that would be fantastic. Until then, we always have Shazam.

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There have long been rumors that Apple is working on a new smart home device that would be a cross between the HomePod and the Apple TV, but so far Apple is yet to confirm its existence. Now, a new leak appears to have done it anyway.

According to that leak, Apple is currently working on a device that has the model identifier "HomeAccessory17,1." That identifier does not currently exist and what's more, there is no such device called "HomeAccessory" anywhere in Apple's current lineup. The HomePod uses the "AudioAccessory" identifier, however.

The new reference could suggest that Apple is getting ready to launch a whole new type of device, but when that could happen is far from clear.

HomeAccessory17,1

The news was shared by MacRumors which says it discovered code referencing the device on Apple's backend, suggesting that it is not yet ready for public consumption.

However, perhaps the most interesting part of the leak is the suggestion that this mystery device could use that A18 chip, silicon that is also expected to power the iPhone 16 later this year. If so, we could see this device sport Apple Intelligence – a feature that won't be coming to existing HomePod hardware.

"Interestingly, the 17,1 in the identifier name suggests that this device may receive Apple's upcoming A18 chip, which will be used in all four iPhone 16 models later this year," the report notes. "With the A18 chip, the HomeAccessory device would have the power for Apple Intelligence."

If Apple really is reading a new smart home device we could see it debut in September around the same time that new iPhones and Apple Watches are also expected to break cover.

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While Apple Intelligence stole the show at WWDC 2024, and will come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year (unless you’re in the UK) Apple didn’t forget its other platforms.

tvOS didn’t get a whole host of new features announced for its 18th installment, but some nifty features may just keep you reaching for Apple’s remote over one from a competitor.

Here’s everything coming in tvOS 18, from TV app improvements to new projector aspect ratio support.

tvOS 18: New features

TV app improvements

Not to be confused with Apple TV the device or Apple TV Plus the service, the TV app is getting some fresh new features. 

InSight is Apple’s equivalent to Prime Video’s X-Ray option, letting you check out which actor is in a scene, a blurb about the character they’re playing, and other additional information including where you may have seen them before.

Enhance Dialogue is also getting an improvement, which should make it easier for those with hearing impairments, or simply those that prefer clearer audio, to pick out dialogue amongst action scenes.

Apple says “In addition to HomePod speakers, users can now enjoy Enhance Dialogue when listening through built-in TV or HDMI-connected speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth-connected devices, and when playing supported content on iPhone and iPad.”

Subtitles will be switched on automatically if you mute the video, while rewinding will also add them so you can catch up on anything you’ve missed.

21:9 support

The tvOS 18 update will give users the option to playback in the 21:9 projector format, increasing the available display options on your Apple TV. 

Fitness Plus redesign 

If you’ve been using Apple Fitness Plus to get yourself in shape, you’ll be pleased to know the Fitness Plus app is getting an overhaul. 

The app will offer a personalized For You section, and make it easier to find the workout you’re looking for.

Rewards have also been updated, so you can earn what Apple calls “enhanced awards”, but we’re not sure what that could mean as yet.

New wallpapers

New wallpapers are coming with tvOS, including adorable new Snoopy and Woodstock options, as well as some based on Apple TV Plus shows like Foundation. 

Live Captions

In the US and Canada, you’ll be able to access Live Captions via the Continuity Camera on tvOS 18.

That means if you’re displaying your FaceTime call on your TV, you’ll get automatic subtitles during a call.

tvOS 18: Expected release date

The tvOS 18 developer beta is available now, with a public beta slated for July. For now, though, the developer one is your only option.

Come September, the update will roll out to all compatible Apple TV models.

tvOS 18: Compatible models

tvOS 18 will work on the old Apple TV HD from 2015 and onward, as well as every 4K Apple TV model released so far.

I'm definitely a more traditional gamer. I've been playing on Xbox since the original launched and have more recently also dove into the worlds of PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Okay, so I guess I'm more of a traditional CONSOLE gamer.

With that in mind, I've been really excited to see what Apple has been doing lately with gaming. From launching AAA titles like Assassin's Creed and Death Stranding on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac to bringing its Apple Arcade service to Apple TV, the company has been more into gaming than it's ever been.

However, playing Apple Arcade on Apple TV isn't anything like playing a AAA game on my Xbox Series X. Apple Arcade is certainly packed with plenty of games, but all of the games are more casual in both graphics and complexity. You're not going to find anything like Call of Duty running on an Apple TV right now.

Goodbye Apple TV, hello Fire TV

While my Xbox Series X is hooked up to the television in my living room, I wasn't about to buy a Series S to hook up to my bedroom TV. So, I've been playing Apple Arcade on my Apple TV.

That's probably about to change. Xbox has announced that it is partnering up with Amazon to launch the Xbox Cloud Gaming app on the $49.99 Fire TV Stick 4K and the $59.99 Fire TV Stick 4k Max in July. Now, if you have a compatible Fire TV Stick, a Bluetooth controller, and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription ($16.99 per month), you can stream your games to any television hooked up with a decent enough internet connection — no console required.

As someone who has been a Game Pass subscriber for years now and who held off dropping hundreds of dollars to hook up a Series S to my bedroom TV, this is the announcement I've been waiting for. I was jealous when Xbox Cloud Gaming to select Samsung TVs...because I have Sony TVs, and I know Sony isn't about to put Xbox on its TVs directly (cough, PlayStation).

Knowing that all I have to do now is to buy a $50 streaming stick and pop it into the back of my bedroom to access all of the games in Xbox Cloud Gaming while I'm relaxing in bed? You've sold me, Xbox. Apple Arcade on my Apple TV is about to gather a heck of a lot of dust.

Of course, all of this hinges on Xbox Cloud Gaming running on the Fire TV Sticks well. If it's buggy or laggy, I'll be returning the Fire TV and going back to waiting for a solution that works. However, I've tried Cloud Gaming on my laptop and phone before and have been pretty happy with the performance, so I have a feeling this one is going to stick...see what I did there?

A future Apple TV 4K could make this more interesting

While AAA gaming hasn't come to the Apple TV yet and set up Xbox to steal me away, there is a pretty good reason. Right now, AAA games running on Apple devices currently require the performance of the  A17 Pro currently powering the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max or an M-Series processor currently powering the latest Macs, iPad Airs, and iPad Pros.

Apple could always release a new generation of the Apple TV 4K that is powerful enough to bring AAA games to the set-top box. That said, rumors of such a thing are incredibly scarce and Apple basically forgot tvOS existed at WWDC 2024 this year, so things aren't looking promising right now.

So, I think I'm going to have to make my way over to Amazon to buy a Fire TV and enjoy my games through Xbox Cloud Gaming for now. Apple Arcade games will have to stick to my iPhone which, honestly, is where most of them belong anyway.

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tvOS 18 was announced at WWDC 2024 on June 10, with Apple revealing some exciting changes to your home entertainment box, such as InSight.

If you're a developer, you know it's time to get tvOS 18 onto your test devices so you can bring your apps up to speed with Apple's latest Apple TV software. We advise general members of the public against installing the beta until Apple releases a public beta in a few weeks time.

With this in mind, here's how to download and install tvOS 18 beta 1.

How to download and install tvOS 18 beta

How to download and install tvOS 18 developer beta

Beta software, also referred to as a preview, seed, or release candidate, is a version of software that’s still under development and not yet released to the public. This software is intended only for installation on development devices registered under your Apple Developer Program membership. Registered development devices can be upgraded to future beta releases and the public version of the software. Attempting to install beta software in an unauthorized manner violates Apple policy and could render your device unusable and necessitate an out-of-warranty repair. Make sure to back up your devices before installing beta software and install only on devices and systems that you’re prepared to erase if necessary.

1. Open Settings on your Apple TV
2. Select System then Software Updates
3. Choose Beta Updates then tvOS 18 developer beta

It's that simple. You no longer need to use Xcode or any other external software to update your Apple TV to the newest tvOS developer beta, and you don't need to be a developer either.

How to download and install tvOS 18 public beta

The tvOS 18 public beta is not currently available but we expect to see the first iteration in July. The process is identical to the developer beta installation:

1. Open Settings on your Apple TV
2. Select System then Software Updates
3. Choose Beta Updates then tvOS 18 public beta

The next step in tvOS

Although there aren't many new features this year for tvOS, you'll likely be using what's been announced for tvOS 18 in due course.

For instance, InSight lets you find out more information about the actors and music in the show you're watching. This is very familiar to Amazon Prime Video's 'X-Ray' feature, so if you've used that before, you'll feel right at home.

tvOS 18 now supports 21:9 projectors, which can be great for watching certain movies in their intended aspect ratio. Enhanced dialog improves the way you hear actor's voices in certain scenes that may be harder to hear. There's also a new dynamic subtitles feature that only shows captions when you need them. Finally, Screensavers have been redesigned in how you can choose them, as well as a new portraits category.

Follow WWDC 2024 as it happened. Check out our roundups for all the latest on the newly announced iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, and Apple Intelligence.

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services. So of it course it has a dedicated streaming app on most platforms. But where do users watch most? On their TV, naturally. And Netflix on your TV is about to look totally different, thanks to this incoming redesign.

The Netflix app on the excellent Apple TV 4K, other streaming devices, and smart TVs is testing a spiffy new look. It offers a homepage where static tiles are gone. Now, as soon as your remote's cursor flirts with a title, the box will expand, making all that glorious content burst onto your screen.

What else is changing in the redesigned Netflix?

With this revamp, you only need to hover over a title and a mini-preview starts playing right within the tile. And, if you linger a bit longer, you’ll get all the juicy details below the box: synopsis, release year, episode count, genre. All the info is there, so there's no need to go hunting. Netflix’s current layout showcases trailers and other info at the top of the screen. The new design consolidates everything, making the whole interface feel more cohesive and less like a scavenger hunt.

According to Pat Flemming, Netflix’s senior director of product, the brand is doing this to save us from "doing gymnastics with our eyes." Bless. Netflix also ditched the clunky left-side menu. Instead, you’ll find a sleek new menu bar at the top with options like search, home, shows, movies, and My Netflix.

Some of the old menu's clutter, like Categories and New & Popular, has been shown the door. But fret not, Categories is still accessible through the search tab, and the new My Netflix tab, which debuted on mobile last year, is now part of the TV experience. This nifty tab offers personalised recommendations and quick access to your recently watched or saved titles.

This overhaul is Netflix's "first effort" at what they think will be a smashing new TV experience. With the platform dabbling in live events, the new design couldn’t come at a better time. For now, this redesign is being tested with a select group of subscribers on smart TVs and streaming devices. If all goes well, Netflix hopes to roll it out to the masses in the coming months.

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When you're shopping in the world of streaming devices the Apple TV 4K is very much at the top of the pile. It's the best Apple TV device that Apple has ever made, but it definitely isn't the cheapest option out there. Thankfully, sometimes a deal comes along that helps lessen the sticker shock somewhat.

Right now Verizon is offering you the chance to pick up the 64GB version of the latest Apple TV 4K for just $89.99, a deal that represents a $40 savings. It's also a deal that doesn't require that you enter any discount codes or clip any coupons which isn't always the case, too.

That doesn't mean there isn't a catch, though. Verizon isn't saying how long this deal is going to last which means that there is always the chance it will happen at any moment and without warning — keep that in mind when you're planning to place your order.

•  TV deals: Walmart | Samsung | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 

Save on Apple TV before it's too late

In terms of features, the Apple TV 4K comes with a fast Apple-designed A15 Bionic chip as well as support for 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ content. There's Dolby Atmos support for high-spec audio fans, while you'll also get the upgraded Siri Remote with actual buttons rather than the terrible touch-sensitive panel of older versions.

This Apple TV device has the App Store built-in with support for games and more, while all buyers will get a free three-month Apple TV Plus trial included for good measure.

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Netflix fans who happen to watch their favorite TV shows via 2nd and 3rd-generation Apple TVs might need to consider upgrading to a newer model after the streamer warned that it will drop support for those devices soon.

In an email sent to subscribers, Netflix warned that it will no longer support the older Apple TV hardware after July 31, 2024. The move means that owners of those devices will need to upgrade to something newer, like the excellent Apple TV 4K.

All streamed out

The news, reported by AppleInsider, didn't come with any specific explanation other than the fact that Netflix believes it has to take this step in order to "maintain the best possible" experience for subscribers. It isn't yet clear what prompted the decision, however.

The older Apple TV devices do not support the App Store which means that there are plenty of reasons to upgrade to a newer model beyond this Netflix news.

The current Apple TV is available with 4K support as well as up to 128GB of storage. You'll need to get the big storage option if you want to use Ethernet connectivity, but for those who just want to watch their favorite TV shows, there is little reason not to buy the 64GB entry-level model. Note that the 64GB model doesn't support Thread smart home networking, however.

Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV hardware since 2022 so a new model could be in the works but rumors have so far been sparse.

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Apple's WWDC 2024 is just a few days away, but a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests we shouldn't expect hardware.

While last year saw the debut of the 15-inch MacBook Air, and rumors had suggested an Apple TV refresh could be coming this time, it appears Apple will instead focus on iOS 18, iPadOS, macOS 15 and watchOS 11, as well as updates to visionOS.

Writing in his Power On newsletter, Gurman says "There's no hardware slated to be announced at WWDC, unless Apple unexpectedly previews a new device launching later (to be clear: I don't expect that),"

That seems pretty definitive, and while Gurman had previously suggested an Apple TV hardware refresh was on the way, it appears it "isn't imminent" now - despite price drops in some European countries.

No new Macs at WWDC

Gurman also suggests we won't see any new Mac models, noting as part of his report that the M4 Mac range "isn't coming until the fall", also noting "I hope you like AI".

That means you can expect plenty of the keynote presentation to focus on Apple's efforts in the increasingly competitive AI space.

In fact, Gurman also suggests you'll need a more recent iPhone Pro model to be able to use many of the new features, while Mac users with Intel processors could be left AI-less.

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While last month's 'Let Loose' event saw the first refresh of the iPad line in over a year, some keen-eyed fans think they've spotted the next long-awaited update in the product line.

As spotted on the Apple TV subreddit, one user spotted that the 128GB version of the Apple TV 4K hardware has dropped in price to 169 euros (Around $183/£144), 

It's hardly a steep discount, essentially meaning you can double your storage for no extra cost, but it could signify Apple potentially looking to clear stock ahead of the reveal of a new model. At the time of writing, the price appears to be cut in certain EU markets, but not all.

Could Apple TV's next model be inbound?

Naturally, Reddit is sceptical. Some are hoping for an Apple TV with an M-series processor, while others are expecting a small spec bump that may include extra storage. There's also the chance it's a minor pricing issue and it could change shortly.

Reports have suggested the Apple TV could shift form factor to a more soundbar-like alternative, but we're yet to see any evidence of that.

As we said in our review, the Apple TV 4K is a great option, but it could do with better live TV integration and maybe a little more storage since it can double as a games console now.

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Apple TV already has its killer software feature before WWDC 2024 even begins, and it’s all thanks to RetroArch.

The multi-system emulator has been available for Apple TV, iPad, and iPhone for several weeks now, allowing you to emulate gaming systems and handhelds from the past 40 years. While you can use a controller for your iPhone, as well as a Magic Keyboard connected to an iPad to play some classic games through RetroArch, it’s the feeling of playing these on a couch with a controller via Apple TV that brings home a lot of retro nostalgia, especially if you’ve played these games as a kid.

Granted, it can be a challenge to set up RetroArch, which is why our guide is here to help. The next question though, once the emulator is working as you expect, is how can you emulate that feeling of playing your favorite games as a kid again?

Fortunately, there are a few products that can help make this scenario a reality.

• TV deals: Walmart | Samsung | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg  

Great accessories to use with RetroArch on Apple TV

YouTube has quietly switched off a terrible Apple TV screensaver feature that would stop Apple’s own screensavers from playing.

At the beginning of May, YouTube updated its Apple TV app with a new feature that replaced the pause screen with terrible, pixelated photos. This change required users to press extra buttons on Apple’s Siri Remote to return to their videos. Now though, blogger Joe Steel has discovered that YouTube has disabled this feature, restoring the previous pause behavior. This change isn’t the type of update that was released through the App Store — instead, it looks to be a server-side update. This means that YouTube essentially sent an updated command to its Apple TV app so it could stop playing its screensavers automatically.

This change also seems to have been applied to versions of the app available on Smart TVs. iMore’s How To Editor, John-Anthony Disotto, noticed this change had been made to the YouTube app on his TV as well.

It’s a welcome fix to a feature no one asked for. Once again, you can now resume where you left off on all the best Apple TVs. In addition, you can make sure that Apple’s screensavers will now display when you want them to, thanks to the server-side change that removes the four-minute time limit before the YouTube screensaver would play.

•  TV deals: Walmart | Samsung | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg  

The three best Apple TV screensavers you can choose right now

To celebrate YouTube’s reversal of its terrible screensaver feature, we wanted to showcase a couple of Apple’s own excellent screensavers that you can use on your Apple TV.

The flyover of Yosemite’s National Park in California is an amazing screensaver that you’ll find yourself captivated by — especially if you’re watching it on something like this Samsung 83-inch OLED TV. Another mesmerizing screensaver shows the light of Alaskan Jellyfish. The pulsating movement of the creatures is almost hypnotic, especially if you have a backlight accessory on your TV that reacts to the jellyfish moving across the screen.

Finally, a screensaver called ‘Hawaiian Valley Serenity’ is exactly as described. The blooming greenery, coupled with the flyover slowly bringing the ocean into view almost makes you feel like you’re slowly gliding between the hills.

It was baffling when YouTube introduced a feature that blocked Apple’s screensavers at the start of the month. Now though, you can enjoy them without worrying about YouTube’s pixelated alternative appearing on your Apple TV.

More from iMore

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Carrot Weather 6.0 launches today, featuring a huge redesign that aims to give even more personality and customization options to the weather app.

Developed by Brian Mueller, the headline feature of version 6.0 is the ‘Garden’. This is shown on the main screen of Carrot and grows over the course of a month to add some more personality to the app.

“You'll see cute little robots named Droney, Rover, and Stretch pruning trees, watering plants, and delivering supplies throughout the day,” Mueller told iMore. 

“The garden's growth resets at the start of each month, so you'll never get bored looking at the same static scenery daily.“ Mueller reveals that the Garden will change throughout the month before being reset. 

Existing users of Carrot will be able to keep their customizable layouts of the app regardless of this new redesign — preserving a key feature of the app since its launch in 2015. But that’s not all for this new version. Weather news, sourced from AccuWeather, will now appear on the app’s layouts, tailored to your location. Mueller explains that this addition can help give context to the weather conditions you may be facing in your area at any given time.

Carrot Weather has consistently featured in our best Apple Watch apps and best Apple TV apps guides. The app’s elegantly colorful user interface, as well as its sassy robot that can give you abuse as it tells you the forecast, is a great alternative to Apple’s own Weather app. Version 6.0 promises to be a big evolution with its ‘Garden’ feature — clearly aiming to give more personality to the app than ever before. Although the jury is still out as to whether forecasts can be reliable — some still prefer to look outside for the hourly forecast.

Carrot Weather 6.0 can be downloaded from the App Store for free on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and Apple silicon Macs. The app also offers optional subscriptions from $4.99/month or $19.99/year that have exclusive features, such as storm notifications.

But wait, there’s more!

A big part of Carrot Weather is how you can customize its layout to fit your needs. In version 6.0 when you go to Settings > Layout, there’s now even more you can do to re-arrange the app’s home screen compared to earlier versions.

New features such as a long-requested line chart for the Hourly and Daily Forecast sections can be used, as well as some visual options you can change here too. You can choose various options here — from deciding if the line intersects with the icon or the data label, to changing the color of the line itself.

There’s also a new toggle on the Minutely Forecast section. This lets you quickly switch between a precipitation chart and a mini-map that shows a radar for the area you’re currently in.

Overall, version 6.0 offers a lot of new features that can help tempt new and existing users alike. If you’ve tried Carrot Weather in the past, these new features are well worth trying out to see if they can replace the default daily weather app you may be stuck with.

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I love emulators. These apps, which can mimic other systems, play a crucial role in game preservation. They can allow the next generation of players to see how things used to be in ye olde days of gaming past, via modern devices.

When Apple changed its rule in April to allow retro gaming emulators onto the App Store, I was stunned. It meant that apps that I had been using on my Mac could now be ported onto my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Soon after the rule change was made, multi-system emulators like Delta arrived, as well as those focused on one system, such as Gamma, a Sony PlayStation emulator.

While using these apps on my devices has been great fun, it wasn’t until the arrival of libretro’s powerful RetroArch emulator on May 15 that I felt the category had truly come into its own on Apple’s devices. You can play emulated games on over 30 supported systems with RetroArch alone. That’s way more than Delta supports, and includes more niche systems such as SEGA Saturn, Nintendo Virtual Boy, Neo Geo Pocket Color, and many more.

But there is one slight catch, at least initially — setting up RetroArch can be a headache. There is no guide once you launch the app, nor are there clear instructions as to what certain settings mean, or where files should go. However, when the emulator is set up, you’ll be playing games on your Apple TV and other devices with ease, as well as tinkering with the plethora of features that RetroArch offers. From playing games at higher resolutions than the original hardware was capable of to online multiplayer, the emulator gives some games an extra life, you could say.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a few short guides to help you set RetroArch up on whichever Apple device you choose to use. Retroarch is a deep and powerful emulator, capable of many impressive emulation tricks. But these quick tips will get you playing your favorite old-school games within just a few minutes of downloading the app.

How to set up RetroArch

Regardless of which device you use, the process is the same when setting up RetroArch — apart from one small change when transferring files on an Apple TV, due to the lack of a Files app on tvOS. We do have to stress that the following helps you play independent, homebrew games — we don’t recommend using this guide for games that can breach copyright laws. Instead, we have a couple of lists that feature a bunch of independent games you can play on the emulated systems featured in RetroArch, with homebrew titles for systems including Game Boy, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and more.

With that out of the way, let’s get started.

