History of Apple TV in Timeline
Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole by Apple. It streams media, including video and audio, to a TV or external display. Its media services encompass streaming, TV Everywhere, local media, and sports broadcasts.
1993: Release of the Macintosh TV
In 1993, Apple released the Macintosh TV, a device with a 14-inch CRT screen and a TV tuner card, in an attempt to enter the home-entertainment industry.
1994: Discontinuation of the Macintosh TV and development of the Apple Interactive Television Box
In 1994, the Macintosh TV was discontinued due to its lack of commercial success. Also in 1994, Apple developed the Apple Interactive Television Box in collaboration with BT Group and Proximus Group, though it was never released to the public.
September 2006: Announcement of the first-generation Apple TV
In September 2006, Apple announced the first-generation Apple TV (originally named "iTV").
January 2007: Apple TV Top Pre-Selling Item
In January 2007, during its first week of presales, Apple TV became the top pre-selling item at the Apple Store. Orders surpassed 100,000 units by the end of the month. Analysts called it a "DVD killer."
January 2007: Pre-orders begin for the first-generation Apple TV
In January 2007, pre-orders began for the first-generation Apple TV.
March 2007: Release of the first-generation Apple TV
In March 2007, Apple released the first-generation Apple TV, which ran a variant of Mac OS X Tiger and included a 40 GB hard disk.
May 2007: Release of Apple TV model with 160 GB hard drive
In May 2007, Apple released a model of the first-generation Apple TV with a 160 GB hard drive.
2007: Apple TV Sales for Q4
The fourth quarter of 2007 was used as a baseline to compare 2008's sales.
January 2008: Apple TV becomes a stand-alone device
In January 2008, a software update allowed the Apple TV to become a stand-alone device, removing the need for iTunes syncing from a separate computer.
February 2008: Take Two (2.0) Update
In February 2008, Apple released the "Take Two" (2.0) update, a major and free upgrade to the Apple TV. This update replaced Front Row with a new interface organizing content into six categories (movies, TV shows, music, YouTube, podcasts, and photos) presented in a square box on the screen, along with a "Settings" option.
July 10, 2008: Release of iTunes Remote iOS App
On July 10, 2008, Apple released iTunes Remote, a free iOS application that allows the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad to control the iTunes library on the Apple TV via Wi-Fi.
July 2008: Release of software update 2.1
In July 2008, Apple released the software 2.1 update for Apple TV, which added external recognition of iPhones and iPod Touches as alternative remote control devices.
2008: Apple TV Sales Triple
In 2008, specifically the fourth quarter, Apple TV sales were triple that of the fourth quarter of 2007.
September 2009: Discontinuation of the 40 GB Apple TV
In September 2009, Apple discontinued the 40 GB version of the first-generation Apple TV.
October 2009: Apple TV Software 3.0 Update
In October 2009, Apple released "Apple TV Software 3.0," a minor upgrade that replaced the interface from version 2.0 with a new one. The new interface presented seven horizontal columns for content categories (Movies, TV Shows, Music, Podcasts, Photos, Internet, and Settings) and added features like content filtering, iTunes Extras, new fonts, and a new Internet radio app.
2009: Apple TV Sales Increase Three Times
In 2009, during Apple's first-quarter financial results conference call, Tim Cook stated that Apple TV sales increased three times over the same quarter of the previous year. The movie rental business was working well, and Apple planned to continue investing in it, but Apple TV was still considered a 'hobby' for the company.
September 2010: Release of the second-generation Apple TV
In September 2010, Apple released the second-generation Apple TV, which is based on the ARM-based Apple A4 chip and runs a variant of iOS.
December 21, 2010: Apple Announces 1 Million Apple TV Units Sold
On December 21, 2010, Apple announced that they had sold 1 million Apple TV units.
2011: Apple Sells 2.8 Million Apple TV Units in Fiscal Year
In 2011, Apple sold 2.8 million Apple TV units.
2011: Apple TV Sales Top 2 Million
In 2011, specifically the second fiscal quarter, Apple TV sales had topped 2 million in total, with 820,000 units sold in that quarter alone.
January 1, 2012: Apple TV Sales Reach 4.2 Million Units
By January 1, 2012, Apple had sold a total of 4.2 million Apple TV units.
January 24, 2012: Apple Announces Apple TV Sales Figures
On January 24, 2012, Apple announced they had sold 1.4 million Apple TV units in the first fiscal quarter of 2012.
March 2012: Announcement of the third-generation Apple TV
At a special event in March 2012, Apple announced the third-generation Apple TV, which includes an A5 chip and supports 1080p video output.