1. Download RetroArch from the App Store.
2. Using the Files app, go to ‘On my iPhone/iPad > RetroArch > System folder.
3. Place the BIOS files here. [A BIOS file is essentially the start-up screen, which verifies a game for its authenticity when it’s been inserted into the system. Not all systems require BIOS files to run, though you can add some for that added authenticity, such as when playing Game Boy games. To note, we cannot share any BIOS files, due to them being copyright-protected.]
4. In the RetroArch directory in the Files app, go to ‘Downloads’, then create a Folder called ‘ROMS’
5. Use the Files app to drag and drop games, AKA your ROMs, into this folder. ROMs represent the collected data of a game in a package the emulator can read.
   
   [STEPS 4 and 5 for Apple TV users: If you’re using an Apple TV, use a web browser to browse to the IP address stated in the message box that appears once the RetroArch Apple TV app starts up. Then use the web interface on your other device to drop the files into the ‘Downloads’ and ‘ROMS’ folder as stated in the steps above.]
   
6. At the Main Menu in RetroArch, go to Load Content > Downloads > then press ‘Scan’. This will find the games you’ve placed in the ROMS folder.
7. If done correctly, the consoles attributed to the games you’ve added will appear in the Main Menu, ready for you to play.

How to customize RetroArch

If the games are working correctly and you don’t want to change anything from this point onwards, go forth and enjoy. For those who want to change the look and feel of RetroArch, read on.

1. At the Main Menu in RetroArch, go to Settings > Drivers
2. Select ‘Menu’. This is where you can change the user interface. Selecting ‘XMB’ will transform RetroArch into something more akin to the look and feel of Sony’s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable systems.
3. Closing RetroArch and starting it up again will show this new look on your Apple device.

How to customize the hotkeys in RetroArch

As you play a game in RetroArch, you can summon a ‘Quick Menu’. This allows you to save anywhere at any time, as well as being able to take screenshots, rewind your progress, and more. Yet the default button combo to enable this menu is cumbersome. Here’s how you can change this to make it easier for you.

1. At the Main Menu in RetroArch, go to Settings > Input
2. Go to ‘Hotkeys’
3. Scroll down to ‘Menu Toggle’ and select it.
4. You’ll be brought to a selection of button combinations. You can choose whichever suits you best, but we prefer Start + Select.
5. From now on when you play a game, you’ll be able to bring up the Quick Menu by pressing this simpler combo of buttons on your chosen controller.

The beauty of RetroArch doesn’t sit in its ease of use — we’ll be honest, it’s a very difficult app to master. But once you do, there are so many additional interesting things you can do with it. Online play for games that never had it; CRT-style overlays for an added retro aesthetic; custom artwork and playlists for your favorite titles; integration with frontend library management apps. There are loads of options to play around with, and hours of tinkering await you. But if all you need is that quick hit of retro-action, the above steps will get you gaming in just minutes.

RetroArch, a multi-system emulator, and PPSSPP, a Sony PlayStation Portable emulator, are now available to download for free on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

Libretro, creators of RetroArch, announced the news on May 15, and confirmed that a future update is coming that will support macOS. You can download the multi-system emulator from the App Store. Around the same time, Henrik Rydgård, creator of the PlayStation Portable emulator PPSSPP, announced in a blog post that his emulator was also available to download on the App Store. There’s a paid ‘Gold’ version of PPSSPP available too, which doesn’t offer exclusive features but is instead a way of supporting Rydgård’s efforts.

While PPSSPP only emulates the PlayStation Portable, RetroArch can emulate over 30 systems. Consoles such as SEGA Saturn, NEO GEO CD, PC Engine, Commodore Amiga, and MSX can all be emulated through RetroArch, and it also offers plenty of great features. Netplay support means you can play an emulated game over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Additionally, RetroArch supports cheats for many games, shaders that change how certain graphics look, and lots more.

Like previously released emulators such as Delta and Gamma, you can play plenty of independent games on PPSSPP and RetroArch instead of downloading others protected by copyright law. If you’re unsure how to use these new emulators, we recommend looking at the starter guides for PPSSPP and RetroArch to get you started.

Be ready for a steep learning curve with RetroArch — iMore’s take

I’ve been a user of both PPSSPP and RetroArch for several years because I’ve owned several devices that could run them, way before Apple’s rule change in April that allows retro gaming emulators on its devices.

On one hand, PPSSPP has always been great to use, thanks to its simple user interface and great features, such as saving anywhere and being able to upscale games to a 4K resolution. RetroArch, on the other hand, is a powerful emulator with lots of great features, but its user interface is not good. It’s a high bar to entry for new users and those with accessibility needs as the app doesn't offer guidance on how to run and play a game for first-time users. That’s not to say that I’m unhappy overall. I’m very glad that I can now use RetroArch, as well as PPSSPP, on my iPad and Apple TV by simply going to the App Store and downloading them. However, I should mention why RetroArch’s user interface will likely confuse you the first time you see it.

You’re essentially plonked onto the main screen and you’re left to fend for yourself to figure out how to run a game. You can use Apple’s Files app when using the emulator on an iPhone and iPad to transfer files over. When it comes to Apple TV, you need to use an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client to transfer files to RetroArch. This means you need to have a separate device nearby that has an FTP app installed, like Filezilla. After installing RetroArch on my Apple TV, I posted my frustrations over on Threads, and many agreed that they have had similar experiences in fiddling with the settings. I hope Libretro, makers of RetroArch, are aware of these potential challenges for new users, and that there are plans to make the onboarding process easier.

Overall though, I’m happy that the floodgates of emulation have opened up on the App Store. Using RetroArch and PPSSPP, as well as Delta and Gamma, has made me play games on my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV more than ever. Emulation is a good thing, as it showcases how good certain consoles and handheld devices were back in their day.

It’s only been a month since Apple changed its rule for retro gaming emulators on the App Store, and I’m excited about what the future holds for other emulators yet to be made available on Apple’s devices.

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A multi-system emulator that’s in development for iPhone and iPad is now available to Apple TV users as a beta.

In a Patreon post, developer Joe Matiello confirmed that new and existing beta users can use Provenance on an Apple TV by downloading it from Apple’s TestFlight app, the company’s method of letting developers release apps for testing for a small pool of users. But that’s not all — Matiello has since confirmed that the PlayStation Portable, Sony’s first gaming handheld that launched in 2004, is coming to the app in a future update.

Provenance emulates a whole bunch of classic consoles and handhelds, such as Sony PlayStation, SEGA Saturn, Nintendo Virtual Boy, and more. You can also use features such as taking screenshots and being able to save your progress at any time. Placing games in the app is currently a challenge, as you need to transfer files through a protocol called FTP. This means you need to have a separate device nearby that has an FTP app installed, like Filezilla. Once connected to an IP address that houses the games you want to play, you can transfer some games over to Provenance on Apple TV. The team helping Matiello has told iMore that they will be improving this process soon.

Matiello hasn’t given a date yet for when the emulator will be made available on the App Store past TestFlight access. Matiello has stated he wants Provenance to be in a good, bug-free shape before he sends it to the App Review team for submission. But if you want to try the app right now, you can sign up to its Patreon and use the available TestFlight link.

Provenance could be Apple TV’s killer app — iMore’s take

I’ve been using Provenance on my iPhone, iPad, and now Apple TV this past week and I’ve come away impressed — though the method required to transfer games into the app is not for the faint-hearted.

Using an FTP app like Filezilla is a convoluted process, as you need to make sure that you’ve got the right IP address through its complicated user interface, as well as having your Apple TV and another device connected to the same network.

Once I managed to get past my FTP woes, I was playing a bunch of homebrew games on my Apple TV with ease. PlayStation 1 has some great games you can download right now, such as Hover Racing and Psychic Duel. Using my 8BitDo controller made the experience even better — it felt like I was back in my bedroom from the mid-90s, using my now-broken Sony PlayStation console.

Provenance could be the killer app for Apple TV. Playing games that work within the confines of these retro systems from long ago could appeal to so many. Delta, another multi-system emulator that launched in April for iPhone is a great example of this. The app has a great user interface as well as an easy method to add in new games — you simply tap the + icon, search for your games through Apple’s Files app, select what you want to play in Delta, and that’s it. It's been a constant presence at the top of the App Store download charts since launching, showing the audience for this sort of app is very real.

Retro emulators like Provenance give that warm blanket feeling of nostalgia — being able to play games that don’t need patches, or offer lots of paid DLC (Downloadable Content) like we have to wrestle against with modern titles. If its developer can look into making the onboarding process easier when transferring games over, Provenance could be the best Apple TV app in recent years.

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Apple's HomeKit smart home system is pretty great in the way that it takes accessories and systems from various different companies and then melds them into one, cohesive collection setup that seems to always work..... is what I would say if it were true. But it isn't.

Not to do HomeKit a disservice, but cause when it works, it works well. Its biggest problem used to be that there were just so few accessories that worked with it that people would be better off sticking to Google Home or Amazon's Alexa smart home options. But these days that's all been rectified thanks to the advent of Matter and whatnot. Now, there's a new problem — the flakey home hub.

See, you need a home hub to control your HomeKit and Matter accessories whenever you're away from home, want to share access to your accessories with others or have the audacity to try and automate your smart home accessories using the Home app. Apple's HomePod, HomePod mini, and Apple TV can all work as home hubs, and once your home hub is up and running, it works well. So long as you only have one of them. Have multiple, and things can go awry — automation stops working first, then you start to experience other oddities. But there might be a workaround, and all you need is a spare Apple TV.

The home hub dance

My HomeKit setup involving an Apple TV 4K, a HomePod, and two HomePod minis has worked relatively well for some time now so I'd forgotten the farce that can be a system that misbehaves when you have multiple devices that are capable of acting as a home hub. Thankfully, Brian Stucki reminded me in a blog post that detailed how to force an Apple TV to act as a home hub, preventing other devices from taking over.

See, it's the taking over that causes the problem. If you're using a home hub that works well, with a solid connection to your network, everything's great. The problems come when your setup decides all on its own to switch from using that hardwired Apple TV 4K to a HomePod in a bedroom with an iffy Wi-Fi connection. And there's seemingly no way to stop it from doing it.

"I'll start off by saying that there is no official way to determine which device is used as the home hub," Stucki explains. "You can disable HomeKit on an Apple TV so it's not selected as a hub. You cannot disable the HomePod as a home hub. But there is no option anywhere to say "Use this device as the home hub."

So what's the fix? Some believe that the device with the lowest IP address or fastest connection is the one Apple chooses as the home hub, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Instead, Stucki believes, "the device with the most current software is chosen as the home hub."

That's where the spare Apple TV comes into play.

"About a week ago, I took an Apple TV that has been sitting in my "unused tech" drawer for a couple years. (What? We all have that drawer right?) Luckily, it was one with an ethernet port which isn't the case for all current Apple TV units being sold," Stucki explains. "I connected the Apple TV to a monitor and set it up as normal with my iCloud login. I enabled HomeKit and assigned it to my 'Office' room. I then enrolled it in the Apple Beta Software Program and set for updates to be applied automatically. I also disabled sleeping and screen saver."

That setup has apparently been running for a week with no issues, even after "switching routers, resetting wifi networks, and lots of other things" that would normally cause HomeKit to switch home hubs of its own accord. So far, so good.

The real problem? Stucki says that "all of this could change at any time," and that's an issue. With Apple's desire to hide options and settings, it removes the power to really troubleshoot these kinds of issues. And even if this spare Apple TV option does do the trick, it simply isn't a viable option for most.

I'd love it if Apple gave us more configuration options for HomeKit, but I won't hold my breath. With Apple's newfound focus on AI with iOS 18 and beyond, the chance of Apple taking the time to make something as simple as turning on the lights work each and every time seems remote, at best.

Still, it isn't all bad. "Plus...this new role frees up an Apple TV Remote to serve as a replacement when others are lost," Stucki adds.

We've all been there.

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YouTube recently brought out a new update to its Apple TV app which replaces the pause screen with terrible photos, requiring some extra button presses to get back to the video you were watching.

Imagine the scene — you’re on a lunch break, and you decide to watch a Shark Tank or Masterchef clip on YouTube. You need to take the dog out, so you pause it. Normally, you’d expect to go back and press Play on the Siri Remote. Instead, you’re now greeted with a landscape of badly compressed images — your impressive TV is suddenly wasted on those low-quality pictures. Sounds annoying doesn’t it?

Furthermore, the Back button has to be pressed on the Remote twice to make the current video appear again — which makes this feature even more annoying. It doesn’t stop there though. You can’t change when these images will appear — so you’re trapped with a four-minute time limit before the screensaver kicks in.

Worse still, this update also overrides the high-quality Apple TV screensavers if you stay in the YouTube app, even if you’re not playing a video. It’s a bizarre addition that doesn’t help the user experience at all. Fortunately, there’s a temporary fix to make sure you’re not greeted with pixelated landscapes — but we’re hoping that YouTube brings out another update soon that disables this fully.

How to get rid of pixelated landscapes and bring back the pause screen

Although there are no settings in the YouTube app to get rid of this new feature, there is another way and it works on all the best Apple TVs.

1. Open Settings on the Apple TV home screen
2. Select General, then Screensaver
3. Choose Start After, then 2 minutes

This way, Apple’s stunning screensavers appear before YouTube’s terrible alternative when you pause a video. It’s a relief, but it’d be great to see a further update from Google’s video app to disable its screensaver feature completely. 

For now, it’s a bad user experience, and we hope YouTube reverses course on this pixelated screensaver feature soon.

The Apple Store: Clean, bright, and filled with helpful staff that want to find the best Apple product for you. The online Apple Store is slightly different: Easy to navigate, with plenty of information, but nothing that tells you what you need. Be that deciding how much RAM you need in a Mac Studio, whether you want a Pro iPhone or a standard model, or if you should go for a cellular or GPS Apple Watch, there are so many questions that you want to be answered — and yet somehow, no one does.

We here at iMore know our stuff about Apple products. What kind of spec options you should choose for different Macs, which storage options you should choose for your iPhone — the list goes on. if there’s a question about an Apple product then we’ve been asked it and answered it. Now, we’re putting all of our knowledge into one page, so that you can find out exactly what you need at the Apple Store — and how you can find it.

Helping you make the right choices

We’ll start off by explaining how we’ve split the page up. It’s divided into the products that you’ll be looking at buying from the Apple store, in such a way that it helps you compare what you’re looking for. For example: If you’re looking for an iPhone 15 Pro, it’s unlikely you’re also looking for the entry-level iPhone 15 — so we’ve compared it primarily instead against the more powerful iPhone 15 Pro Max. With some products, like the Mac lineup, the choice may be a bit more clear cut between some areas (desktop or MacBook, for instance), so we’ve specced out the best options for that branch so that you can see what you need to get the most out of your purchase. 

Beyond that, we’ve got a library of buying guides if you’re looking for the best accessories for your Apple products, so we’ve laid them all out too to make it easier to find what you need. 

Want to know whether you should wait for the next model? We’ll let you know how far along a product is in its expected life cycle, and we’ll update it as time goes on and an update gets closer and closer, so you never get caught out buying a device that's soon to be superseded.

It's a big guide, so use the navigation bar on the left to jump to whichever section interests you the most. But take a browse throughout too — you might get tempted by something totally different along the way.

iPhone

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

Models currently on sale:

• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Pro models are the top-of-the-range iPhones, and they come with prices to match. No matter which of the two you’re looking for, be ready to pay $999 and above. But what’s the difference between the two top-level iPhones?

The main difference is the screen. The iPhone 15 Pro has a 6.1-inch screen, while the Pro Max features a larger 6.7-inch screen. If you’re not sure which screen is the right size for you, the best way to find out is to head over to a physical Apple Store and pick them up — you don’t want to be stretching your thumbs too far to use your phone, but you might be willing to sacrifice compact-ness for media consumption on the larger display.

The Max also has an extra bonus in the form of its optical Zoom lens. While the iPhone 15 Pro is no slouch when it comes to zoom with 3x optical zoom, the Max has a camera capable of 5x optical zoom so you can get really up close and personal with your subjects.

Battery life is the other consideration between the two — the Pro Max has a much larger cell inside that powers it for longer. Apple says that the Pro Max will get 3 hours of extra video playback, and our testing has confirmed the improved staying power of the larger model. 

Beyond the screen size and the camera, the two phones are vastly the same. There’s the A17 Pro chip keeping everything running along smoothly and powering some very impressive games and apps. The screens are both what Apple calls ‘Super Retina XDR’, and they feature ProMotion to up the refresh rate to 120Hz.

Buying the best iPhones will net you the full gamut of features built up over successive iPhone generations as well; Dynamic Island on top to hide the camera hole in the front, an impressive camera with a 48MP main shooter, and the all-important USB-C port on the bottom. There’s more to the iPhone 15 Pro line than just that, however, and we go into great detail in our iPhone 15 Pro review and iPhone 15 Pro Max review.

But which model should you buy, and which storage amount should you get? Simple: If you want the biggest and the best iPhone Apple has to offer, then buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Those with smaller hands or tighter pants should consider the iPhone 15 Pro, as it will take up less space and require less stretching of your thumbs to use. If you’re a photographer, mind you, then you’ll likely miss the improved zoom lens of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Storage-wise, you should take a few things into account. How many apps are you going to install? Are you going to watch all your video content as downloads on-device or are you going to stream it? And are you going to take loads of pictures? At a minimum, you should be going above the base storage, and getting an iPhone 15 Pro with 256GB of storage. That will give you plenty of space for some of the App Store's best iPhone apps, your photo library, and other things you might store on your iPhone later down the line, like documents or digital publications.

Bear in mind that you can’t upgrade your iPhone's storage like you can with some Android handsets, so what you buy is what you get through the life of the phone. 256GB is a minimum that you should be thinking about, but you might want to go even higher. The 512GB storage option is the best middle ground between space and price. You won’t be paying top dollar for more storage, but you’ll have enough to store more apps as they take up ever more gigabytes of space.

If you’re looking to buy an iPhone 15 Pro Max for the camera so that you can use it in a more professional setting, then you should go for the 1TB option. You’ll pay the most, but you’ll get all the storage you’ll need. Remember as well that the Pro Max supports video recording to external storage media, so you don’t have to worry too much about those professional video or photography shoots taking up all your space.

Confused about color? The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are available in several different Titanium finishes — Black, White, Blue, and Natural. Be aware that the Blue and Black Titanium options are susceptible to fingerprints, which can change the color for a little while when you use them. If you want to avoid this problem, stick with the White and Natural options.

The exact model you should buy is:

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

Models currently on sale:

• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 13
• iPhone SE 3rd generation

The iPhone 15 line is the flagship of the iPhone fleet — it might not be the most expensive or most powerful, but it is the most important to Apple. It’s the iPhone that most people are going to buy, coming in at a lower price than the Pro models and in more colors. While not as impressive as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, it’s no slouch — and the iPhone 15 generation gained some features to bring it closer to the top models than previous iterations. If you want to learn more about the two devices in more detail, check out our iPhone 15 review and our iPhone 15 Plus review.

Price-wise, you’ll be paying from $799 for an iPhone 15 all the way up to $1,199 for the largest model with the most storage. That price is going to depend on a couple of factors — the size of the phone, and how many gigabytes of storage it's got inside.

The iPhone 15 Plus was released alongside the iPhone 15, following on from the larger model that came with the iPhone 14. There’s no real difference in specs, apart from the size of the screen (bumped up from 6.1 inches to 6.7 inches) and a larger battery afforded with the extra space in the chassis. That battery will give you around six extra hours of video playback, according to Apple.

Beyond the screen and the battery, there’s not much difference between the two iPhone 15 models. Both have the A16 Bionic chip, the same that powered the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max last year that’s capable of some impressive processing. The cameras are both the same, with a pair of lenses in the form of a 48MP main and an Ultra Wide system. Optical zoom goes up to 2x, and there are all the bells and whistles in the image processing engine for those well-known incredible iPhone photos.

You are giving up some things with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus over the Pro and Pro Max. One of the most noticeable is the lack of ProMotion — the non-Pro models are noticeably less smooth than the more expensive iPhones, which might put you off. That screen also lacks the Always-On feature of the top-of-the-line iPhones, so you’ll miss out on the StandBy mode. There are also fewer storage options, only going up to 512GB, so if you need more room to store stuff on your iPhone, then you might want to look elsewhere.

One thing you don’t miss out on, however, is the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen. It’s a nice, Pro feature that’s moved over, and lets you track now playing music and other apps with a glance at the software bubble that appears over the front camera module. All the new iPhone models also received a USB-C port on the bottom, reducing the number of cables you’ll need to cart around with you.

What of the other iPhones that you can buy on the Apple Store? Apple has left some of the older iPhone models up for purchase, and you might save some money if you go for something a little less new. 

The iPhone 14 is the newest of the three other models, and you’ll still get a solid phone. You’ll take a hit in camera and processing power, but you’ll still get an excellent phone. The chassis will be slightly different as well — this year's iPhones got new, smoother lines whereas the iPhone 14 is more angular in the edges. No USB-C, either — only Apple's proprietary Lightning charging and data transfer. The iPhone 14 will save you around $100 if you go for it: They start at $699. For more about the iPhone 14, check out our iPhone 14 review.

The iPhone 13 can still be bought at the Apple Store, and if you’re looking for an iPhone that’s still potent but don’t want to spend too much, then it’s the way to go. The screen is vastly the same as the iPhone 14, the processor similar, and the camera identical — if you put the two side by side, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any difference beyond the color options. The iPhone 13 starts at $599, a $200 saving on the iPhone 15. For more details, read our iPhone 13 review.

Finally, you can buy an iPhone SE 3rd generation — the base model iPhone that comes in at $429. It’s completely different in most ways from the rest of the iPhone lineup, bar the OS that runs at the center. It’s got a 12MP single-lens camera, a Touch ID sensor on the front for fingerprint security scanning, and large bezels around the 4.7-inch screen. If you want the best iPhone for dipping your toes into the line, then this could be what you’ve been looking for. Still not sure? Check out our iPhone SE 3 review for more information.

But which iPhone 15 should you buy? The color, of course, is up to you — but there are a couple of things inside the iPhone that you should think about. For one, whether you should get the Plus or the non-Plus iPhone. Our choice would be to save a little money and go for the iPhone 15 — the screen is fine for almost everything you could ever want to do with your phone, and it won’t require as much thumb stretching to use.

The second thing to think about is storage — and this is where you should spend the extra. As apps, games, and high-quality photos become larger and larger, you need extra storage to keep more on your phone. We’d recommend at least paying the extra $100 on the 256GB iPhone — that doubles the base storage, and gives you plenty more space for anything you want to store on your iPhone.

Still not sure about the screen size? Pop over to the Apple Store and get both in your hand — have a play with the phone, turn it over in your hands, and work out whether it's too big or just right for you. It’s more sensible than ordering and hoping for the best and gives you a better idea of the size of the handset.

The exact model you should buy is:

iPad

iPad and iPad Air

Models currently on sale:

• iPad Air 6th generation 11-inch
• iPad Air 6th generation 13-inch
• iPad 10th generation

Price-wise, all the iPads fall into slightly different categories and price points. The iPad Air starts at $599 and climbs up to $899 for a Cellular edition with a max 256GB of storage. The iPad 10th generation starts at $449 and then goes up to $749 when you add in the 256GB storage option and a Cellular SIM slot. The last on the list, the 9th gen iPad, is the cheapest (and oldest) of the lot, starting at $329 and climbing to $609 when you bump all the spec options up.

There are now only two larger-screened non-Pro iPads to choose from at the Apple Store, although one of them has a couple of different display sizes to select. The iPad Air 6 has now been launched, and you can opt between an 11-inch display, or a larger 13-inch screen akin to the two Pro options. The other iPad to choose from is the iPad 10th gen, which only has one screen size. There are other key differences between the two, and we'll go through them to give you a good idea about which is best for you.

Price-wise, there are now very clear price differentiators between the iPad models. The iPad Air starts, in its 11-inch guise at $599, and then the 13-inch costs $799. Those can both be configured into cellular versions with more storage, hiking that price up, potentially, significantly over $1000. The iPad 10th gen on the other hand has cost $349 in its base form, and then $649 for a fully equipped 5G model.

iPad Air

First up is the iPad Air 6. If anything, this is the best iPad all around for a multitude of different uses. There's an M2 chip at its core, that comes directly from the previous model of iPad Pro, and the MacBook Airs of last year. That gives the tablet some beefy processing behind it, and will even allow for some heavier workflows. It's going to be solid for multitasking, great for playing games, and it's going to make sure that your iPad is still speedy for a longer. If you want the full low down on the iPad Air 6, make sure you check out our iPad Air 6 hands-on.

There are now two screen options in the iPad Air — an 11-inch option, and a 13-inch option. Those two lack the ProMotion high-refresh-rate displays of the iPad Pro line, but they are still big, bright, and plenty colorful. There's an anti-reflective coating as well, so you can view it more easily in different levels of direct sunlight, something the lower-spaced iPads lack.

There's a single-lens 12MP camera on the back of the Air, and a front camera mounted on the side edge of the device. That means that it's easier to hold the iPad for FaceTime calls, unlike some portrait cameras. There's a TouchID sensor in the power button as well, to make logging into the iPad easier — no more risk of forgetting your passwords. There's a smart connector in the bottom edge of the rear of the tablet as well, so that you can magnetically clip it to a keyboard cover or other type of accessory without needing to go through a finicky pairing process.

iPad 10th gen

The iPad 10th gen is the ‘new’ kid on the block. Bringing the design of the Air to a lower price point, the iPad 10th-gen features a similar 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. There isn’t the anti-reflective coating of the Air here, however, so you might find it more difficult to use in direct sunlight. It also lacks some of the color features of the Air, with sRGB color space rather than P3 wide color — that just means that the colors will be a little less accurate, but will likely only be of real concern for creative professionals.

The camera system is also slightly different from the iPad Air. While you’ve still got the 12MP shooter on the back, the camera on the front is mounted on the leading edge of the screen — that means you can have a video call in landscape mode, and not worry about covering the screen with your palm while in use. The A14 bionic chip powering the tablet is a solid performer, and while it's not the latest mobile chip that Apple has pumped out, it’s still got plenty of grunt where it counts. For web browsing, some light gaming, and a spot of movie or TV watching it's going to be perfect.

There are attachments available for the iPad 10th gen as well, although you’ll pay a pretty penny to get hold of them. There’s a keyboard case for example, called the Magic Keyboard Folio, and that will cost around $249 from Apple itself. It’s compatible with the 1st-gen Apple Pencil, although artists will be disappointed to find out there’s no support for the second version of the Apple Pencil. The 10th gen is a great tablet for those who don’t need the extra power of the Air, but want something a bit more interesting and capable than the 9th gen. For more information, check out the iPad 10th generation review.

The exact model you should buy is:

iPad Pro

Models currently on sale:

• iPad Pro 11-inch M4
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch M4

You can currently buy one of two different types of iPad Pro at the moment — the smaller, and more portable 11-inch model, and the larger 13-inch model. There is only one main difference between the two beyond size this time around, and it all comes down to the slimness of the device. The 11-inch is 5.3mm slim, while the 13-inch is 5.1mm. Other than that, they both share the exact same specs.

The screens are some of the best that Apple has ever put out, using dual-layer OLED panels to bring super dark blacks and incredibly bright and vivid colors. Both sizes receive this panel, unlike the previous options where you’d have to choose the larger Pro if you wanted the fancier screen. Both are capable of 1,000 nits constant brightness, with peak HDR brightness of 1,600 nits. Those displays still feature ProMotion as well, for some very impressive frame rates of 120Hz.

One thing to bear in mind with the screens is the new nano-texture coating. On higher-specced models of the iPad Pro, you can opt for a special coating on the screen to make it easier to see in direct light. If you're going to be out and about and near lots of direct light, this might be a good idea.

The chips on the inside are the brand-new M4, brought out just for the iPad Pro. These are chipsets that haven’t yet appeared on any other Apple devices as yet, and they’ll power even the most power-hungry apps. Expect to be able to edit videos and photos, and do light rendering tasks on the go, as well as other more power-hungry tasks. If you add in a Magic Keyboard accessory, then you’re getting close to a legitimate laptop replacement.

The chips raise an important thing to remember with the new iPad Pros as well — if you want the most powerful chips, you need to choose either 1TB or 2TB storage options. That will get you the 10-core CPU M4 chip, whereas the smaller storage options only get you the 9-core version. RAM also changes too, from 8GB on anything under 1TB, and then 16Gb for everything above 1TGB.

There are more impressive specs under the hood of the iPad Pro as well. There’s a 12MP camera on the back, flanked with a LiDAR sensor. It’s not going to be anywhere near as good as the shooter on the back of your iPhone, but it will get the job done in a pinch. It will record 4K video as well, so you’ll never be stuck without a video-taking machine.

It’s one of the few iPads that unlocks with Face ID as well, thanks to the more impressive front camera. While Touch ID is a useful unlocking feature found on the other iPad models, Face ID brings a new level of security that makes it easier to use, and harder to break into. It’s actually particularly useful for older people, whose fingerprints can often find themselves becoming less defined as their skin changes.

The price is where the iPad Pro models become a harder sell. They are now even more expensive than the old versions, with the 11-inch starting at $999, and the 13-inch version stepping up to $1,299. With the more specs you add on, the more expensive they become as well, going all the way to $2,599 for a 2TB, Nanocoating-covered iPad Pro 13-inch.

Then, as with the other iPad models, you need to decide if you want your iPad to be a cellular model or a simple Wi-Fi-connected tablet. The benefits of the former are many, but you do have to pay more for the privilege of ‘internet wherever you have signal’ and there are always the added monthly data costs that come with a cellular-connected device. Wi-Fi models are cheaper, but due to their reliance on a separate internet connection, they are less flexible than their cellular counterparts.

If you are going to be leaving the house loads with your iPad and nothing else, then a cellular iPad is going to be the way to go for you. For everyone else, the mobile data paring option that your iPhone offers is more than capable enough to get your iPad connected to the internet when there’s no other source of WiFi connection around. If nothing else, it's worth the saving you’ll make when you don’t opt for a cellular model — they are around $200 more expensive, no matter how much storage you put in the iPad.

When looking at an iPad Pro, there is one question you need to ask yourself — do I really need all this power? If you just want an iPad that’s powerful enough for some light work tasks, then an iPad Air is going to be plenty for your needs. If you want something super compact to do some video editing or other tasks on, then the iPad Pro is going to be more your speed. For all the information, go check out the iPad Pro M2 review.

The exact model you should buy is:

iPad mini

Models currently on sale:

• iPad mini 6th generation

There is currently only one model of iPad mini on sale at the moment, the 8.3-inch version. That comes in a range of different colors, including Space Gray, Pink, Purple, and Starlight. While it might be the smallest iPad, that doesn’t mean it's going to be the cheapest however — and it’s also one of the oldest models available to buy on the Apple Store. For a full rundown, check out the iPad mini 6 review.

It starts from $499 for the Wi-Fi equipped, 64GB model, and then climbs up to $799 for the cellular connection-equipped 256GB version. Interestingly with this iPad, there are only two different storage options, in the form of the base 64GB and upgraded 256GB. 

That price makes it more expensive than the budget-oriented iPad 9th gen and the newer iPad 10th gen, but it does make a case for itself being costlier than its larger brethren.

For one, the chip on the inside is the A15 Bionic, one more level above the A14 that you’ll find in the iPad 10th gen. That means it's going to be better at light workflow tasks, and more importantly, it’s going to play all the best Apple Arcade games at greater frame rates with more performance on tap.

The 8.3-inch display isn’t the highest resolution panel in Apple’s arsenal, but it's a decent enough screen for its size. One thing worth noting about the iPad mini: the tablet suffers from  “Jelly scrolling”, a phenomenon that makes the scrolling on the tablet feel stilted, harsh, and anything but the usual Apple smooth. Some users don’t notice it, mind you, so make sure to have a go with one to make sure it’s not going to affect you should you pick one up.

The camera on the back is a 12MP camera, and it’s going to be fine for most normal shooting. It’s not going to stand up against any of the iPhone cameras in the most recent models, but given it's a more portable device than the other iPads it’s good that the camera is semi-reasonable. The front camera is more than adequate for video calling and a few selfies, although you might miss Face ID given the tablet's use of a Touch ID sensor instead.

USB-C handles charging on the bottom, so if you’ve got any of the most recent Apple devices you won’t need to remember multiple cables when you go out and about with your iPad.

There are a couple of things to take into consideration when thinking about the iPad mini. The first is whether or not you might find yourself wanting for screen space — if you think this might be the case, it’s worth going for the more expensive iPad Air. It’s more powerful, and you get more screen. The second thing to consider is the amount of storage, and as always, we recommend getting more than the base 64GB, and your only option then is 256GB. Unless you want to wait for the iPad mini 7, of course. 

The exact model you should buy is:

Apple Watch

Apple Watch Series 9 / Apple Watch SE

Models currently on sale:

• Apple Watch Series 9 41mm
• Apple Watch Series 9 45mm
• Apple Watch SE 2 40mm
• Apple Watch SE 2 44mm

There are a few models of Apple Watch to choose from, from the budget to the massively expensive. You’ll start with the Apple Watch SE, Apple’s cheapest Apple Watch, then head to the Apple Watch Series 9, the flagship model, and finally land on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the expensive (and sublime) top-of-the-range watch. There are some key differences between each model of watch, so we’ll go through all the details so that you can more easily tell them apart.

Apple Watch Series 9

The Series 9 is the flagship of the Apple Watch line, and perhaps the most recognizable. This is the Apple Watch with the most options available on the Apple Store, from the color that you can get to the material that it’s made from. Color-wise, if you go for the base aluminum material, there are five different options. You can get a Pink color, Midnight, Starlight, Silver, or the ever-popular (PRODUCT)RED crimson. There are the stainless steel options, which are slightly more restrictive in color. There are Gold, Silver, and Graphite options for that material.

The size options are slightly larger than the SE as well. There are two — a 41mm, and a 45mm. That’s so that everyone and their different wrist sizes are catered for, making sure that the watches fit a wide array of different people. For those that want the largest screen, wrist size be damned, then the 45mm face is the one to go for.

The screen housed in whatever material you choose is solidly bright and visible in most different lighting conditions. Thanks to the always-on technology as well, the screen stays for perpetuity (unless the battery dies), so you can tell the time no matter where it is — unlike the SE, where you have to move the watch to wake it up. To save power, this feature can be turned off.

On the battery front, you won’t get any more than you do with the SE. That’s impressive considering the always-on screen on the front, although with normal use, you’ll find the 18 hours of power on time will get you through most days and need a charge when you go to bed. You can get more out of the battery if you put the watch in low-power mode, but then you lose more of the features like the heart rate monitoring and always on screen.

There are more features for the battery to run on this model as well. The normal heart rate monitor is present, although its more accurate and will also take an ECG to check what your heart is up to. In the UK and other parts of the world, there is a Blood Oximeter as well — although users in the US will find that particular sensor disabled. It will track the cycles of people with Ovaries as well, and even estimate ovulation based on your past period frequency and timing. It will track sleep as well, although the aforementioned battery life might put a stop to that.

It’s a powerful little watch as well, with the more potent S9 SiP (System in Package) at the core of the device. That’ll be great for the extra sensors, as well as running multiple apps at the same time. You can locally store things like Apple Music tracks on the watch as well, so that you can listen to them with your AirPods over Bluetooth if you want to leave your iPhone at home.

On leaving your iPhone at home, this is one of the few watches we’d recommend getting the cellular version of. With its more serious array of fitness sensors, it means that you can move about sans iPhone, and not worry too much about remembering your iPhone. It will mean you have to pay extra for the data plan, but if you’re serious about tracking your fitness then it adds enough to be worth the extra cost.

The Series 9 isn’t cheap, mind you. The aluminum 41mm GPS watch is $399, and that can go up slightly when you choose a different strap. The aluminum cellular watch starts at $499, and if you want a stainless steel watch then you’ll have to go for a cellular version which starts at $699. In our minds, the stainless steel option is only really worth it if you want something that looks all shiny and cool, as it doesn’t really add much to the function of the watch. Need more? Check out the Apple Watch Series 9 review for the full lowdown.

The exact model you should buy is:

Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is Apple’s budget-oriented smartwatch — but that doesn’t mean it skimps on the features or the comfort. It’s available in two different sizes for different-sized wrists, in the form of 40mm and 44mm models. That dictates not only the size of the watch itself, but more importantly the square screen that sits on the front.

That screen is a tiny little Retina display, covered with what Apple calls Ion-X glass. That just means that it won’t get cracked or scratched when it gets clonked on a table or the nightstand. It’s bright and visible in most light (unless the direct sunlight you’re standing in is blazing), and while it lacks the always-on feature of the more expensive models, it will wake up when you tilt your wrist toward your face.

The chip powering everything from behind the scenes is what Apple calls a ‘System in Package’, in this case the S8. It’s not as advanced as the SiPs you’ll find in the Series or the Ultra watches, but it’s got enough power to run everything you could want with your Apple Watch.

As for what it will actually do, the Apple Watch SE is a great fitness companion for those who don’t need any of the more serious features of the more expensive models. That means you get a heart rate sensor that will not only monitor your BPM, but give you high and low heart rate warnings, as well as notifications when you’ve got an irregular heartbeat rhythm. There is also sleep tracking on board, although the battery life might get in the way of that being useful.

You’ll get 18 hours with a full charge, which will you get you through your normal work day. You may find that, however, with more use (such as using the exercise functions) you’ll burn through that battery faster than you expect, leaving you to plonk it on the MagSafe charger when you go to bed — so no sleep tracking. If you’re disciplined with your charging you may well get more life out of the battery every day, but otherwise, you’ll soon find yourself charging it when you sleep more often than not.

One of the best things about the whole Apple Watch line, and by extension the SE, is the range of straps on offer. There are silicon sports bands in various forms, stretchy fabric options, as well as more expensive metal options. You don’t have to worry about compatibility either — the straps that fit the smaller measuring Apple Watches will fit the 40mm SE and the 41mm Series Watches, while the larger bands will fit on the 44m SE, 45mm Series, and the Ultra watches.

As for whether you want a cellular or GPS watch there are a couple of things you should consider — and the first is price. Going with a 40mm watch, you’ll pay $249 for a GPS model, or $299 for a cellular model. For the extra $50, you’ll be able to take your Apple Watch for exercise without the need for your iPhone to be nearby. It’s useful if that’s what you want to do, in case you don’t have any pockets in your cycling shorts or you don’t want to take your iPhone swimming, but remember you’ll also have to pay a monthly data plan on top of the cost of the watch.

For most people, a GPS watch is going to be just fine, connecting to your iPhone, notifying you of messages, and helping out with some light exercise data. If you want to know even more, give the Apple Watch SE 2 review a read.

The exact model you should buy is:

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Models currently on sale:

• Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s top-of-the-range smartwatch, packed to gunnels with impressive features and powerful internals. There aren’t that many options for the watch itself with the Ultra 2 — there’s only one color in light titanium, and then three different exclusive strap options. Those are the textile Alpine and trail loops, and then the silicon Ocean Band. You can always choose another strap from the rest of the lineup at the Apple Store as well, including one of the many metal bands that are available.

That would mean paying more than the already high asking price, however. The Apple Watch Ultra is the most expensive Apple Watch you can buy, and comes in at $799. There are no GPS options either, so you have to pay for a data plan to use your fancy watch as well. That’s a hefty price to pay for the watch, although you get one of the most useful devices that Apple sells.

You get the same heart rate sensing as in the Series 9, including the heart sensor, and optical sensor. There are extras here as well, however. There’s a depth gauge so that you can see how deep you’re diving underwater, as well as a water temperature sensor, a compass, an altimeter, a high-g accelerometer, and more. That makes for the most accurate fitness tracker out of the bunch, as well as a cool bunch of features for the most adventurous of us. For those who like to go on long hikes in the wilderness, wild swimmers, or even divers, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a very compelling device if for nothing other than its litany of helpful sensors.

Of course, it will still generate ECGs, track your cycle, and give you notifications about heart health. The sleep tracking is also actually useful here, thanks to its much longer battery life.

A single charge will net you 36 hours of battery life, so you can wear it while s; sleeping and only need to charge it once every few days or so. If you turn it into low power mode you’ll get even longer — 72 hours, to be exact. You can also charge the watch up to 80% in only an hour, which is helpful when you need to be out and about as quick as possible when your watch has reached 0%.

The battery life is a big surprise because you would have thought the screen would have drained it quicker than the other models. It’s a large, always-on 49mm OLED panel, which is super bright in direct sunlight and incredibly crisp when you look at it. It’s covered with a flat sapphire panel of glass for sturdiness as well, so it’s less likely to be scratched or damaged come a meeting with a table edge.

As for which you should choose, you’ve only got one option in the long run — the cellular, 49mm, light titanium option. The strap choice is up to you, but make sure you go to an Apple Store and try an Ultra 2 on. It’s not a small watch, and you want to make sure that its width and height aren’t going to be a problem on your watch. It will also mean you can try on the various different straps, so that you can work out which is the strap that you want to purchase with your watch.

On the straps front, you can fit all existing 44mm and 45mm straps to the Apple Watch Ultra. That means straps you’ve got left over from old Apple Watches are still going to fit the much larger Apple Watch Ultra, and you’ve got the whole lineup of straps for the Apple Watch on the Apple Store as well. Don’t be surprised if the metal straps aren’t a complete color match to the light titanium material mind you — they are designed for the stainless steel Apple Watches first and foremost. There's loads more to learn about the most expensive Apple Watch in the Apple Watch Ultra 2 review.

The exact model you should buy is:

Mac

MacBook Pro

Models currently on sale:

• MacBook Pro 14-inch M3
• MacBook Pro 14-inch M3 Pro
• MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max

There are three different options for the MacBook Pro that you’ll find in the Apple Store, although you’ll quickly find that it goes a lot deeper than just those. On the surface, there’s the MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3, the MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 Pro or M3 Max, and then the MacBook Pro 16-inch, also with M3 Pro or M3 Max. For more information on the line as a whole, check out our MacBook Pro M3 Max review.

The first MacBook Pro, the 14-inch with M3, is the newest model to the lineup featuring a 14-inch display and the brand new M3 processor. It’s a powerful computer, and also the cheapest way to get a MacBook Pro in your house. There are a couple of different upgrade paths with the laptop, in the form of extra RAM and extra storage, although you can’t choose a better processor unless you upgrade to the next Pro model up. There are only two color choices for this model as well — Space Gray and Silver.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro brings more than just a snazzier processor. There’s a new color to choose from, in Space Black, and then extra processor, RAM, and storage options. You can choose either the M3 Pro chip or an M3 Max chip, and then equip it with even more memory and storage than the M3 model.

Both of the fourteen-inch models have the same screen — a 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a resolution of 3024x1964. It’s super bright, and the ProMotion technology that keeps it buzzing enables 120Hz. For designers and image manipulators, it's a great screen and strikes a happy medium between large and portable. If you want something a little larger, however, then there’s the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The 16-inch Pro retains the same upgrade path as the 14-inch with M3 Pro but adds some more inches to the screen. That’s a 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, again featuring the 120Hz refresh rate of ProMotion. If you want to get the most out of your MacBook Pro, then the large screen of the 16-inch model will do just that — although you will sacrifice some portability at the shrine of screen size.

Beyond screen size, chip, and RAM options, the rest of the specs of the MacBook Pro models are very similar. They all feature a notch at the top of the screen which holds the webcam, which sounds worse than it actually is. That camera is capable of 1080p video for all of your work conference calls, and the notch doesn’t encroach on macOS as much as you might think.

I/O is excellent across the board. For the M3 Pro models, you get an SDXC slot, an HDMI port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a MagSafe charging port, and three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. The M3 model loses one of the USB-C ports but retains the rest of the selection on its sides.

The keyboards are well known for being some of the best around, with plenty of finger feedback and clicky keys. There’s a Touch ID sensor on there as well for speedy login and Apple Pay when you want to buy something in the Apple Store, or if you want to use your cards when online shopping. The trackpads are large, glass affairs, and they feature some very useful multitouch gestures to make panning around and using macOS even easier.

When you buy your MacBook Pro, you can also choose to add some of Apple’s popular creative apps as well, such as Logic Pro or Final Cut Pro, although they’ll come as download codes for the App Store rather than pre-installed on the MacBook.

You can also configure your keyboard layout in the Apple Store: If you prefer the US ANSI layout, for example, and you live in the UK, you can choose that keyboard in the Apple Store Mac configurator. If you live in the US and prefer the larger enter key of the ISO layout, you can choose that one instead. It’s useful and makes buying a MacBook when you’re in a different country a little easier than it might otherwise be.

One thing to remember when you’re buying a MacBook Pro is that you can’t upgrade it once it's been delivered. That means that you have to be completely certain that the specs inside your MacBook are what you’re going to need for the lifetime of the laptop. We’d recommend saving up and spending more at the outset. If you think you might need more RAM and you have the workflow to justify it, upgrade to a larger amount. Think you might need more storage? Make sure you grab it on day one, because otherwise you’ll be stuck with the wrong amount for the duration of your ownership.

This brings us, finally, to the topic of price. The MacBook Pro models are not cheap computers by any stretch of the imagination. The base model with M3 costs $1,599 and then rises from there as you add different upgrades. The M3 Pro 14-inch costs $1,999 in its base, unupgraded form, and then costs more from there for extra RAM and a larger SSD. The 16-inch costs $2,499 without upgrades, and then goes up from there. If you don’t think you really need the extra specs of the MacBook Pros, then you should look at the MacBook Air models instead. They cost less, and give you everything that most people need from a MacBook.

The exact model you should buy is:

MacBook Air

Models currently on sale:

• MacBook Air 13-inch M3
• MacBook Air 15-inch M3
• MacBook Air 13-inch M2

The MacBook Air models are the MacBooks for everyone. They’ve got plenty of power on tap and some extra portable chassis, but they don’t cost anywhere near as much as their Pro brethren. There are three options that you can choose from. There are the M3 options, which come in 13-inch and 15-inch flavors, or you can save some money and go for the M2 13-inch which is still on sale in the Apple Store. For more information, check out the MacBook Air M3 review, and the MacBook Air M2 review.

First off, the main difference between the models — the screen. There are two different screen sizes on the MacBook Air: A 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2560x1664 and a 15-inch Liquid Retina display with a resolution of 2880x1864. Both displays are bright, crisp, and good to look at. If you want to watch Apple TV Plus on them then you’ll have a great visual experience.

There’s a difference between the two 13-inch models as well, in the form of the chips. The M2 model is slightly older and less powerful than the M3 version, the latter being the newer machine. If you want to save money, then the M2 is still a great choice and will save you $100. The M3, however, is more ‘future-proofed’ and is likely to continue to receive macOS updates for longer.

Beyond that, however, the three models are very similar. They have the same RAM and storage upgrade paths, which let you increase their specs on the Apple Store. They also share the same basic design (although the 15-inch model is larger on account of the bigger screen), so you get all the best bits no matter the MacBook Air you choose.

The keyboards, much like those on the MacBook Pro, are solid and clicky, giving plenty of under-finger feedback, and the trackpads are big, glassy, and silky smooth. There are the same multitouch gestures as with the MacBook Pro as well, making panning and operating macOS easier than you might expect.

Battery life is solid as well, lasting more than 20 hours on a single charge. That will go down depending on your use case, but it’s still some respectable staying power.

If you’re looking for a laptop that you can plug loads of different accessories into, then you will want to invest in one of the best MacBook docking stations when you choose a MacBook Air. I/O isn’t a strong point of the MacBook Air line, with each machine only receiving a pair of Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports on the side of the machine, in addition to the MagSafe charging port.

The biggest boon of the MacBook Air is its unreasonably thin design. The 13-inch and the 15-inch are just 0.44 and 0.45 inches thick respectively, making even the larger model super easy to slip into your backpack. What they lack in out-and-out power they more than make up for with their extreme portability.

The price is where you’ll find the other benefits of Apple’s more powerful machines. The cheapest way to get a MacBook on the Apple Store is found in the MacBook Air line — the MacBook Air with M2. One of those is going to set you back $999, crucially sticking to a sub-$1000 price tag. If you go further afield to other retailers to find your MacBook Air, you’ll find that it’s reduced further still. The other MacBook Airs aren’t too expensive either. The M3 13-inch model costs $1,099, and the 15-inch version costs $1,299. Of course, those prices do rise when you start to add extra specs to your MacBook, but the base prices are at least more affordable than most of Apple’s Mac line.

As for choosing a MacBook Air, there are a couple of different factors you need to think about. The first is how much power you need: If you’ve no interest in Apple’s focus on AI, and you’re only going to be browsing the web or writing Pages documents, then you’ll probably only need a MacBook Air M2. If you need more power for heavier workloads or if you want to see what Apple has in store for us in AI, then one of the M3 models will be more your speed. Of course, if you want a larger screen, then your choice has already been made for you — there’s only one option for you.

We would recommend upgrading a couple of things when picking a MacBook Air, however. The first thing we’d add in is the extra RAM option, and spend the extra $200 on the 16GB of RAM. That will give you more multi-tasking headroom, and allow you to have more tabs open in the notoriously RAM-hungry Chrome or Safari. We’d also say you should opt for a larger SSD than the base model, in the form of the 512GB option. That’s another $200 again, but it will mean that you can store more apps, photos, and other important files on your MacBook. Apple already sells this configuration pre-made as its $1,499 model. 

Remember that it’s important to choose the upgrades you think you might want for the future — you can’t upgrade your Mac once it’s in your hands. Apple solders the RAM and SSD chips directly to the motherboard of its machines, so adding anything after the fact is impossible.

The exact model you should buy is:

Mac Studio

Models currently on sale:

• Mac Studio M3 Max
• Mac Studio M3 Ultra

If you’re looking at a Mac Studio with jealous eyes and you only need to browse the web and write some documents for work, then there are other machines in the Mac lineup that you should consider instead — you don’t need a Mac Studio. If you’re a creative looking for their next super-powerful desktop to run professional programs like Logic, ProTools, or Photoshop, then you’ve just found it. For all the information, check out the Mac Studio review.

The Mac Studio is available in two guises. The incredibly powerful M2 Max version, and the unreasonably powerful M2 UItra variant. There is no physical distinction between the two models, instead focusing on the inside of the Mac to differentiate them. The two chips feature different upgrade paths, so if you want the most RAM possible, then you need to spend the extra initially and get the M2 Ultra model.

Without going too much into the technical details, the M2 Max and Ultra chips at the heart of the Mac Studio are some of the best chips that Apple currently offers. They are super powerful and built from the ground up for professionals who need the most powerful desktop computers they can lay their hands on. As for who needs what chip is a trickier question — most professionals will be just fine with the Max chip, as it will easily handle almost any workload they throw at it. The Ultra chips are effectively in the domain of the animation house or large-scale creative workspace. Priced far beyond the reach of most people, you’ll find them lining desks at CGI creation offices rather than in the homes of the local professional photographer.

It’s the prices that set them apart as unavailable for most people, as even the cheapest machine starts at $1,999. That’s the same price as the M3 Pro MacBook Pro, and that has a portable chassis, screen, keyboard, and mouse built-in. If you go all the way to the end of the upgrade process and choose all the extras, you’ll be paying $8,799. That does give you a Mac with 192GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD to go with its ridiculous M2 Ultra chip, but the price reflects its power.

Upgrade-wise, you can upgrade the RAM and SSD in the Mac Studio from the Apple Store. The M3 Max chip can have up to 64GB of RAM and go up to the full 8TB SSD, while the M3 Ultra can go all the way up to 192GB of RAM. Neither of these can be upgraded after your Mac has been delivered, so make sure you choose exactly what you think you might need when you spec it up on the Apple Store. 

Beyond the internal options and the different chips, the Mac Studio is the same on the outside between all configurations. That means a compact, aluminum cuboid that’s surprisingly small when you pop it out of the box, and especially impressive when you remember how powerful it is. 

I/O is solid as well, with two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports on the front, joined by a SDXC card slot. Round the back is where the meat of the ports are, including four more Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, an ethernet connector, a pair of USB-A ports, a HDMI port, and a headphone jack. Most users will want a dock to go with it, however, given its lack of legacy ports and other connectors like DisplayPort that you might need.

Given that it’s a desktop Mac, you’ll need to buy a display, a mouse, and a keyboard to go with it. Apple doesn’t include anything other than the Mac and the power chord in the box, so you’ll need to buy them separately. Apple would recommend you pick up the Studio Display to go with your Mac Studio, but there are plenty more of the best monitors for the Mac Studio that you should consider. The Magic Keyboard is always an option for a keyboard at the Apple Store as well, although again, with a little shopping around there are some of the best keyboards for Mac you should look at as well. Finally, you’ll need a mouse, and as nice as the Magic mouse looks, there are still plenty of the best wireless mice for Mac that you should think about as well.

The exact model you should buy is:

Mac mini

Models currently on sale:

• Mac mini M2
• Mac mini M2 Pro

The Mac mini is the Mac that most people should buy. It’s compact, powerful enough for almost anything beyond heavy workloads, and very well-priced. If you’ve wanted a Mac Studio and now come to realize you don’t actually need one, then the Mac mini is the Mac that you should buy. To learn more, check out the M2 Mac mini-review.

The Mac mini is available with two different chip options, with each getting its own upgrade path. The first is the M2 Mac mini, which is plenty powerful for most people who just need a well-priced desktop machine that’ll browse the web, write Pages documents, and even do some light photo editing. The M2 Pro Mac mini is more powerful and comes at a higher price, but it will be better for a few more heavy workloads.

For most people, the M2 Mac mini will suffice. There are some other upgrades you should consider for this machine, however. For one, the standard 8GB RAM is not enough in 2024. Instead, you should upgrade to the next level up and put 16GB of RAM inside your Mac mini. That will give you enough RAM to keep more windows open at one time, and perhaps more importantly, it will give you more space for Chrome and Safari tabs. You should also consider upgrading the SSD, although you can always grab an external hard drive for Mac later on down the line if you find yourself wanting for storage space.

The M2 Pro, on the other hand, doesn’t need upgrading — the base model is plenty for most different applications. You still get 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, but this time you get the more powerful M2 Pro chip. That does make it more expensive, however, although, in the grand scheme of the Mac lineup, that price could be one of the highlights.

The Mac mini base model costs $599, making it the cheapest Mac available in the Apple Store. That price does rise with every upgrade you strap onto it, but it never becomes completely unaffordable even then. The M2 Pro Mac mini starts at $1,299, and while that’s more than the base model by some margin, you effectively get all the powerful internals of the MacBook Pro sans keyboard, screen, and mouse for $70 less.

Beyond the internal differences, the Mac mini models are identical on the outside. They share the same flat, square aluminum design that fits perfectly onto most desks, and looks good doing it. I/O, however, does leave something to be desired, so you may well want to look at one of the best Mac mini docks before you make your Mac mini purchase.

There are no sockets on the front, but you’ll find a pair of Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports on the back, along with an ethernet port, a pair of USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack. The M2 Pro model also gets an extra pair of Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports.

As with all the Mac lineup, you’ll need to add your own screen to the package to be able to use it as a computer. You’ll also need to bring your own keyboard and mouse to the party, as all Apple packs in the box are the Mac itself and the power chord.

Display-wise, Apple recommends you go with the Studio display, but we know of loads of different options out there that pair with the Mac mini instead. The Magic Keyboard is a nice keyboard too, but there are still some excellent keyboards for Mac that you should also look at. Finally, Apple does make the very attractive Magic Mouse, but you should look at some of the best mice for Mac before you opt for the option that needs to be turned upside down to charge.

The exact model you should buy is:

iMac

Models currently on sale:

• iMac M3

The iMac is a great option for families. It’s not portable like a MacBook, or incredibly powerful like a Mac Studio, or cheap like a Mac mini, but it comes with everything you need to get a Mac setup on your desk. No need to buy a screen, it comes with one built-in, and it’s one of the few machines that includes a Magic Keyboard and mouse in the box as well. For all the information, check out the M3 iMac review.

There is only one option to choose from when it comes to building out your iMac, and that’s the base M3 chip that also lies at the heart of the Mac mini, MacBook Pro 14-inch, and MacBook Air. It’s a powerful processor that keeps everything moving apace, with plenty of headroom for most different tasks that a family could throw at it — including some light gaming thanks to the built-in graphics.

You can also add in more specs at the Apple Store, including upgrades to the RAM and the SSD. Those will add to the cost, however, so have a play with the iMac configurator to find the best iMac for you. That will make the price go up, of course, but even then, the iMac never reaches the heady heights of ‘unaffordable’. The base model is $1,299, although you’ll likely want to spend a bit more than that to get the most out of the machine. You don’t really need to spend as much as you might on the most expensive option, however, as you can go all the way up to $2,099. Instead, we’d say the happiest medium is spending $200 extra on another 8GB of RAM, giving you a total of 16GB and a cost of $1,499.

For the price, you get a great package with the iMac. The front of the device is dominated by a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display which is crisp and colorful to look at. It’s not going to hold a candle to the expensive Studio display or the pro-grade Pro Display XDR, but it's still a lovely panel that will display webpages, movies, and even games with delightful clarity. There’s a built-in 1080p webcam as well, perfect for school video calls or family group chats.

I/O on the back is not exemplary, so you should look at getting a dock to make sure you have enough ports to plug everything in. The base model iMac with M3 only has two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, and then that doubles when you go for them slightly more powerful M3 upgrade. There’s a headphone jack as well, but if you want any more ports you’ll need to plug something in that has more for you to use.

The keyboard and mouse that come in the box are Apple’s ever-popular and excellent Magic keyboard and Magic mouse. They are both color-matched to the iMac that you choose, which is a nice touch. You can also choose whether you want to upgrade the keyboard to include a Numpad or a TouchID sensor, and if you want a Magic Trackpad instead of a Magic Mouse. Of course, if you don’t like either option, then there are loads of excellent keyboards for Mac and mice for Mac out there that might be more your speed.

The design is of course the bit that everyone really likes about the iMac. It’s a very simple and elegant glass and aluminum slab of computer to sit on your desk, and it fits into loads of different kinds of home decor. The color-matched keyboards are pretty cool too, bringing the whole package together. The iMac, importantly, is available in a range of different colors, including Blue, Green, Pink, Silver, Yellow, Orange, and Purple.

As for working out which iMac you should buy, you’ve only choice in chassis, but we’d make some recommendations about what should go inside it. The first thing you should do is upgrade the RAM to 16GB, so that you can do more multitasking and have more Safari or Chrome tabs open. You should also consider upgrading the SSD from the base form up to the 512GB option, which will give you more space for apps and files.

Remember that when you buy an iMac, you can’t upgrade the machine after its been delivered. That means you need to choose what you’ll need from the moment you choose the internals on the Apple Store — and also means that you need to be sure they are what you’ll need throughout the life of the Mac.

The exact model you should buy is:

Mac Pro

Models currently on sale:

• Mac Pro

Before you even consider looking at a Mac Pro, you need to look outside, see what car you might have parked outside on your driveway, and unless there’s a 2024 reg Ferrari parked there, ask yourself “Do I really need a Mac that costs as much as that?” The answer for pretty much everyone but the most dedicated creatives who need the most power they can possibly get their hands on is going to be “No, I should get a Mac Studio instead.”

If you’re one of the few who actually needs the incredible amounts of power on offer from the Mac Pro, then there are a couple of things to think about with the Mac. Each of the upgrades costs a lot, in some cases as much as $2,200. The most powerful and expensive Mac Pro will cost $12,299, and that’s before you’ve added a display (or multiple).

There are some impressive options on the Mac Pro, including a max of 192GB RAM, and 8TB storage space. The Mac Pro is the stomping ground of the likes of Pixar and other big animation houses, those that have enough money to buy multiple machines for an office full of people to use.

You do get a Magic Keyboard and a Magic Mouse in the box with the Mac Pro, which is a big bonus, as well as its slick-looking design. Like the rest of the Mac lineup there is no way to upgrade once you’ve bought the Mac, so make sure that the upgrades you choose for it now are what you’re going to need for the future.

The Truly pro-grade status of the Mac Pro, it’s one of the machines you build out for your use case — it’s difficult to make the best Mac Pro for everyone looking to buy one, because there isn’t one. Instead, carefully consider the apps that the Mac will be running, and then work out from there how many of the upgrades you need.

The exact model you should buy is:

AirPods

AirPods Pro 2 (2nd-gen), AirPods (3rd-gen) and AirPods (2nd-gen)

Models currently on sale:

• AirPods 2nd generation
• AirPods 3rd generation
• AirPods Pro 2nd generation

The in-ear Airpods line is made up of three different styles of AirPods, each offering its own feature set and look. The AirPods 2 are the cheapest option, and they are known for their low price rather than feature set. The AirPods 3 are slightly more expensive, but pack in some extra features. Finally, the AirPods Pro 2 are the best of the in-ears, and add some useful features for their extra cost.

AirPods 2

The AirPods 2 are Apple’s most affordable AirPods, and the AirPods you’re most likely to see in other people’s ears when you’re out and about. They aren’t as fully featured as the rest of the AirPods line, but there are still plenty of reasons to pick them up. For more information, check out the AirPods 2 review.

One of the biggest is the way that they fit in your ears. Unlike many in-ear buds that you can buy today, the AirPods 2 forgo the silicon ear tips and make for a fit that is less invasive than the competition. That does mean that in larger ears they are more likely to fall out, but many users prefer the less intrusive fit of the AirPods 2 over those with silicon tips.

Battery life is good on the AirPods 2, but given that the AirPods 2 are now coming up on their fifth birthday, it’s been beaten by nearly every major competitor. You’ll get about 5 hours of music from the buds themselves before you need to put them back in the charging case, and then you get a further 18 hours from the case itself. You can pop them in the case for 15 minutes and get 3 hours of listening time as well, for when you really need to get back into that podcast on the train on  the way to work.

They charge over lightning, which shows their age in the rest of the lineup. If you’ve got an iPhone 15, then you’ll have to take an extra cable with you when you go on a trip, for one, but it also shows the age of the buds. What doesn’t feel old, however, is the way that the AirPods connect to your iPhone. Open the case, and the AirPods appear immediately, ready for pairing. Want to use them post-pairing? Open the case and they automatically connect up with your iPhone, Mac, or iPad again.

Sound-wise you’re going to find a very middle-of-the-road audio experience, although one that most people aren’t going to mind. They’re not studio quality, but neither do they claim to be. Instead, they are a simple, ok-sounding pair of earbuds that look cool and connect effortlessly with your Apple equipment.

AirPods 3

The AirPods 3 are the mid-range option in the AirPods lineup, packing in more features than the AirPods 2, but not quite matching the extras that the Pro 2 provide. They’re middle-of-the-road price wise as well, coming in just between the AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro 2. For more information, give the AirPods 3 review a read.

The fit of the AirPods 3 is also somewhere between the AirPods 2 and the AirPods Pro 2. They have the same silicon tip-less fit of the AirPods 2, but their shape is more similar to the AirPods Pro 2. That means that while they are less invasive in fit than the AirPods Pro 2, they will also stay in your ears better than the AirPods 2. For some they are the most comfortable AirPods product out there, although your mileage may vary — they are, after all, more likely to fall out in use than the AirPods Pro 2 and their more secure fit.

Connection is going to be just as magic as it is with the AirPods 2. Open the case near your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and they connect up immediately, joining your other Apple devices on your Apple ID so that you can use them with every Apple device that you own. There’s Find My on board this time as well, although it’s not as fully featured as the AirPods Pro 2 and their more impressive Find My features.

There are some other extra features to justify the extra cost over the AirPods 2 as well, the main being Spatial Audio. If you use Apple Music on your iPhone, Mac, or iPad, then the AirPods 3 can make use of the Dolby Atmos surround soundtracks that the service pumps out, and play them to make the music sound like it's coming from all around you. Some people love the sound of Spatial Audio, but others like the effect less — it’s worth trying it out in the Apple Store before you decide whether it’s worth the extra cost of the AirPods 3 over the cheaper options for you.

The sound quality has also been improved in the AirPods 3, with a more neutral and pleasing sound signature than the AirPods 2. It’s not a game-changing improvement, but it is one that makes them a better option for those who appreciate the sound of their tunes.

Battery life is improved as well, as the buds last for six hours of music listening (that does drop to five hours when you activate Spatial Audio, mind you). The battery in the case has grown as well, as you now get a total of 30 hours of listening time, and five minutes in the case will provide an extra hour of listening.

There are touch controls to control the buds as well, the sensor tucked into the stem on the buds. They are intuitive and easy to use, and they’re much better than other touch control methods in that they’re harder to press randomly — no more accidental volume changes when you just want to adjust them in your ears.

AirPods Pro 2

The AirPods Pro 2 are the top-of-the-range in-ear AirPods, and they come with some top-shelf features to make them worth their higher asking price. Noise-canceling, Spatial Audio, and improved Find My go hand in hand with a USB-C charging port and solid battery life for the best pair of AirPods that you can buy today. For all the information, check out the AirPods Pro 2 review.

The AirPods Pro 2 are the only AirPods to feature the silicon ear tips that so many other firms have adopted for their earbuds, and it makes for a much better seal in your ear. That means that they’re going to allow less of the outside world into your music, making them perfect for a busy commute or loud office environment. They’ll also stay in your ears better than the other AirPods options, along with being more comfortable for some users.

The eartips also work in tandem with the active noise canceling on board the buds to block out all the noise of the outside world so that you’re not disturbed when you don’t want to be. The noise canceling in the AirPods Pro 2 is some of the best around, but it’s also made more powerful with some extra modes. There’s a transparency mode that you can turn on which amplifies the outside noises so that you can talk to someone with the buds in — great for ordering that morning's coffee or buying a bus ticket on the way into work. New to the USB-C version of the AirPods Pro 2 is an adaptive transparency mode, which blocks out the kind of noise you don’t want (think construction, loud motors) and lets in the noises you do want, like conversations. You can of course turn them all off completely, if you’d rather there was no processing of the outside.

Battery life isn’t a strong point of the AirPods Pro 2, as the buds themselves only have around 6 hours of listening time. That reduces further if you listen to Spatial Audio tracks as well, and then you’ll be able to charge them a further five times from the case before that needs re-juicing. Given that you’ll want to use the Spatial Audio and noise-canceling that the buds offer, the lack of battery life is a shame. 

The Spatial Audio is also better here, with greater reproduction of the Dolby Atmos Surround Sound tracks. There’s head-tracking Spatial Audio on board as well, which moves the mix around as you pan your head, keeping individual parts of the track in one spot while you look around. The Spatial Audio portion of the buds is particularly useful for Apple TV users. Rather than a full surround sound setup, you can connect your AirPods Pro 2 to the box and then enjoy surround sound that doesn’t bother anyone else.

The AirPods Pro 2 are also the first to feature a USB-C port, which brings them up to speed with the rest of Apple’s lineup. That means you only need one charger and cable when you go out and about to charge your AirPods and your other devices, saving you space. There’s wireless charging on the case as standard as well, and you can even use an Apple Watch charging puck to give them some more battery life.

Finally, the sound in the AirPods Pro 2 is the best of the bunch. Again, it’s not the best in the business, but the buds sound very good when compared to the other options in the AirPods family. Most people are going to think the AirPods Pro 2 sound excellent, and the noise canceling lets you enjoy it more. You can control the music and the noise canceling modes with the excellent touch controls on the stems of the buds, which work better than any touch controls on any in-ear wireless earbuds.

Once you’ve considered all the options in the AirPods line, you’ll then wonder which ones you should choose. It would be easy to say ‘Just choose the AirPods Pro 2, they are the best’, but that would forget the price bonus of the AirPods 2.

The ones to avoid are the AirPods 3. It’s not that they’re bad, but they don’t offer enough solid extra features over the AirPods 2 to justify the extra cost, and they are too close in price to the AirPods Pro 2 to ignore the more feature pair. Instead, think of it like this: If you want a pair of budget AirPods, you should go with the AirPods 2. They are well priced, and still a solid pair of buds for the money. If you want Spatial Audio, then you should choose the AirPods Pro 2 and their noise canceling — they are well worth the extra few dollars over the AirPods 3, and have more features to justify their price.

The exact model you should buy is:

AirPods Max

Models currently on sale:

• AirPods Max

There’s only one pair of AirPods that you can buy today that isn’t an in-ear style, and that’s the sublimely opulent AirPods Max. They are the most expensive piece of audio gear that Apple sells, and they are the kind of headphones that AirPods fans lust after. Lined with premium materials and boasting a full gamut of features, the AirPods Max come at a lofty price. For more information, check out the AirPods Max review.

They cost $549 from the Apple store making them over double the price of the AirPods Pro 2. For the price, you get headphones with aluminum ear cups, stainless steel frames, a cool, mesh headband, and some of the deepest, most comfortable padding that you’ll find on a pair of over-ear headphones. You can also choose what color you want your AirPods to be, from a selection of five colorways: Silver, Black, Sky Blue, Red, and Green.

One thing to be aware of with the AirPods Max is that they don’t ever truly turn off — they live in a kind of semi-permanent sleep mode. This mode is activated when you pop them in their terrible case, which rather than feeling protective feels like a suede-lined headphone diaper. That case gets mucky quickly as well, so make sure you try and keep it as clean as possible. That does make connection super easy, however. Just take them out of the carrying case, and they connect to your iPhone, Mac, or iPad with no issue.

Once connected, there are some great features that make the AirPods Max well worth the asking price. For one, the sound is actually really good, if a little bassy, and to many listeners, they’re going to sound like the best thing they’ve ever heard. In addition, the noise canceling is some of the best around, blocking out noises of all types and volumes, letting you enjoy your music to your heart's content.

There is also a good transparency mode, activated with the little button that sits on the top of the left earcup. That will let the outside world in, in case someone else in the office has something important to say. The hybrid mode from the AirPods Pro 2 is missing here, however, so if that’s a feature you like then the in-ear option may be better for you. Those noise canceling modes, the volume, and play/pause are all controlled with the digital crown and the button on the left earcup.

Battery life is solid, giving you 20 hours on a charge. If you plug them in for five minutes you’ll have one and a half hours of battery life to listen to music with as well, which while not incredible is useful if you need some extra battery life in a pinch. The battery charges over Lightning, which does make them feel older than they look.  

Head-tracked Spatial Audio is here as well, much like the AirPods Pro 2. That’s a cool feature for the big headphones, and it makes them excellent for watching Apple TV Plus shows with Dolby Atmos surround sound for extra immersion. They’re heavy but comfortable as well, so you’ll not mind wearing them for too long either when listening to music or watching something on your Apple TV.

The exact model you should buy is:

HomePod

HomePod and HomePod mini

Models currently on sale:

• HomePod 2
• HomePod mini

There are currently two models of HomePod available for you to buy at the Apple Store — the larger, more expensive HomePod 2 and the smaller, cheaper HomePod mini. Both are excellent ways of making your home smarter, but there are some key things you should consider before you buy either one. For more information on the pair of smart speakers, check out the HomePod 2 review and the HomePod mini review.

The first is size. The HomePod 2 is a much larger device and will take up more space in your home. It’s harder to tuck away in a corner and forget about, being more a central focus of your room decoration. That’s not to say it’s a big, ugly mass of speaker, but rather you need to ensure that you don’t mind it being in your room, its attractive design aside. The HomePod mini, on the other hand, is much smaller, and blends in much easier with a range of different home decors. It’s a kind of mesh-covered sphere, and you can easily tuck it into the corner or a room and only remember it’s there when you go to ask Siri to do something for you.

Then it should be all about sound quality, and there can only be one choice if you intend the HomePod to be an audio device — the HomePod 2. It’s a rich, bassy affair, but thanks to its solid Spatial Audio support, it can fill even the largest room in your house with very good-quality sound. The HomePod mini, on the other hand, sounds better than its size and price might have you believe, but it is nothing compared to the weight and sonic might of the HomePod 2.

Both speakers can be set up in Stereo pairs as well, although in the case of the HomePod 2, that would cost you $500 for two. The HomePod mini benefits more from this as well, making the little speaker a more viable listening option than a solo device. That brings us to price. The HomePod 2 costs $299, while the HomePod mini only costs $99. If you’re looking for a small smart speaker that can become the center of an Apple home setup, then a HomePod mini is the way to go.

Apple Home is an important part of the existence of both speakers — you can dot them around the house so that they can be the presence of Siri where you might ask the assistant to do something in your house. That could be opening your Apple Home-connected curtains, or turning the heating no matter where you are in the house. Again, if audio isn’t your primary concern, then a few HomePod mini devices dotted around the house is going to be a far more cost-effective way to increase Siri’s presence in your home.

The HomePod mini is also available in more colors. Where the HomePod 2 can only be had in Black or white, the HomePod mini comes in White, Yellow, Red, Blue, and Black.

The exact model you should buy is:

Apple TV

Apple TV 4K

Models currently on sale:

• Apple TV 4K 3rd generation 64GB
• Apple TV 4K 3rd generation ethernet 128GB

Going up against the likes of the Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV 4K is Apple’s box that hooks up to your TV and gives you all of your favorite streaming platforms in one place. It’s a small, black cuboid that sits below your TV and blends into the background — but despite its relatively high cost and small size, it’s a very useful, powerful device. For all the information, check out the Apple TV 4K review.

There’s only one choice you’ll have to make when choosing an Apple TV 4K box, and that’s whether you want the WiFi-only version or one that comes with WiFi and Ethernet built in. The WiFi model costs $129, while the ethernet version is an extra $20 at $149. Storage is different between the two models as well. The cheaper box has 64GB of storage, while the more expensive model has 128GB. We’d say go with the extra storage. You might not need the ethernet port, but you might want to store music, movies, or TV shows you’ve bought on the Apple Store. You can also download apps for other streaming services like Netflix or Disney Plus, bringing all your watching into one place.

The best part of the whole experience is the remote for Apple TV that comes in the box. It’s an aluminum oblong with a few buttons and a touchpad, and it makes browsing around Apple’s excellent TV UI a joy. The touchpad is intuitive and helpful, and the buttons are clicky and precise. It does need charging every now and again, which is achieved with a USB-C connector on the bottom.

Given that it’s called the Apple TV 4K, you’d likely not be surprised that it can pump out a 4K signal. It supports different HDR formats as well, including Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, and more. The picture quality from the box is excellent, although part of that will also be down to the TV you plug it into. If your TV supports it, you can also match the power state of your Apple TV and TV, so that if you hold the off button on your Apple TV remote you can turn the Apple TV and your TV on and off together.

You can connect AirPods and HomePods to Apple TV as well, so you can get Spatial Audio with supported devices and shows. Connecting up AirPods with Dolby Atmos support is great for late-night watchers, as well as those who live in flats or apartments who don’t want to disturb housemates with loud surround sound systems. You can also use the Apple TV as a part of an Apple Home setup, letting you command Siri while you use it, or it can show you different views of your home through connected security cameras. Extra fun Apple Home feature on the Apple TV — if you have a connected doorbell, a small window will appear on your screen showing you who’s at the door. Helpful if you’ve got your AirPods in when watching TV and you might have otherwise missed an important package.

You can connect up a games controller and play Apple Arcade games with the Apple TV as well, and the current model, while not as powerful as the current generation of home consoles, is a great way to play some of the best Apple Arcade games. You can even connect PS5 and Xbox controllers as well, so you might not have to buy new hardware to give it a go.

Setup is easy as well — just plug it in, and connect the HDMI connection to your TV. Make sure you use one of the enhanced connections on your TV for the best experience, as not all HDMI ports where created equal, and some lack features that the Apple TV makes use of.

The exact model you should buy is:

Mac Displays

Pro Display XDR and Studio Display

Models currently on sale:

• Pro Display XDR
• Studio Display

There are two options when it comes to displays from the Apple Store, the Studio Display and the Pro Display XDR. Both are expensive, but one is more designed for home professional use and the other for the serious professional that needs the best of the best — and just spend small hatchback money on a Mac Pro.

Pro Display XDR

The Pro Display XDR is a massive slab of glass and aluminum designed for those who need the best display that they can lay their hands on, price be damned. It’s a 32-inch monster of a display, with a whole bunch of features that make it the most impressive screen that Apple has ever put in the Apple Store.

To get the obvious out of the way first — the Pro display XDR is expensive. It’s a $4,999 screen, and you can make it even more expensive by choosing the anti-reflective nano-texture glass, bringing the price up by another $1,000 to $5,999. That’s more than most of Apple’s Mac lineup cost, and, indeed, almost half the cost of a fully specced current generation Mac Pro.

For the price you get a stunning screen, with a 6K resolution and what Apple calls ‘Extreme Dynamic Range. That’s just a fancy name for HDR, so you can edit HDR content on the monitor and it will look exactly as you would want it to. The stand on the back of the monitor can adjust in every which way, although you can also buy a Vesa adaptor to stick it to a monitor arm. The bad news — you have to pay for both options, to the tune of $999 for the stand or $199 for the VESA mount adapter.

Everything to do with the Pro Display XDR is expensive. For the price you don’t even get speakers — although for the kind of user that this is targeting, you probably won’t want or need them.

You connect the display to a Mac with the USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports on the back, and then the remaining three act like a hub for whatever device you’ve plugged in, which is a useful feature. It will even charge your MacBook if you plug one of those in, so you only need one cable to use the MacBook and the display together at the same time.

Studio Display

The Studio Display is the smaller sibling of the massive Pro Display XDR, but it packs in more features that make it a better bet for more users. It’s a 27-inch 5K display, featuring a similar design to the Pro Display XDR that matches the rest of the Mac lineup. For all the information, check out the Studio Display review.

The Studio Display is not cheap, but it is nowhere near as expensive as the Pro Display XDR. The standard panel is $1,599, and the Nano-texture glass option is $1,899. That adds a matte finish to the screen so that you can use it in more direct light and not suffer from reflections or glare.

There are stand options here as well, but thankfully you don’t have to pay extra to get a stand with the monitor. There are two free options with the display: The tilt-adjustable stand, or the VESA mount adapter. Both of these options are solid — although bear in mind that you can’t choose a different one once you’ve already chosen the stand you want. The height-adjustable stand costs a little more, bringing the price up to $1,999.

The monitor connects to your Mac using the four USB-C connectors on the back. Two of them are Thunderbolt 3, and will power your MacBook if you choose to plug a portable machine into the screen. It will also act like a dock for your Mac, so you get more ports than you would have otherwise.

There are some extra features on the Studio Display that make it a solid option for Mac users as well. For one, there are some Spatial Audio speakers inside for when you want to watch some of the best movies on Apple TV Plus, and they’re surprisingly good. There’s also a 1080p webcam built into the top of the display, so that you don’t have to take up another slot with a separate one.

The exact model you should buy is:

AirTag

AirTag

Models currently on sale:

• AirTag

The Apple AirTag is a very simple device, albeit one that is incredibly useful. It’s a tiny, button-sized device that uses a combination of Bluetooth and GPS to track your most treasured possessions — or whatever you choose to put it with.

It’s powered by a button cell, and a battery will last about a year before you need to pop a new one in. Helpfully, your iPhone will tell you when you need to put in a new one. Tracking-wise, you can use the AirTag to track anything you might want to stick it to, like your keys, TV controller, or even your car. Just go into the Find My app, tap the Find My Airtag option, and then track your stuff if it gets lost. It’s cheap too — a single AirTag costs just $29, while a pack of four costs $99.

If you’re at all worried about being stalked by an AirTag, then Apple has you covered. All Apple devices and even Android devices will tell you if there’s an unknown AirTag nearby that might be being used to track you without your knowledge.

The exact model you should buy is:

Apple Vision Pro

Vision Pro

Models currently on sale:

• Apple Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro is the latest device that comes from the Cupertino giant, and it’s a whole new product category. It’s a mixed-reality headset made out of glass, aluminum, and premium textiles, and it comes at a price tag to match.

It’s important to get the price out of the way first. The Apple Vision Pro starts at $3,499 and then goes up to $3,899 when you add in the increased storage options. You can buy a carrying case for the Vision Pro as well, and that will cost an extra $199. You can buy extra bits for the Vision Pro as well, because so much of it is catered to the user that bought it, including the size of the eye seal that keeps it on your face, and the strap that goes around your head.

We’d recommend heading to the Apple Store and booking a demo of the headset to make sure that it’s something you’d actually be interested in buying first. That way you can have a play with the device, and see what you think about how it works, whether it's comfortable for you, and whether you want to spend the near $4,000 asking price to get one in your living room.

There are some incredible features on offer with Vision Pro. It’s designed with work in mind, so it can run all the best productivity apps and use its Augmented Reality cameras to place a workspace around your physical space in a virtual world. That means loads of screens with different apps open, as well as a digital keyboard and mouse. It controls using your eyes and your fingers — your eyes act like a pointer, and pressing your fingers together is like the clicker on your mouse.

With its all-encompassing displays, it’s also a good media consumption device. It can fill your vision with the best Apple TV Plus shows, and play games either in VR or on a massive screen. You can connect game controllers and keyboards as well thanks to it’s Bluetooth connection, letting you type more comfortably and play games with physical controls.

It can even act as a secondary display for your MacBook, or a primary one for your desktop Mac. That makes it great for people who need lots of screen real estate, but who don’t have the space on their desk necessary for the large screens it would normally require. It’s all done wirelessly as well, so you only have to worry about the battery that the device is connected to around your waist.

That battery could be a sore spot for some, as it doesn’t last as long as you might hope. The little pack will give you two hours of normal use, or two and a half hours of video watching. Thankfully, you can use Vision Pro while its plugged in, so you don’t need to worry about not being able to use it if the battery is dead and you’re near a charging socket.

Audio-wise the Vision Pro has a pair of speakers nestled into the headband, which feature Spatial Audio. They will also be audible by anyone you might be sharing your space with, so you can also hook up a pair of AirPods should you want to keep the noise down for those around you. Interestingly, if you connect a pair of AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C to the Vision Prom you’ll be able to listen to Hi-Res tracks wirelessly. This latter feature is not available with any other pair of AirPods.

This is a stand-alone computer, so you don’t need to worry about being near another Mac, iPhone, or iPad for it to work. The only choice you need to worry about in the long run is how much storage you want to get with the headset. There are three options: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The final storage option is an extra $400 — but given there’s no way at all to add any more storage after the fact, we’d say it's well worth spending the extra.

It’s also worth talking briefly about the purchase process of Vision Pro because it’s a whole lot more involved than the rest of the Apple product line. First, Apple asks you to do a facial scan with your iPhone or iPad. That uses the FaceID camera to measure your face and head for the eye seal that goes around the edge of the device, keeping it on your face and the light out of the experience. This can be tricky to get right, so take your time and redo if necessary. Then, you’ll be asked if you need any vision inserts. You can’t really wear glasses inside the headset, so Apple makes lenses that click into place for glasses wearers that fit with their prescription. Reading lenses cost $99, but prescription lenses cost $149 — and you’ll need to make sure that your prescription is offered. That’s all of the personalization options sorted, and then you just need to choose the storage option.

The exact model you should buy is:

Accessories

While Apple is most known for its iPhones, iPads, AirPods, and Macs, it also produces some excellent accessories that pair with its products. If you need a new phone case to go with your iPhone 15 Pro Max, then Apple has you covered with a multitude of different options, or if you want a keyboard to match your svelte Mac Studio and Studio Display.

If you want to ensure that you get the most features that work with Mac and the best compatibility with your hardware possible, then Apple's own accessories are the way to go. There are even non-Apple-made accessories that you'll find in the Apple Store, selected by Apple itself to ensure quality and compatibility. Here, we'll show you some of the accessories that you can buy from the Apple Store and which devices they work with.

iPhone accessories

There are also plenty of third-party iPhone accessories out there as well, and we test as many of them as possible to find out which are the best for you. Here's a list of our comprehensive buying guides so that you can find the best iPhone accessories for you.

• Best iPhone cases
• Best iPhone 15 cases
• Best iPhone 15 Pro cases
• Best iPhone 15 Pro Max cases
• Best iPhone 15 Plus cases

iPad accessories

While Apple's accessories are going to be some of the best around, you can also find some wicked options form thrid party companies. We've tested as many of these as possible, and made comprehensive buying guides so that you can find the best iPad accessories for you, from cases to stands.

• Best iPad Air cases
• Best iPad Pro cases
• Best Apple Pencil alternatives
• Best accessories for iPad Air
• Best iPad mini cases
• Best iPad stands

Apple Watch accessories

It's not just Apple that makes some excellent accessories to pair with your Apple Watch, of course — you can also find some great options from third party companies. We test as many of them as possible, and then build out informative and helpful buying guides so that you can find the best Apple Watch accessories for you and your needs.

• Best Apple Watch accessories
• Best Apple Watch bands
• Best Apple Watch chargers
• Best Apple Watch cases
• Best Apple Watch screen protectors

Mac accessories

Apple isn't the only company that makes accessories for its Macs — there are plenty of third party options out there as well. We've tested as many as possible and then assembled them into handy buying guides, so that you can find the best for you.

• Best accessories for Mac
• Best Keyboards for Mac
• Best mechanical keyboards for Mac
• Best mice for Mac
• Best 4K displays for Mac
• Best external hard drives for Mac

Surfshark is one of the most popular VPN services. You can use it on the best iPhones and Macs to keep your data protected while you browse the web. And now your streaming is going to be more secure, thanks to a new dedicated app for the Apple TV.

Not only will Surfshark VPN now be able to keep your streaming protected on Wi-Fi networks, you'll also be able to unlock additional content. VPNs can be used to get around streaming platforms' geographical restrictions, opening up the doors for access to even more content.

Apple's tvOS 17 update allowed third-party VPN apps for the Apple TV. And Surfshark has swiftly released its app for viewers to download.

Protect your data and access more content

But why huddle under Surfshark's digital umbrella? It's not just about keeping the data-hungry wolves at bay, although thwarting targeted ads is a sweet perk. It's also about accessing more content from the comfort of your sofa. Locked out of your favorite shows while overseas? Surfshark lets you slip past those streaming service geo-restrictions without anyone being the wiser.

In terms of cost, Surfshark plays the charming rogue – good service doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. It's a wallet-friendly option that doesn't skimp on features, offering unlimited simultaneous connections, so your entire arsenal of devices can go incognito. Surfshark is already a great streaming companion, capable of unblocking the likes of Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and more.

Want to stream under the security of a VPN and unlock extra content? The Surfshark Apple TV app is ready for download directly from the App Store. The brand offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you're not a fan.

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Gamers, I come in peace. I too am an owner of many consoles, so please don't come to my apartment with controllers raised like pitchforks. But I've got a somewhat-unlikely hope for the future of my living room gaming sessions — and it puts Apple TV at the heart of it.

I've been a console gamer since...well, since I can remember. I have misty memories of playing Duck Hunt on the Super Nintendo when I was really young. Over the years, I got console after console. From the Sega Dreamcast to the original Xbox and then into the modern console era like the Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, console gaming has been something that has followed me throughout my entire life.

I had a short stint in PC gaming during my college years (looking at you, World of Warcraft) but by and large, I've been a console gamer. And, after an entire life as a console gamer, I am wondering if I could rid them all in favor of an iPhone and an Apple TV.

It may sound crazy, but Apple has slowly been putting the pieces together to make this dream a reality.

Apple is gearing up for this future

I know, I know. Every time someone writes about Apple making an actual play to become a competitor in the gaming industry, we all roll our eyes and go back to our consoles and PCs and wait another decade.

And for good reason. While Apple has obviously made its mark on the mobile gaming industry, the Mac has never been a serious competitor to Windows when it comes to AAA gaming. While there have certainly been more games coming to the Mac over the last few years (and our list of the best Mac games should be any game-playing MacBook owner's first port of call), the brand recognition is just not there yet. Apple hasn't been able to shake that perception that Mac just isn't a great gaming platform.

However, Apple silicon started to change the game for Apple and has opened up the possibility for the company to finally take a shot at the console and Windows gaming market. The latest A-Series and M-Series chips are insanely fast and efficient, bringing games like Death Stranding to not only the Mac but the iPhone as well with the A17 Pro chip running in the iPhone 15 Pro.

With a game like that running on my Mac and my iPhone, there's only one other place I'd want it to run to consider buying it through Apple rather than PlayStation: my television. And that's where the Apple TV comes in.

The Apple TV would close the loop on gaming

While it's great that I can now play a AAA game on my iPhone and Mac, there's one key device I still can't that's a huge problem for a console gamer like myself. That device, of course, is on my television.

As a lifelong Xbox gamer (and now PS5 and Switch gamer), I've grown up playing video games on my television. It's so ingrained in me that something feels wrong about a game that I can only play on my phone or my computer. There's something about playing from the couch or the floor in front of the TV that's so key for me that I need that from any gaming platform.

That's where the Apple TV close the loop on gaming for me. The current Apple TV 4K is great and can handle almost every game that Apple Arcade, Apple's game subscription service, can throw at it. However, the A15 Bionic chip powering the Apple TV just isn't powerful enough to port something like Death Stranding (or any AAA game) onto it.

However, rip that A17 Pro chip out of the iPhone 15 Pro and drop it into an Apple TV and things get interesting. Of course, Apple may even need to go with something like the M3 chip from the Mac to power a gaming-focused Apple TV due to the A17 Pro only having to power a tiny iPhone screen instead of a 65-inch television. On a screen the size of an iPhone you can get away with lower resolution rendering — but 4K is the standard now in the living room, and that's a potential challenge for high-end titles even on Apple's top-tier mobile chip.

Regardless, the company now has the chips to bring AAA gaming to the Apple TV, and I think Apple really should. The box already supports the most popular gaming controllers like the PlayStation DualSense and Xbox Wireless controller. Now it's time to support games that are worthy of those controllers.

Apple could offer a compelling AAA experience

I imagine a world where I can buy a AAA game and, when I'm at home, sit down in front of my Apple TV and play my game on the big screen. Then, grab my Mac and take it with me to a local coffee shop and continue playing. And then, hop on a plane and continue to play on my iPhone.

Apple needs to clear a few hurdles to make this happen, including getting developers on board to let people buy their game on one device and play it everywhere — something some developers are not keen on doing. But it would create the best experience for both Apple and the developer's customers.

The company also needs to get developers to want to develop AAA games for its devices. While Apple has gotten some games to port to some devices, it has yet to release a AAA game exclusively on its platforms for what at least feels like forever.

Then there's multiplayer. The Xbox Series S|X and PS5 have tons of online gaming features built-in, and that's something that Apple doesn't have built out yet — Game Center is severely lacking. I can't imagine playing Helldivers with friends on all of my Apple devices yet, unless I'm supposed to run everything through Discord — you know Apple would want a more native experience for that.

Regardless of all of those issues that would need to be resolved, I think Apple has the devices and the chipsets to make this kind of future a reality. Xbox and PlayStation are both already after this idea that you can access and play your console games on the go. Between the PlayStation Portal, Backbone, and handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally, taking AAA games on the go is the future.

Apple, as within many other areas of its business, could build such an integrated experience that it may be able to offer the most compelling platform to buy games on compared to everyone else. It could finally become a major player in gaming (not fake mobile gaming but real gaming). And the Apple TV could be the key.

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The Apple TV 4K streaming box is one of our favorite ways to watch Apple TV Plus and beyond, but it hasn't evolved all that much in recent years. That could be about to change with a new report suggesting that Apple has some changes in store.

That report claims that Apple is working on a new type of Apple TV set-top box that will include a built-in camera for placing FaceTime and other video calls. There will also reportedly be support for gesture controls, while integration with Apple's other platforms can also be expected.

The Apple TV already supports using the iPhone for video calls via Continuity Camera, but this new product would have one built in, we're told.

Seamless integration

The report comes via Mark Gurman, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, and he believes that Apple continues to toy with the idea of changing the Apple TV form factor up completely.

"Then there’s the smart home segment, where Apple still has grand ambitions," Gurman explains. "It has discussed automating household functions and offering a revamped Apple TV set-top box with a built-in camera for FaceTime videoconferencing and gesture-based controls." He goes on to say that the new device will also "work seamlessly with both the iPhone and Vision Pro."

The addition of gesture controls could potentially be the most interesting news here, especially if Apple can repurpose some of its hand-tracking technology used in the Apple Vision Pro.

However, it's important to remember that Apple works on many things that never ship, so keep that in mind here — we only need to look as far as the canceled Apple Car as an indication of that.

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Every year, Apple overhauls some or all of its product lines and introduces some brand new devices to get us excited with, too, and 2024 is already proving no different.

We’ve already seen the launch of Apple Vision Pro back in February, as well as the reveal of the M3 MacBook Air in March. Apple’s yearly developer conference has also been announced again for June 10, with WWDC 2024 rumored to be full of announcements related to artificial intelligence and its software platforms.

Yet we still have nine months of the year to go — and there are plenty of products that are due an upgrade. So look no further, as we’re about to go through what may or may not still be waiting in the wings in a top-secret Apple lab, ready to launch before the year ends. We’re breaking it down into three categories — products that are almost certainly nearly ready to hit shelves, devices likely to appear before the year is out, and the remaining products from the rumor mill that are said to be in the works but may yet be a bit further away still.

Most Likely

Software (iOS 18, macOS 15, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, visionOS 2)

• Key rumored features: AI, Home Screen Customization for iPhone
• Predicted release date: September 2024

Even though we’re light on the details for the next software upgrades that will power all of Apple’s devices, there are rumors that iOS 18 will be the biggest update in years for the underlying iPhone operating system. Artificial intelligence is likely to be the main talking point at WWDC 2024, which takes place on June 10, as well as better customization for an iPhone’s Home Screen. Other than that, we’re in the dark for now as to what macOS 15, watchOS 11 and the other software updates will offer — though expect AI to be at the heart of each of them.

iOS 18, iPadOS 18, visionOS 2, watchOS 11, macOS 15

iPhone 16

• Key rumored features: Extra ‘Capture’ button, A18 chip, new colors, bigger sizes 
• Predicted release date: September 2024

Ever since the first iPhone debuted in 2007, we’ve seen a new model launch every year. We expect 2024 to be no different — it’s just wondering which month that the iPhone 16 line will launch. It’s been an almost-clockwork September launch window for iPhones in recent years, so we’d expect the same for 2024. A new capture button is rumored to be placed below the power button, so you’ll be able to take camera shots more easily. A returning color of Rose Gold could be appearing for the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models, too. And an A18 chip, primed for AI features, is likely as well.

iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

M3 iPad Pro

• Key rumored features: OLED Display, M3 chip, thinner bezel, new Magic Keyboard
• Predicted release date: April 2024

What’s better than incredible power in an Apple product? More power. An M3 chip could help render videos in apps like Final Cut Pro far quicker than the currently available M2 iPad Pro, and an OLED display could show those blacks and other colors much more vibrantly.

OLED iPad Pro

M2 iPad Air 6

• Key rumored features: M2 Chip, bigger 12.9-inch model too
• Predicted release date: April 2024

We’re light on details as to what a new iPad Air could entail — but expect the tablet to have the M2 chip to take advantage of the extra power and battery-saving features that the Apple silicon chip provides. There are also rumors that a bigger, 12.9-inch model, could be made available as well as a 10.9-inch model.

M2 iPad Air 6

Likely

M3 Mac mini

• Key rumored features: M3 Chip
• Predicted release date: October 2024

The Mac mini is a fantastic machine that can fit into a lot of different workflows, but it hasn’t had an update since the M2 arrived to the desktop in January 2023. Rumors are light on this potential upgrade, but we’re expecting to see a new Mac mini with an M3 chip by the end of the year — likely at a fall Mac event as in previous years, such as the Halloween event which unveiled the M3 MacBook Pro laptops.

Apple Watch X

• Key rumored features: New design, possible microLED display, new strap design
• Predicted release date: September 2024

Much like how the iPhone X in 2017 was meant to be the 10-year ‘Anniversary iPhone’, an Apple Watch X is rumored to do something similar this year. Touted to debut with a new design of thinner bezels and redesigned watch straps, this could be a huge upgrade for the core Apple Watch line, which has been treading water for its past few iterations. The watch may also come with a microLED display, which can result in a brighter screen, especially when you try to look at the Watch in direct sunlight — though recent supply chain stories have poured water on this possibility.

Apple Watch X

Apple Pencil 3

• Key rumored features: Find My integration, taptic feedback, AirPod-style buttons, visionOS integration
• Predicted release date: April 2024

After an Apple Pencil with USB-C arrived in October 2023, we’re hoping to see a more significant upgrade this year. Already, plenty of rumors seem to give the impression that’s the case, with AirPod-style buttons to change between different pencil styles, different nubs, ‘Digital Crown’ cap control, and much more suggested for inclusion. We would expect the Pencil to arrive alongside new iPads later this year.

Apple Pencil 3

AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3

• Key rumored features: USB-C port on all models, H2 chip, hearing aid functionality
• Predicted release date: September 2024

The whole line of Apple’s AirPods look set to be given a revamp later this year, with USB-C ports in all of the cases, a H2 chip, and Active Noise Cancellation as standard being the expected upgrades. The last update we saw was a USB-C case for AirPods Pro 2 in September 2023, so it’s high time to see some big improvements for 2024.

AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3

M4 MacBook Pro

• Predicted release date: November 2024

Since the first M1 chip arrived in 2020, we’ve seen subsequent improvements in Apple silicon ever since. As it stands, we have the M3 and M3 Pro chips in the MacBook Pro laptops, which were released in November 2023. Before that, the M2 MacBook Pros launched in January 2023 — so there’s a chance we’ll see a new version by the end of the year. There could be a slight hiccup though. According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the next MacBook Pro has “just started formal development” — so we’d put this at a 50/50 possibility for now.

Not Likely for 2024

M3 Ultra Mac Pro

• Predicted release date: June 2025

The Mac Pro feels like it’s in limbo currently. An M2 Ultra Mac Studio can easily do the job of a Mac Pro for a lot less money. Even the M3 Pro MacBook Pro laptops do a great job when stacked up against Apple’s ultra desktop machine. We wouldn’t be surprised to see an update someday for power users, but there is a nagging thought of — is there any point to the Mac Pro line anymore?

M3 Max and Ultra Mac Studio

• Predicted release date: January 2025

Again, the M2 Mac Studio easily does the job of what a Mac Pro can offer — and for a lower cost as well, so we aren’t expecting to see a new model until next year, once the M4 chips are announced.

AirPods Max 2 with USB-C

• Predicted release date: Anyone's guess!

At this point, it’s comical that we’ve not seen one update to Apple’s over-ear headphones since they were first made available in December 2020, and we’re not expecting to see this change in 2024. AirPods Max still has a Lightning port, still has a terrible case, and still has the same colors. Granted, they look and sound great — but it would be nice to see the H2 chip and a USB-C port someday. For now though, we’re not holding out much hope.

AirPods Max 2

HomePod 3

• Predicted release date: February 2025

Acclaimed by our News Editor back in February 2023, HomePod 2 made a surprisingly punchy debut, and in two colors, as well — White and Midnight. Since then, rumors have been circulating about a new HomePod with a smart-home controlling screen. Back in February, Mark Gurman at Bloomberg revealed that, “there was a device [in the works] that would combine the Apple TV, FaceTime and HomePod in one system, as well as a HomePod with a screen that swivels like a robotic arm." It seems like this model is nowhere near ready, though.

Apple TV 4K (Fourth Generation)

• Predicted release date: Who knows!

It’s fair to say that Apple TV’s issues lie more with tvOS, the software that powers the hockey puck hardware. It’s a great device to watch all of your content on, as well as the best shows on Apple TV Plus — but tvOS barely gets a mention from Apple these days. If there is an update coming, we’d expect both new hardware and software to be announced at the same time, to herald a major upgrade to Apple TV. Yet we can’t see this happening until at least 2025.

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Seeing the news of Amazon Prime Video introducing ads into its existing subscription tier has made me realize the value of a service that has no advertisements mid-stream — but it’s also made me reminisce on of how things used to be.

I’ve always been oddly proud of the fact that I’ve never paid for a cable or satellite TV subscription service in the UK, such as Sky. For those unaware, you would have a satellite dish installed somewhere on the outside of your home, and there would be a set-top box connected to your TV. 

With that set up, you could browse hundreds of channels, including those offered by Sky. Having this as part of your living room setup was a common thing in the 2000s, but I always avoided it. The high monthly cost was a big factor, as it could reach £60 (the equivalent of $80) when choosing certain channel packages. 

Yet it was the ads that always put me off more than anything. 

These felt like ten minutes apiece between shows, so I’d wait until shows like LOST and Heroes were made available on iTunes — a one-off fee for an uninterrupted episode was worth waiting for.

So once streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video arrived, I signed up as I was keen to have a library that I could watch with no ad interruptions. In recent years though, that’s become a slippery slope, with Netflix introducing ad supported tiers, and soon, Prime Video will be inserting them into a plan I already pay for.

I’d still like to keep the overarching Amazon Prime package as my wife and I use it for next-day delivery when we do our weekly shopping — but these ads have otherwise put me off from using its included video service for the foreseeable future. Now, Amazon’s poor decision is steering me more towards using Apple TV Plus for movies and TV shows from now on.

On Her Majesty’s Streaming Service

Like many during 2020, my wife and I used a lot of streaming services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic while the United Kingdom was in lockdown. It was then that we would watch multiple seasons of reality shows, such as Bar Rescue, Iron Chef, and Masterchef Australia. We would watch some movies on the service, but those sessions would be few and far between.

Fast-forward to 2022, and the James Bond franchise would arrive on the service, thanks to Amazon buying MGM — keepers of the series since its debut in 1962. This made the service even more valuable to me, as I’ve always loved watching the films.

But when I saw that Amazon would be taking inspiration from Netflix by bringing ads to the service, my appreciation for Prime Video dwindled fast. In its post, Amazon justified this by saying, "..to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time." Yet I believe there's more to it than that. 

No ads are a big part of why users feel happy to pay £8.99 / $9.99 a month for the Prime Video portion of Prime (when bought separately from the over-arching Prime subscription), so to pay an additional £2.99 / $2.99 simply feels wrong. When you look at the price comparisons between Apple TV Plus and Prime Video, where Apple is £8.99 / $9.99 a month, and Prime Video is £11.99 / $12.99 a month with the additional fee, Apple’s service is even more appealing.

I'm essentially going to be paying for an ad-subscription from February 5, and the principle of that just feels wrong to me.

Because of this, I’m looking into canceling Prime Video and putting my money into Apple TV Plus soon. I’m currently on a three-month trial thanks to buying my iPhone 15 Pro Max in September, which came with this offer. After activating it in late October, it’s due to run out at the end of this month — but I’m already planning on subscribing to it for the whole year.

Apple TV Plus to the future

My wife and I are late bloomers to Apple TV Plus, but we’ve already dipped our toes into For All Mankind and Severance, and they’re simply glorious. They’re similar to having Pringles — once you have/watch one, you just can't stop.

There are also some incredible documentaries that you need to watch. Louis Armstrong’s 'Black & Blues' is a great attempt by director Sacha Jenkins to discover how the saxophone musician made an impact around the world. Actor Michael J. Fox’s ‘Still’ documentary is one of the best in the genre I’ve ever seen — if only for this one scene that effortlessly weaves into filming Back to the Future, one of my favorite movies.

All of the content that’s currently available to watch on Apple’s service is also enhanced by watching it through its TV app. This was given a makeover in December 2023 to make it better to browse the shows you’ve previously watched and bought, and it’s a great experience if you own an Apple TV 4K. My wife and I love it — and it’s replaced the smart features of the LG TV we own.

I should mention, however, that these companies with streaming services are constantly battling for my attention, and they're trying to justify it by adding more services like gaming — Grand Theft Auto on Netflix is a great example of this.

Granted, Amazon Prime offers a bunch of services for £8.99 / $14.99. You get Deliveroo Plus, which is a food delivery service in the UK. You can access Amazon Music, have one-day delivery, unlimited photo storage, and games with Prime Gaming — there's a lot for that price.

Again, though, it's the principle. If Amazon wants to put ads into its other services, like it will be doing with Prime Video, there's nothing to stop it from doing that. There's also the fact that these prices are very confusing. In the U.S. you pay almost double what UK customers get — but for $8.99, you'll have Prime Video with ads, unless you pay an additional $2.99 to get rid of said ads.

Apple, however, is offering video and nothing else for £8.99 / $8.99, and that's why I'm going to pay for this instead of Prime Video. It's to the point, it says what it offers on the tin, and, there are no ads.

It’s because of all of these factors that I want to cancel Prime Video. Serving up ads to a subscription I’ve been paying for over four years is wrong — so I’m taking my money elsewhere to Apple TV Plus in February, and I’ve got no regrets.

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The Apple TV holds a unique place in the Apple ecosystem as the least upgradeable product. Once someone has bought an Apple TV 4K, for instance, there's little reason to be filled with an urge to get a newer model.

Think about it. While it’s true the changes between, say, the best iPhone from year to year are smaller than in the past, noticeable differences do crop up with each cycle. That not only includes physical additions, like Dynamic Island, ProMotion, or the Action button, but also exciting new software features, as seen in iOS 17.

Even when you compare the Apple TV to something like AirPods, you’re likely to see a usability difference when upgrading Apple’s headphones because of the improvement in the headphones’ battery life, or noise cancelling algorithm. All that Apple TV has been able to boast in recent years is processor improvements — and that's only really going to benefit the small number of regular gamers using the device.

It doesn’t have to be like this though. The Apple TV could be a must-buy product for everyone — and I have an idea of how that could happen, just by taking some simple inspiration from the iPad line-up.

Before that though, let’s find out how the hardware got into this situation.

A short history of the Apple TV

The Apple TV is a slight outlier in the company’s product range, as there have only been seven generations over about 17 years.

In its recent iterations, there was a giant leap between the 2015 HD model and the first 4K machine in 2017, but this stalled in the following versions in 2021. The 2022 version was an improvement thanks to its chip improvements and gaming capabilities — but it was the sort of upgrade that wouldn't hugely benefit its core TV streaming audience.

Yes, there was an updated Siri remote, new chips, and support for HDR10+, but the difference between the second and third-generation 4K versions of the Apple TV was minimal at best.

This isn’t an attack on Apple per se. After all, it’s tough to innovate when the device’s main function — streaming TV and movies — is something it’s done exemplarily for eons.

Where I fail to see wisdom though is the fact it’s rumored that the next Apple TV will be released in 2024 and it’ll be broadly the same as the 2022 model.

This feels like a mistake. Thankfully though, I have some ideas.

How should Apple approach the Apple TV?

The Apple TV is a good device and what I’m going to suggest isn’t revolutionary. In some ways it’s quite the opposite.

To me, Apple should apply the same principles it uses on other products, like its iPad line-up, to the Apple TV. It should scrap the idea of it being a single device and split in twain: the Apple TV Air and the Apple TV Pro, similar to how we already have an iPad Air and iPad Pro.

Let’s begin with the former.

The Apple TV Air

Here’s my pitch: the Apple TV Air should be an entry-level device. It should be financially attainable and a serious challenger to similar streaming hardware.

Just consider the fact you can get a Chromecast HD for $29.99 and a 4K version for $49.99. For further context, the 4K Amazon Fire Stick goes for $49.99 too.

But the cheapest new Apple TV? That starts at $129.99.

I understand Apple’s business model rests in offering a premium service at premium prices, but this current setup isn’t just a little more expensive than competitors, it’s over double the price. Effectively, it’s a different market segment altogether.

The Apple TV Air would be a no-frills replacement. It could be powered by an older A-series chip, have reduced capabilities (such as no Siri support), and retail for a lower price, maybe something closer to $60 or $70.

This could help pull people further into Apple’s ecosystem, drive up visibility and recognition of the product category and the associated Apple TV Plus service, and provide a direct competitor to the Chromecast and Fire Stick, all while still being positioned as a more premium device than either.

It’d sell like hot cakes, and send viewer numbers for the best Apple TV Plus shows and best Apple TV Plus movies through the roof.

The Apple TV Pro

While the Apple TV Air is something I’d have a passing interest in (maybe to use in the office or on a secondary display), I’d by most hyped about what I'm calling the Apple TV Pro.

To put it simply, I think this should be Apple’s version of a games console.

Yes, it’d be jam-packed with as much innovative TV technology as possible (8K output, Dolby Vision and HDR10+, the latest upscaling advances, and so forth), but a big selling point would be its position as a solid gaming machine.

It wouldn’t aim to compete directly with Nintendo, PlayStation, or Microsoft, instead it could be used to carve an Apple-sized niche in the sector.

The Apple TV Pro should be equipped with an M-series chip, meaning it could support the same games available on Apple computers.

This would work in two interesting ways. The first would be to take advantage of Apple’s ecosystem. Imagine playing a game on your MacBook in the office, then coming into the lounge and it immediately booting up on the TV. 

The second focuses more on gaming. If tens of millions of Apple TV Pros are sold, it suddenly becomes attractive to developers — especially if the same version would work flawlessly on the company’s computers too. This could usher in an environment where Apple becomes a relevant player in the gaming market.

Lord, I want an Apple TV Pro.

The Apple TV dream

I’ve been an Apple TV devotee for years. When the hardware was first released, it felt magical, but in recent years the media streamer has been overshadowed by its competitors.

But this doesn’t need to be the case. As we’ve seen, the Apple TV could be an industry leader and definer.

Unfortunately, though, we’re probably going to see something very similar to before release in 2024. It’s nice to dream though.

Getting your Apple TV 4K to update to a major new version of tvOS can be a lot of fun. It means you can use new features that could change how you use the device, and a brand new Apple TV interface in tvOS 17.2 is a great example of this.

In a press release announcing the new update, Apple details how its new TV app showcases TV shows, movies, and sports in one place with a better interface. There's also a new sidebar, where you can switch between profiles, and look at recommendations for other shows.

You can update to tvOS 17.2 by going to Settings > System > Software Updates on your Apple TV. To note, the redesigned TV app is also available in iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2.

Here's what's new, what's better, and what could do with some improvements in tvOS 17.2 and the new Apple TV app.

What's changed in the Apple TV interface?

There are two key changes. The first is that Apple has removed the dedicated iTunes apps for music and for movies: everything to do with TV and movies from Apple is in the main TV app now. And the second is that Apple has revamped the main TV app interface.

The most obvious change is that instead of a couple of tabs at the top of the screen, there's now a sidebar down the left-hand side of the screen, just like you're probably used to in Netflix, Disney Plus / Hulu, and other prominent streaming apps.

The new Apple TV sidebar

The whole point of the redesign is to make navigation simpler and easier, and that means the sidebar is very straightforward. At the very top of the sidebar, there's your name and account icon, with the current time next to it. Beneath that, there are dedicated sections: Watch Now, Apple TV Plus, MLS Season Pass, Sports, Store, and Library.

In tvOS 17.2, you can't remove MLS Season Pass or Sports from their sections: unlike third-party channels, which you can hide or remove. Apple is doing Stocks and for now, at least, making the presence of its own apps and channels non-negotiable. 

If you subscribe to additional channels that integrate with the Apple TV app – which is most of them but not Netflix – you'll then get individual icons for those, so for example, if you subscribe to Comedy Central or Discovery you'll see options for those. Available services currently include ABC, CBS, Comedy Central, Discovery, ESPN, Hulu, Peacock, and Prime Video.

If you select a channel, you'll be taken to the page for that particular channel. There are no great surprises here: the bulk of the screen is initially dedicated to whatever show is currently being promoted by that channel, and then you have a scrollable horizontal Up Next for that specific channel. Up Next now works with installed apps as well as with channels. Scrolling vertically will bring up shows and movies in the service's various categories.

Changes to the 'Watch Now' section

As before, the main Apple TV interface has a Watch Now section at the top of the shows. Below that is a new 'My TV' carousel, which replaces the old Channels section and shows suggestions from the various channels you're subscribed to. If you don't have any channels, you can subscribe from the Store section of the sidebar. 

Other parts of the interface are currently unchanged. Your Library looks like it did before, with the same categories: Movies, 4K HDR, and Family Sharing, followed by the various genres of movies and TV shows. And the Store hasn't changed either.

More improvements could still be made

The new interface is a vast improvement, and it makes third-party channels such as Disney Plus feel much more integrated with the rest of your Apple TV experience. Tapping once on the Siri button on the Apple TV remote now brings up a search bar, which is also very welcome for. However, there's still room for improvement.

Netflix's ongoing unwillingness to be integrated alongside other channels is a pain, and if you launch a show that runs in an app you'll be taken out of the Apple TV app and into the show's dedicated app instead. That one's probably inevitable.

Another irritation isn't Apple's fault: some services, such as Prime Video, could do a much better job of separating their paid content from your already-paid-for subscription content. That means that you'll often think "Ooh, I'll watch that now!" only to have Amazon demand some money. It's not what we'd call best practice.

All in all, though, tvOS 17.2 is a solid update that refines Apple's own TV app into something much more usable, while making it easier to navigate around the operating system. Have you already updated your Apple TV 4K to tvOS 17.2? Do let us know what you think of the new features in the iMore Forums.

Popular UK carrier EE has today unveiled its brand new TV service, EE TV, which will be available through its own proprietary TV Box Pro and TV Box Mini, as well as the Apple TV 4K. 

EE has previously offered a TV package as part of its broadband deal, but today’s announcement is a UK-first in bringing a live TV platform to Apple TV. Apple users in the UK can download the EE TV app, which will give them access to a bespoke TV guide “for a complete and seamless live TV experience.” Through the app, customers will be able to watch live TV and on-demand content, including all of the UK’s free-to-air channels and some Sky content through NOW’s Entertainment, Cinema, and Sports packages.

To gain access, you’ll need to subscribe to a 24-month package, but these are flexible in the content that can be added. The Full Works package comes with all 11 live Sky Sports channels, 11 Sky Cinema channels, Entertainment channels through NOW, 4 TNT Sports channels, a standard Netflix plan, discovery+ Premium, and Eurosport, costing a handsome £76 a month. Customers can dial this down and access TNT Sports for £18 a month, entertainment for £20 a month, or “Big Sport” which includes  TNT and Sky Sports.

A smart choice for Apple customers? 

Apple TV customers will also get a bespoke remote for their Apple TV 4K, which includes a dedicated EE TV app button so that your entertainment is always one click away. EE TV also comes with Apple TV Plus free for six months. If you don’t own one, you can get the Apple TV 4K directly from EE with the aforementioned remote included and easy setup for the EE app. 

As mentioned, EE TV does offer a couple of bespoke hardware options for users, including free multi-room support if you grab multiple devices, but existing Apple TV 4K customers seem to be in a much better position here. If you’ve been looking for a solution that keeps all your live entertainment in one place but you don’t want to fork out on an expensive Sky package, this might be a great alternative. However, as with all subscription-based services these days, things start to mount up pretty quickly. Here’s a list of the full rolling monthly extras you can add to your EE TV package.

• NOW Entertainment (£9.99 pm)
• NOW Cinema (£9.99 pm)
• NOW hayu (£4.99 pm)
• NOW Sports (£11.99 / £34.99 pm)
• Netflix (£10.99 / £17.99)
• TNT Sports (£18 pm)
• Apple TV+ (£8.99 pm)
• Asian Mix (£5 pm)
• HD/4K (£6 pm)
• NOW Boost (£6 pm)
• Prime Video (£8.99 pm**)

According to EE’s website, EE TV looks to be limited to EE customers and is only available bundled with EE broadband. The base package usually costs £52.99 a month, making EE TV quite an expensive option.  

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Ever wanted to catch up on the hottest new streaming shows, only to disappointingly be met with the fact that they’re not available in your region of the world? Then you need a VPN — and if you’re an Apple TV 4K streaming box user, you’ve finally got access to the best one out there.

ExpressVPN is now available to download on the Apple TV app store. The subscription-based service, which starts at $12.95 a month, allows Apple TV users to route their traffic through servers “in any of 105 countries around the world”, effectively fooling streaming services that you’re accessing a catalog from another location and unlocking region-locked content in the process. In addition, it hides your actual IP address and browsing traffic for an added level of security and privacy.

To get started with ExpressVPN on Apple TV, you’ll need to be on the latest tvOS 17 operating system, which may prevent those with much older Apple TV boxes from benefiting from the service.

Open to VPN traffic

Apple changed its stance on VPN use on its Apple TV devices over the course of this year, allowing for native support for services like ExpressVPN without having to manually configure confusing network settings.

While Apple positioned the move as useful for businesses and educators, there’s a much wider audience for VPNs among privacy advocates and content-hungry film and TV lovers looking to get the most out of their streaming subscriptions by accessing additional international content. 

With the floodgates open, ExpressVPN will face competition from alternative virtual private network providers such as PureVPN and Nord. ExpressVPN still has a few tricks up its sleeve to improve this first Apple TV version further, though — split tunneling, which lets you set up different locations per application you’re using, isn’t available here yet, for instance.

Regardless, it’s a great addition to the Apple TV arsenal for the international film lover. Whether you’re traveling and want to access your local library away from home, or doing some sightseeing from the comfort of your couch, it’ll open up loads more ways to view content from around the world. Just keep in mind VPNs do have the knock-on effect from all that routing of slowing your connection speed down a touch — use the 30-day free trial before signing up to see if your connection can handle the added stress.

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While it's true that the Apple TV 4K might not be the cheapest streaming device on the market, a case can be argued that it is a cut above the plethora of $30 streaming sticks you can buy instead. Some of those sticks, like the Amazon Fire Stick in particular, are hugely popular thanks to their low price and many have made the argument that Apple should launch a stick of its own, powered by tvOS. But it seems that Amazon is now starting to feel the pinch of selling its wares so cheaply and is seeking to make adjustments accordingly.

When you first power on the Apple TV 4K you're greeted by apps and content, but turning on your Fire TV-powered device or TV — some TVs have the Fire TV software built in these days — you're going to see ads more than anything. And while the Fire TV experience has always had an ad front and center, things are getting worse. Much, much worse.

That's after it was reported that Amazon is adding full-screen video ads that will play each and every time one of its Fire TV devices is turned on.

Ads as far as the eye can see

The new experience was first reported by Cord Cutters News and is starting to roll out to people already — some started to see the new ad experience last week. And by all accounts, it sucks and sucks bad.

"This new update will be rolling out to all Fire TVs made in 2016 or newer," the report explains, suggesting that even those with the latest devices are going to have to deal with the ad-pocalypse. 

"With this update, the ad at the top of your Fire TV will now start playing full-screen, often promoting a movie or TV show. By hitting the home button, you can quickly exit the ad or if you quickly perform an action on the Fire TV once it finishes, you will avoid the video ad, but you only have a few seconds."

As for Amazon, it seems pretty happy with its decision. “Our focus is on delivering an immersive experience so customers can enjoy their favorite TV shows and movies, as well as browse and discover more content they’ll want to watch. We’re always working to make the Fire TV experience better for customers and have updated one of the prominent placements in the UI to play a short content preview if no other action is taken by a customer upon turning on their Fire TV,” Amazon said in a statement provided to to Cord Cutters News.

Time to upgrade

Apple could make the upgrade decision incredibly easy by offering an Apple TV stick of some sort and it could even charge a little more than the Fire TV stick normally sells for, too. Given the better and ad-free experience, many would be more than willing to pay it.

The problem right now is that the Apple TV 4K is just so expensive. Apple currently sells the 64GB model for $129, around $100 more than you can often find similar Fire TV sticks for — and that's before considering Amazon's alternatives always seem to be on sale for around the $30 mark.

Take our family as a prime example. We have an Apple TV 4K in the living room and that's our main source of content there. But the TVs in our bedroom, and the kid's bedroom, are powered by Fire TV Stick 4K units. Because I find it difficult to pay hundreds of dollars for something we'll use once or twice a week.

But $50? I'd put one in every HDMI port on our TV if it meant throwing that Fire TV Stick out the nearest window.

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A welcome change in tvOS 17.2 beta 4 allows users to find their favorite shows and apps with the touch of a button.

As discovered by Sigmund Judge, tapping the Siri button on an Apple TV Remote will bring up a search bar — similar to how Apple’s Spotlight feature appears on macOS and iPadOS by pressing Command + Space together. You can still summon Siri with the same button, but you only need to press it down for a couple of seconds with this upcoming update.

Not only this, but when you type in what you’re trying to find, a new screen will appear that allows you to filter the results within Apple’s apps, such as Apple Music, iTunes Videos, and more. In Judge’s post, the new change looks much easier when searching for something, and the improved results screen will give you greater control in finding the content you’re looking for.

tvOS 17.2 also brings a sidebar to Apple TV, to help simplify the experience of browsing your apps and videos, alongside removing the Movies and TV Shows tabs.

It’s unclear when this upcoming update will be released for Apple TV, but we expect it to arrive sometime this month, similar to tvOS 16.2 when it was brought out in December 2022.

Much-requested, gladly appreciated — iMore’s take

My wife and I use Apple TV all the time, and there have been times when we’ve tried to use Siri to look for a show, and it’s failed to either understand us or bring up the right show. tvOS 17.2 looks to be an effort to further simplify how you find your movies and shows. The sidebar already feels like a huge improvement, as you’ll have easy access to your channels and apps anywhere without having to go back to the home screen.

Being able to tap the Siri button to invoke the search bar is something I’ve been hoping to see, as I prefer to type in a query rather than asking Apple’s unreliable assistant to search for me. Hopefully, tvOS 17.2 will arrive sooner than later, just so I won’t need to use Siri at all, thanks to this change.

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• FaceTime in tvOS 17 is a game changer — here’s how I’m using it on Apple TV
• How to download tvOS 17.2
• Apple TV 4K (2022) review: Get ready for a spotlight in your front room

Do you remember scheduling quick meetings from home using Zoom in 2020? Three years later, the Zoom app has surprisingly launched on Apple TV, offering quick and high-definition video conferencing well after its heyday. 

As originally spotted by X user Sigjudge, the ‘Zoom - for Home TV’ app is now available to download and open. It has built-in calendar integration, making it easier to schedule meetings without conflict and the bigger screen of your Apple TV leaves more room for watching the chat and inviting friends. 

Like other conferencing apps, it uses Continuity Camera, meaning you use an iPhone, like the iPhone 15 as a webcam and it comes with all the little upgrades you would expect from a fully-fledged app like a more seamless interface and the ability to join meetings with just a single button. It is smoother than the experience many would have gotten a few years ago and a better app than before, even if it's hard to think of many use cases that the FaceTime Apple TV app that launched this year wouldn’t be better for. 

What took you so long? — iMore’s take

I used Zoom an awful lot back in the first Covid 19 lockdown in 2020. A mix of business-sided meetings and just a good excuse to schedule some time with friends, the app would find its way into my evenings frequently.

Zoom, with its relatively rudimentary meeting design thanks to the lack of any real special features and limited meeting time, meant that if you wanted to come along, you had to show up on time. It became an increasingly popular app around the COVID era, but its specific use case has faded years later. Nowadays, I’d much rather be part of a community with Discord or connect it to my online accounts with FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. 

More from iMore

• Apple TV Plus: The ultimate guide
• Apple TV 4K (2021) review: A great product, but for who?
• My favorite shortcuts to use with my Apple TV

Are you looking to upgrade your home cinema system with an Apple TV and a new smart TV this Cyber Monday?

With Cyber Monday well underway, you've not got long left to pick up one of these fantastic deals like the Samsung S90C with almost 50% off.

Here are the best Cyber Monday TV deals and where to find them.

Cyber Monday TV savings

Retailer quick links

• Walmart - big 4K TV discounts, save $1,000s
• Amazon - smart TVs from $79.99
• Best Buy - more than 50% off 4K TVs

The best Cyber Monday TV to pair with your Apple TV 4K

• TV deals: Walmart | Samsung | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
• Streaming deals: Disney+ | Max | Sling | Fubo | Peacock | Paramount+
• Speaker deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell

Another barn-stormer of a deal over at Amazon is this Toshiba 75-inch C350, featuring LED 4K UHD, this includes support for Apple TV+ and Toshiba’s Regza Engine 4K. It also supports Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10, making it another perfect partner for the Apple TV 4K. This lacks the 120Hz support for gaming of the aforementioned Samsung and is a 2021 model, but is much cheaper as a result. 

My final recommendation is the ever-present LG C-series range, specifically the C3, which has heavy discounts on the C3 range, including a whopping 37% off the 77-inch model. You can get the C2 from 42 inches through 83 inches, and each comes with LG’s a9 AI processor, OLED technology, Dolby Vision, and a 120Hz refresh rate. This is the 2023 model, making it the latest and greatest in OLED TV tech. The LG C-series is renowned as some of the finest TVs in the multiverse, and a perfect partner to the Apple TV 4K. 

If you’ve found yourself here on the hunt for a great Cyber Monday TV deal, and haven’t yet landed yourself an Apple TV 4K, then there’s never been a better time to make the leap. You won’t find any massive deals on the latest third-generation Apple TV 4K, but it’s a lot cheaper than the old model. With a $6.50 discount, you can get one at Best Buy with 64GB of storage for $123. If you really need it, there’s also the 128GB version with Ethernet for $142. 

With an Apple TV 4K and a TV in tow, another great way to boost your home theater experience is through audio. The Apple TV 4K puts out Dolby Atmos as well as Dolby Vision, so you need a good sound system to really get the best out of it. This Sonos Arc soundbar has fallen to its lowest-ever price on Amazon and is $719 instead of $899, a 20% saving. There’s also 20% off Sonos’ powerful Gen 3 sub, down to $638 instead of $799. Assemble the whole package and you’ll have a world-beating home theater system that will be the envy of all your friends, maybe get yourself a popcorn machine for the movie parties you’ll inevitably end up hosting. 

We've been scouring Black Friday Apple deals for days now, and there's one deal I've discovered that I simply can't get my head around. You might have seen some pretty significant discounts on Apple's second-generation Apple TV 4K, released in 2021. It's a great device that we really loved, but it has since been replaced by the 2022 version, the third generation. 

The third-generation TV wasn't a massive upgrade on the previous model, but it's a noteworthy improvement featuring the A15 Bionic chip and HDR10+. But the biggest feature of the new Apple TV 4K is its price. Apple massively cut the price of the Apple TV 4K with the third generation model, reducing it to just $129 for the 64GB model.

By comparison, the old one cost closer to $200, and even during the Black Friday sale, it has only been reduced to $157. 

So make sure you don't buy a second-generation Apple TV this Black Friday.

If you're in the market get a third-generation one instead. The new one is available discounted to less than $130, compared to the vastly over-inflated price of the previous model. 

Black Friday TV savings

• Big 4K TV discounts at Walmart, save $1,000s
• Smart TVs from $79.99 at Amazon
• More than 50% off 4K TVs at Best Buy

The Apple TV 4K deal you should actually buy

• Streaming deals: Disney+ | Max | Sling | Fubo | Peacock | Paramount+
• TV deals: Walmart | Samsung | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg

Apple TV continues to make waves and the service that Ted Lasso and Severance built is introducing Godzilla and more sports.

Whether you're watching Silo, The Morning Show, or Mythic Quest, you'll want a big, beautiful screen to enjoy it on - and we've got just the deal.

The LG C3 Series lineup are excellent TVs, and you can get 25% off of the 42-inch model at Amazon as part of the retailer's Black Friday deals.

Where to find the best 4K TV Black Friday deals

• Amazon — Save on a load of big-name brands
• Best Buy — Get money off Sony, Samsung, and more
• Walmart — 4K TVs for under $250

LG has long been at the top of its game for OLED TVs, and the C3 model offered here is no different - offering a fantastic canvas that's big and bright, and notably impresses in dark scenes.

It's also got a great built-in speaker, too, meaning it sounds almost as good as it looks, and it uses AI to help analyze what you're watching to put together the best experience.

Get this amazing 4K TV at 25% off

•  TV deals: Walmart | Samsung | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 

Aside from using it as an Apple TV 4K display, this LG OLED will also be great for playing Apple Arcade games on the system, too.

If 42 inches isn't a big enough display, too, Amazon is offering discounts on larger models, too - including 25% off of the 83-inch version.

If, like me, you own a PlayStation 5, you’ll likely have come to appreciate how good the DualSense controller that comes with the console is. Featuring a comfortable, refined design, and haptic triggers that change based on certain moments in the games you play, it’s a home run. Imagine my delight, then, when I realized I could also use it with my Apple TV. But this is where a dilemma began for me.

I’ve become more annoyed, as time has gone on, with having to switch between the PlayStation 5 and Apple TV with one DualSense. It’s slow, I have to plug in the controller to the console to pair it, and it has become a chore.

I’ve grown tired of having to pair the DualSense to the PlayStation 5 and the Apple TV, so I’ve been looking for another that’s only going to stay paired with the set-top box. Before Black Friday begins on November 24, I’ve already found a huge $25 saving on a Cosmic Red DualSense, bringing the price down from $75 to $50.

A cosmic shade of red for $49

The almost-fluorescent red shade will certainly make it stand out as I’m trying to find it in the box of controllers I have, which contains plenty of others from consoles such as the Nintendo Switch, SEGA Mega Drive, and more. Using the white DualSense in the past to play Stardew Valley, Jetpack Joyride, and Sonic on my Apple TV was great.

Now though, thanks to this deal, I can finally separate the two. With the Cosmic Red shade, I’ll now know which of the two controllers works with the console or the Apple TV.

Apple has announced the shortlist for its App Store Award finalists, revealing three apps in each of the ten categories that have been recognized for their impact on Apple’s eco-system.

For those unaware, the App Store Awards originally began way back in 2012 as a ‘Best of the App Store’ list in the iTunes Store. Since then, due to the great apps that have been released for Apple TV, Apple Watch, and more, the Awards have expanded to include apps from all of these products.

“These finalists are all incredibly talented and have put enormous effort into creating these great apps and games,” said Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow. “We are inspired by their accomplishments and look forward to announcing the winners of the App Store Awards later this month.”

The awards also show how ‘of the moment’ some apps have been in recent years. Social media app BeReal was the iPhone app of the year in 2022. Since April this year, however, its usage has nosedived, allegedly due to the further rise of TikTok and Snapchat with Gen Z users.

Duolingo, Flighty, and AllTrails are now competing for the ‘iPhone App of the Year' award this year, and are much more useful and evergreen in what they offer. As such, it’s more likely that these apps will stay popular for years to come, compared to where BeReal has ended up.

Below is the list of what’s made the shortlist for this year, some of which already feature in our best of iPhone apps list.

Who are the finalists?

iPhone App of the Year

• AllTrails - "Whether you hike, bike, run, or walk, AllTrails is your companion and guide to the outdoors."
• Duolingo - "Learn a new language with the world’s most downloaded education app!"
• Flighty - "A fast flight tracker for delays, alerts, and incoming arrivals."

iPhone Game of the Year

• Afterplace - "An open-world adventure game filled with silly characters and terrible secrets."
• Honkai: Star Rail - "Hop aboard the Astral Express and experience the galaxy's infinite wonders filled with adventure and thrills in this vast RPG."
• Vampire Survivors - "The supernatural indie phenomenon that lets you be the bullet hell has arrived on mobile!"

iPad App of the Year

• Concepts - "Think, plan & create – Concepts is a flexible vector-based sketchbook where you can take your ideas from concept to reality."
• DaVinci Resolve - "This is the world’s only solution that combines editing and color correction in one software tool."
• Prêt-à-Makeup - "Prêt-à-Makeup is a digital face chart notepad with unlimited pages and all the tools you need to create beautiful and realistic looks, all on your device."

iPad Game of the Year

• Eggy Party - "You and your Eggy Friends break through absurd obstacles and experience the journey on Eggy Island!"
• Lost in Play - "Help a brother and sister on an uplifting epic adventure to find their way home. Solving puzzles, escaping a horned beast, and meeting quirky goblins are just part of the journey!"
• Pocket City 2 - "Create using roads, zones, landmarks, and special buildings. Drop your avatar into the world and roam freely. Buy your own house, host events, survive disasters, and live the life of a successful mayor!"

Mac App of the Year

• Linearity Curve - "Whether you’re creating engaging social media posts, captivating brand visuals, print materials, or intricate lettering and marketing illustrations, Linearity Curves provides all you need to bring your stories to life."
• Photomator - "Photomator is a photo editing powerhouse, offering incredible tools for enhancing, retouching, and managing your photos."
• Portal - "Portal is a productivity app that uses immersive technologies to transform your surroundings into a haven for focus and creativity."

Mac Game of the Year

• ELEX II - "ELEX II returns to the post-apocalyptic Science Fantasy world of Magalan – with massive environments that can be explored with unrivaled freedom via jetpack, you will be able to move through the epic story any way you want."
• Lies of P - "You are a puppet created by Geppetto who’s caught in a web of lies with unimaginable monsters and untrustworthy figures standing between you and the events that have befallen the world of Lies of P."
• Return to Monkey Island - "Return to Monkey Island is an unexpected, thrilling return of series creator Ron Gilbert that continues the story of the legendary adventure games The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games."

Apple Watch App of the Year

• Planny - "There are tons of apps that let you write down your tasks and forget about them. Planny is different because it helps you remember tasks and do them, too."
• SmartGym - "Routines, History, and Body Measures are now extremely simple to keep track of. And of course, with a beautiful Apple Watch app, so you don't even need your phone while you workout."
• Tide Guide - "Tide Guide features global tide and marine weather conditions from the best data providers available. Designed for water lovers, beach-goers, boatsmen, surfers, and anyone who needs to know the tide."

Apple TV App of the Year

• Bugsnax - "It's up to you to solve the mysteries of Snaktooth Island: What happened to Lizbert? What are Bugsnax and where do they come from? But most of all, why do they taste SO GOOD?"
• FitOn - "Stay active, reduce stress, and feel good with unlimited access to free workouts and meditations. Get your sweat on with celebrity trainers and read articles on how to take care of yourself both mentally and physically."
• MUBI - "Discover great films, from iconic directors to emerging artists. From everywhere around the world. Each is carefully chosen by MUBI’s curators. Stream or download beautiful movies, anytime. On any screen or device, anywhere."

Apple Arcade Game of the Year

• Cityscapes - "A brand new, sustainable take on classic city building games, brought to you by veteran sim builders."
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure - "Embark on a cozy adventure with Hello Kitty and Friends and restore an abandoned island to its former glory. Can you solve the mystery hidden within?"
• stitch. - "Stitch. is a casual puzzle game with embroidery on a numbered grid. The main objective is to fill in the levels' areas with no gaps to complete Hoops."

These ten categories have highlighted the best apps and the best games for each Apple device, and are all worth your time if you've never used them before. Expect to hear who wins in each of these categories later this month once Apple announces the results.

More from iMore

• Best Apple Arcade games in 2023 so far
• The Best iPad Apps for new owners
• The Best Apple Watch Apps in 2023 so far

The Apple TV is one of the very best streaming boxes around and Apple keeps adding new features via software updates. The tvOS 17 update only landed in September 2023, but there is already another major release for Apple TV owners to download.

That new update is tvOS 17.1, a release that can now be downloaded by everyone after a weeks-long beta program saw developers put it through its paces. And now that it's available to everyone who wants it, this is your chance to take its new features for a spin.

Unfortunately, as has become the norm for these tvOS updates, those new features are few. But we'll cover what's changed here, so you know just where to look when you're all updated.

Music favoriting

With tvOS 17.1 installed users can now start to favorite songs, playlists, albums, and more while there are some other minor tweaks to the way the app functions.

If you were hoping for a big revamp of the Music app you're unfortunately going to be left disappointed. However, the new favoriting feature is an improvement and makes it easier to add songs to your library for later listening and algorithm training.

Enhance Dialogue

The only other major change of note is the expansion of the Enhance Dialogue feature that was added to the Apple TV via the tvOS 17 update. When enabled, the Enhance Dialogue feature boosts the audio when people speak on-screen, making it easier to hear them

However, at launch, the feature only worked with the second-generation HomePod. Now, that's been expanded to also include the original HomePod and the HomePod mini for the first time. 

If you've ever found yourself struggling to make out what people say in TV shows and movies, this might well be the answer that you've been looking for. Especially if you already have a pair of HomePod minis that you can repurpose.

Everything else of note

As for other improvements, they are sadly lacking. As mentioned, Apple TV software updates aren't huge in terms of new additions, especially outside of the big annual updates. That means that we're likely to have to wait until September of 2024 before any big new, meaningful additions are made.

However, if you're looking for new features to try and own an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, there are some to be had from their own updates. There are the iOS 17.1, iPadOS 17.1, macOS 14.1, and tvOS 17.1 updates available alongside HomePod software version 17.1 and we would suggest installing them as soon as possible to try out new features like enhanced AirDrop on the iPhone, Double Tap on some Apple Watches, and a whole lot more.

Earlier this week, reports surfaced of a new Apple TV app redesign on the horizon. Now, thanks to the tvOS 17.2 developer beta, we can get our first glimpse at the brand-new interface.

The Apple TV app, available on most smart TVs and all of Apple’s hero products bar the Apple Watch, has always been a bit cumbersome to navigate. Well, not anymore, as Apple has opted for a more traditional streaming platform navigation format. Think Netflix, but better.

There is now a dedicated sidebar with different sections, including Search, Watch Now, ‌Apple TV Plus, MLS Season Pass, Sports, the Store, and Library. Underneath these sections, there is a dedicated Channels & Apps area so you can access other streaming services like Disney+. When you tap one of these services, the Apple TV app now shows all of the content from the service selected, it’s very easy to navigate and takes away from the clutter of the past.

On iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2, the new applications have removed the Movies and TV Show tabs, combining everything to make navigation much simpler, taking you into your movie or TV show quicker than before.

These welcome changes close the gap between Apple TV and other streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait long to see the official release of tvOS 17.2 and updates to the Apple TV app on our Smart TVs.

Better experience — iMore’s take

The new sidebar navigation on the Apple TV app is a much-needed improvement that should make using Apple TV better than before. Streaming service apps in general, are a little cumbersome, but if Apple integrates these changes correctly, then Apple TV and Apple TV Plus could have the best experience going.

We’ll need to see how these changes incorporate across the Apple TV landscape but it’s nice to see that Mark Gurman’s prediction of an updated interface in December has come early, and hopefully, Christmas will too.

More from iMore

• Apple TV Plus: The ultimate guide
• Apple TV 4K review: Come for the 4K, stay for the HDR
• My favorite shortcuts to use with my Apple TV

There's nothing more iconically "Black Friday" than buying a massive new TV, but what if we told you there were deals to be had weeks ahead of Black Friday so you could beat the rush? Right now Amazon is hosting its Prime Big Deal Days sale event and one of the best TVs on the market is $400 off. 

The LG C2 OLED series are widely acclaimed as some of the best 4K OLED TVs money can buy, and now with $400 off, there's never been a better time to buy one. 

The best 4K TV for less

•  TV deals: Walmart | Samsung | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg  

8 million self-lit OLED pixels power the C2's fantastic deep blacks and excellent contrast performance. At its heart is LG's α9 Gen 5 AI Processor 4K which can automatically adjust your TV's settings based on the content you're watching. It supports both Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos, as well as NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync with Variable Refresh Rates for gaming. The 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 support make it the perfect console companion.

Last year this TV was roughly $1,800 and reduced to $1,300 in the Black Friday sale. It's still the same great TV, now with a further $200 off the price. You could save a lot of money by buying a smaller TV or going for one with fewer features, but if you want the all-singing, all-dancing best in the business, then the C2 is the one for you. Move fast, however, as one of the most popular TVs on the market this deal is likely to run out of stock before the deal runs out of time.

Not in the US? Scroll down for the best prices near you.

Amazon's Big Deal Days event doesn't officially start until October 10, however, one of the best soundbar deals from JBL is already live, saving you a whopping $300 on its usual price of $899. 

With built-in Wi-Fi for AirPlay and a 10-inch wireless subwoofer, it's the perfect companion to the Apple TV 4K and the only soundbar you should be considering during this week's event. 

JBL Bar 700 — $300 off

• Speaker deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell

Should you buy the JBL Bar 700: 5.1-Channel soundbar?

JBL is a household name in audio entertainment and home theater. The Bar 700 sits in the mid-range of JBL's Dolby Atmos-enabled Bar series. If you invest, you're going to get immersive 3D sound that will put you right at the heart of the action no matter what you're watching. The 620W of power will be enough to satisfy even the largest room, and the separate subwoofer will take care of all your low-end needs. It also comes with a handy remote. 

The party piece, however, is the two detachable surround sound speakers that are wirelessly connected and battery-powered. This means you can deploy them for your movie-watching before returning them to their docks to charge and reduce clutter. As mentioned, it also supports AirPlay so you can stream music seamlessly from any Apple device including your iPhone or iPad, and it'll sync up with other AirPlay devices such as HomePod for multi-room streaming, too. 

With 33% off its usual price, this is by far the best price we've seen on the JBL Bar 700, now just $599. If that's still too steep for you, the JBL Bar 500 is also 33% off and now just $399 for a system that's almost as powerful and boasts many of the same features. 

If you've ever had an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD get itself into a bit of a pickle, you're probably all too familiar with how much of a mess that can be. But with iOS 17, that's no longer the case.

While restoring an Apple TV would require either plugging it into a Mac in the case of the HD version or involving Apple for the 4K model, that's no longer going to be the case.

While it might not be a headline iOS 17 feature, being able to restore a broken Apple TV without quite so much fuss is going to be a big deal if and when people come to need it.

iPhone-based recovery

The new iPhone-based recovery feature was first reported by MacRumors and will simply require that people unlock their iPhone and place it near the Apple TV to begin the recovery process. They'll be prompted to do so by a new on-screen message that will display an Apple TV and an iPhone.

This will of course also require that Apple TV users have the tvOS 17 update installed, something that we suggest everyone does as soon as possible for this one feature alone. But other additions like support for FaceTime also make this a must-have update for Apple TV owners everywhere.

You won't need to have splashed out on Apple's best iPhones to do any of this, thankfully. The latest and greatest iOS update is compatible with the iPhone XS and newer which means there's a very good chance that anyone with an Apple TV will also have a device capable of running iOS 17.

The Apple TV and iPhone aren't the only devices with new software, either. Mac owners have macOS Sonoma while Apple Watch owners have watchOS 10. Those using an iPad can also download iPadOS 17, too.

With iOS 17 now available to all with an iPhone XS and above, alongside iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10, using the new FaceTime feature in tvOS 17 is the feature that has really surprised me the most this year. And for positive reasons!

I’ve owned an Apple TV 4K for a few short months, and I’ve enjoyed using tvOS, the software it’s powered by, a lot. From using it to look at the smart home camera feeds all around our house to using AirPlay so our iPhones and iPads connect to the TV with ease, it’s a fun, useful device.

Apple TV 4K is also much faster when it comes to browsing all the shows and apps it offers, unlike the software built into my LG TV which takes too long to load up something as simple as YouTube.

But it was FaceTime in tvOS 17 that has now really sold the device for me. And it’s made me wonder if it’s finally a powerful competitor to Skype and Zoom calls from this one lone feature.

FaceTime to the Future

I’ve used Apple’s calling feature ever since it debuted in 2010 with iPhone 4. Being able to video call someone has always been fun to do, and its updates in recent years with group calls and gestures have been great.

So imagine my surprise when I suddenly saw a FaceTime icon on my Apple TV home screen appearing weeks before the expected launch date of the feature. 

Setting it up was an easy affair. After selecting the icon, a notification appears on another of your devices that’s already been updated to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. Once you press this, tvOS finds your iPhone or iPad, takes control of its camera, and suddenly you’re on the TV in a FaceTime window that looks similar to its iPadOS version. You select who you want to call from your device, and you’re good to go.

Calling my niece after her first day back to school was great, as we had the iPad in front of the TV, so she could essentially see us looking at her directly, instead of at an angle.

FaceTime now recognizes gestures and will accompany them with AR animations. The new gestures you can do with your hands this year, such as heart and thumbs up, worked the first time, and they came through on the call instantly, which was a nice touch.

Zooming

Once we hung up, I was surprised at how seamlessly the whole process had worked, and it made me wonder if Apple now has a powerful, enterprise-ready video-calling competitor, ready to take on the likes of Zoom and Google Meet.

Many of us remember the group calls and games that we would take part in during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. I joined my fair share — taking part in pub quizzes and being close to last place was still a fun time, but it was all carried out over Zoom.

This was before Apple allowed FaceTime drop-in links to be generated, allowing anyone to join FaceTime calls with access to the link. As this was only made available in 2022, apps like Zoom and Skype were the best alternative for this at the time, with FaceTime in large part missing the COVID-19 video calling boom period.

But if tvOS support had been available in 2020, I could have easily been using FaceTime on Apple TV for more quizzes and watch-alongs.

This one feature enables something that usually requires a TV to have a camera built-in (or at least compatible with external cameras — a relative rarity in home entertainment systems) in order to replicate.

But Apple did it in one software update for anyone that has an iPhone or iPad plus that streaming box — which, considering Apple’s linked device ecosystem, you’ll assume will be most Apple TV owners. It might be the best use of Apple’s HandOff functionality we’ve seen so far.

It’s an ingenious way to bring video calling to the living room, and it saves the hassle for many in setting a call up on a TV. This is a feature that we’re planning on using a lot more throughout the year. I hope to see Apple improve it even further; perhaps by letting you take a FaceTime call while you play an Apple Arcade game on Apple TV with others for instance.

But whatever Apple decides to do next, FaceTime is a home run on tvOS. In one fell swoop, it’s justified using Apple TV as not only our main method of watching content but also connecting with friends and family too.

Apple's tvOS 17 update is now ready, bringing with it a slew of new changes, updates, and features for your Apple TV. Now officially out of beta testing, the new software has been released and is available to download as a free update on the Apple TV 4K (all three generations) and the Apple TV HD from 2015. 

Apple's latest Apple TV upgrade brings FaceTime to Apple TV for the first time ever, alongside Dolby Vision 8.1 support

Download tvOS 17 

• Open Settings on your Apple TV
• Select System then Software Updates
• Choose Updates then tvOS 17

The next step in tvOS

Adding FaceTime to tvOS 17 brings a long-requested feature to your TV and it's an exciting step for a product that doesn't always get the love it deserves.

Not only will FaceTime make tvOS 17 one of the biggest software updates to Apple TV in years, but there's also third-party VPN support which enables developers to create VPN apps for Apple TV. Alongside FaceTime, there's also support for other videoconferencing services such as Webex by Cisco and Zoom. Developers will also have access to Apple's Continuity Camera feature so that you can use your iPhone's camera with all of these third-party apps as well. Another big update is the new Control Center, which lets you quickly access key settings easily. There's also a new feature to help you find your lost Apple TV Remote, as long as you have the second generation or later. 

Apple's major software updates, iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, as well as watchOS 10 are also arriving this week and free to download on their respective platforms. 

Since its debut in November 2019, Apple TV Plus has become one of the streaming services to beat - bringing original content of movies, TV shows, and more to your devices.

It’s a far cry from the early days, such as Carpool Karaoke and Planet of the Apps, a bizarre ‘Shark Tank’ type show that was unbearable to watch. Nowadays, short films such as The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse have won an Academy Award, further proving the service as a legitimate one.

The iMore team has watched loads of Apple TV Plus content in the four years since the service launched, so we’ve asked ourselves, what’s been our favorite tv show from Apple TV Plus in 2023 so far?

Hijack

John-Anthony Disotto — How-To Editor

I started watching Hijack this month and while it’s not a classic by any means, it’s a fun show that will feel right at home for fans of the hit series, 24. Set on a seven-hour flight from Dubai to London, each episode is in real-time as Idris Elba tries to survive the hijacking of a plane. My issue with the show is the bad guys, because they aren’t threatening and they aren’t very believable. Time will tell, however, because a mad twist could make everything make sense.

It’s a tense thriller that makes you want to tune in weekly, despite not gripping me as much as the premise really should. I’ve got a love-hate relationship with Apple TV Plus but ultimately something like Hijack feels like a step in the right direction for the streaming platform. You can start watching now, but if you prefer a binge the finale is set to air on August 2.

Foundation

Tammy Rogers — Staff Writer

Is it the best show on Apple TV Plus? No. Is it even particularly good TV? Also no. It’s a failure as a character study with one-dimensional grandeur and some wooden acting from actors that should know better. It’s not a good show — but I just can’t help but enjoy myself every time the sci-fi epic screams across my TV screen.

See, I grew up on sci-fi. Star Wars quotes were my language, novels set in a faraway galaxy filled my every waking moment, and starships covered my ceiling when I went to bed at night. Why would I want to be on Earth, stuck on a watery rock when I could be exploring the stars? The Foundation novels by Isaac Asimov were some of the first stories my Dad read to me as a kid before I went to sleep, and the universe-spanning epic captured my imagination like little else. The intrigue, the rush for time as the end of civilization around the characters drew ever closer, and the sheer scale of the wars and the journeys that filled the pages.

The TV series does a great job with scale. It feels big. Like, really big — everything that the characters come across is massive, from the space-faring vessels they traverse the stars into the palatial libraries and throne rooms that the Galactic Empire calls home. The story follows the books but misses out on parts that would both overcomplicate the show, and make it too long.

Using clever future maths, Dr. Seldon played by Jared Harris has worked out that Galactic Empire doesn’t have long left, and when the emperor, Cleon XIII, and his genetic brethren decide that what he says is heresy, Seldon decides the only way to save the empire is to go against it and the empire. Thus, the Foundation is formed — outcasts who work against time and the empire to secure the future of civilization. The books cover literal millennia of history, but the TV show hasn’t quite got there yet — although it looks like it might get there. Again, not good, but loads of fun for fans of high sci-fi.

For All Mankind

Karen Freeman — Contributor

This is the show that I’m always trying to get people to check out, as it’s a bit under the radar amongst the many great Apple TV Plus shows. Everyone is probably aware of the excellent The Morning Show, which launched with the streaming service. The outstanding Severance has gotten a good deal of buzz and is also a personal favorite of mine. And of course, Ted Lasso is a big hit with fans; I even tried the Ted Lasso ice cream tie-in, “Biscuits with the Boss.”

For All Mankind is the best show you’re not watching (but should be.) While it’s technically a show about space, it’s so much more than that. The show starts out as historical fiction; it appears to be about the space race between the US and the USSR back in the 1960s. However, throughout the first episode, you feel an underlying and unexpected tension, like something’s not quite right. By the end of the first episode, it’s clear why you feel that way. The show veers off from actual history and becomes more like science fiction.

But at its heart, the show is a human drama. While it’s purportedly about astronauts and space, it’s so much more. I’d recommend giving it at least three episodes, since the third episode, Nixon’s Women, is when the story really starts getting good. In fact, I believe that For All Mankind should have won some Emmys by now (more than the Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Programming it won in its first season) but apparently the Television Academy doesn’t agree. Give it a shot, if you haven’t already, and judge for yourself.

Long Way Up

Daryl Baxter — Features Editor

The third entry in Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s series where they travel in motorbikes across countries around the world, follows on from two series broadcast in 2004 and 2008.

After years of hints and schedules not lining up, Apple TV Plus helped to commission the third series, where they used electric bikes from Ushuaia in Argentina, through South and Central America to Los Angeles in the United States.

I loved watching the first series, and while the second gave the impression that it wasn’t a fun journey for anyone, this third one seemed to bring back what made Long Way Round such a fun watch.

It was also a great showcase for my wife and I in how good the footage looked on our new 4K TV, and it gave us perspective on how far technology has come.

Ted Lasso

Stephen Warwick — News Editor

My favorite Apple TV Plus show of 2023 also happens to be the only one I’ve watched, and that’s Ted Lasso. Unfortunately, that means it's not some niche artistic show I can tell you about that you’ve never heard of. It’s literally the most famous thing on Apple TV Plus and one of the most talked-about shows of the last few years. 

Ted Lasso rounded out its run with season 3 this year, and it really was excellent. There’s never going to be a perfect ending to a TV show, and there were definitely some tied-off loose ends that I thought could have gone in a different direction, but overall it’s been a brilliant run.

What’s more, Apple and the cast have left the door wide open for a spin-off, or perhaps a season four, starring favorites such as Roy Kent, Coach Nate, Coach Beard, and a burgeoning Richmond women’s team. But can Ted Lasso be Ted Lasso without Ted Lasso? The answer is probably not. 

Prehistoric Planet

Gerald Lynch — Editor-in-Chief

If I was a decent human being, I’d be paying my mum storage costs for the last 15 or so years she’s had to look after my Jurassic Park toys. I was obsessed with the film and dinosaurs growing up, and though I live in a box without the room to store them, I just can’t bear to part with my piles of raptors and 3.5-inch Sam Neil and Laura Dern figures.

Had Prehistoric Planet been around when I was seven years old, it would have only fuelled that passion more. Hollywood-grade CGI matched with the cuddle-like tones of David Attenborough’s ‘documentary’ commentary? It’s even roarsome enough to help me come to terms with the fact I should probably have stuck some feathers to my T-Rex.

The streaming service to beat

We’ve come a long way since Apple’s services event back in March 2019, where, alongside Apple Arcade and Apple Card, we saw the debut of Apple TV Plus.

In almost five years we’ve seen plenty of great shows, and it looks like Apple is carrying on that trajectory, with new seasons of existing shows, and rumors of new ones that we may hear about later this year, perhaps by the time the iPhone 15 is announced.

With the MLS in full flow on Apple TV Plus, it may be a matter of time before we see another sports league arrive on the service. But for now, as its Twitter account likes to showcase, there’s plenty to watch, and our favorite shows that we’ve picked here may change once 2024 winds up.

And with this in mind, do free to let us know what your favorite Apple TV Plus show is on the iMore forums.

Apple has today released the first tvOS 17 public beta, making it available to people who aren't developers but also don't want to wait for the update to roll out to everyone this fall.

The tvOS 17 update was first shown off at the WWDC 2023 event in June and has been available in the form of various developer betas ever since. But this is the first time that Apple has rolled the same software out to people who are on the public beta program.

Signing up to that public beta program is easy, but downloaders of tvOS 17 should remember that this is indeed a beta in more than just name — problems can arise and apps may not work as expected. Keep that in mind before downloading this update.

tvOS 17 for everyone

Downloading the tvOS 17 beta begins by heading to the Apple Beta Software Program and signing up using an Apple ID. From there installing tvOS 17 is a breeze, and while it isn't the biggest Apple TV update ever, there are some things to look forward to.

At the very top of that list is support for FaceTime. Using an iPhone and Continuity Camera, Apple TV owners can make FaceTime calls on the big screen for the first time.

There are more improvements, of course. They include Split View which will allow Apple TV owners to watch TV shows and movies with people on those FaceTime calls,  while a redesigned Control Center is also included.

The tvOS 17 update also promises to make it easier to hear what people are saying thanks to a new feature that will enhance dialog whenever connected to a pair of second-generation HomePods.

If that sounds good you can of course download the beta now. Owners of the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD can also choose to download tvOS 17 this fall should they decide that the beta life isn't for them.