March 2012: Apple TV Software 5 (iOS 5.1) Release
In March 2012, Apple released Apple TV Software 5 (iOS 5.1) with the 3rd generation Apple TV. The update revised the home screen to resemble the icon grid on iOS, replacing the 7 columns with a tiled grid format for content and third-party channels.
May 2012: Apple Sold 2.7 Million 3rd Generation Apple TVs
In May 2012, Tim Cook announced that Apple had sold 2.7 million of the 3rd generation Apple TV model in 2012 at the All Things Digital conference.
January 1, 2013: Apple TV 3rd Generation Reaches 6 Million Units Sold
By January 1, 2013, cumulative volume of the 3rd generation Apple TV device was 6 million units.
March 2013: Quiet release of a "rev A" of the third-generation Apple TV
In March 2013, Apple quietly released a "rev A" of the hardware for the third-generation Apple TV, using a single-core variant of the A5 chip.
February 28, 2014: Apple TV Generates $1 Billion Revenue
On February 28, 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced at Apple's shareholders meeting that in 2013 Apple TV brought in $1 billion of revenue for Apple.
September 2014: Introduction of peer-to-peer AirPlay exclusively for the rev A model
In September 2014, Apple TV Software 7.0 introduced peer-to-peer AirPlay exclusively for the rev A model of the third-generation Apple TV.
March 9, 2015: Apple Announces 25 Million Apple TVs Sold
On March 9, 2015, Tim Cook announced at an Apple Special Event that Apple had sold a total of 25 million Apple TVs up to that point.
September 9, 2015: Announcement of the fourth-generation Apple TV
On September 9, 2015, Apple announced the fourth-generation Apple TV at a special event, introducing tvOS and an app store.
September 2015: Discontinuation of iTunes support for first-generation Apple TV
In September 2015, Apple discontinued iTunes support for the first-generation Apple TV due to obsolete security standards.
October 2015: Fourth-generation Apple TV starts shipping
The fourth-generation Apple TV started shipping in October 2015.
December 8, 2015: tvOS 9.1 fixes issues
On December 8, 2015, Apple fixed several unexpected problems with the fourth-generation Apple TV, such as incompatibility with iTunes Remote app for iOS and watchOS, in tvOS 9.1.
January 27, 2016: Apple TV Achieves Record Sales
During an Apple earnings call on January 27, 2016, CEO Tim Cook stated that the Apple TV had record sales, although further details were not provided.
September 13, 2016: Release of tvOS 10
On September 13, 2016, Apple released tvOS 10, which included an updated remote app, single-sign on, a light-on-dark color scheme, and HomeKit support.
October 2016: Discontinuation of the third-generation Apple TV
In October 2016, the third-generation Apple TV was discontinued.
September 12, 2017: Announcement of the Apple TV 4K
On September 12, 2017, Apple announced the Apple TV 4K, which supports 2160p output, HDR10, Dolby Vision, and includes a faster Apple A10X chip.
December 6, 2017: Amazon Video Added to Apple TV
On December 6, 2017, Amazon Video was automatically added to Apple TVs running Apple TV Software 7.2.2.
December 2017: Apple TV adds support for Amazon Prime Video
In December 2017, Apple added support for Amazon Prime Video on Apple TV.
March 2019: Apple TV Software 7.2.2 (iOS 8) Still Available
As of March 2019, Apple TV Software 7.2.2 (iOS 8) remained available for the Apple TV (3rd generation), although it does not support tvOS 9.0 or later.
March 2019: Rebranding of the fourth-generation Apple TV as Apple TV HD
In March 2019, after newer 4K versions were released, Apple rebranded the fourth-generation Apple TV as the Apple TV HD, positioning it as an entry-level option.
May 2019: Apple TV Software 7.3 (iOS 8.4.2) Released
In May 2019, Apple released Apple TV Software 7.3 (iOS 8.4.2) to the public, which was the first update for the 3rd generation Apple TV since 2016. This update included the new Apple TV app and compatibility for the Apple TV Channels service.
May 2019: Release of the Apple TV app (Software 7.3)
In May 2019, Apple released the Apple TV app, bundled with Apple TV Software 7.3.
June 2019: Estimated 53 Million Apple TV Units in Use
In June 2019, it was estimated that there were 53 million units of all generations of the Apple TV in use worldwide.
September 24, 2019: Apple TV Software 7.4 (iOS 8.4.3) Released
On September 24, 2019, Apple released Apple TV Software 7.4 (iOS 8.4.3) to the public.
November 2019: Apple TV+ and Apple TV app release
In November 2019, Apple released the Apple TV+ subscription service and the Apple TV app.
2019: Apple TV Sells at Low Profit Margin
In 2019, Apple analyst John Gruber stated that the Apple TV sells at a low profit margin or at a loss.
March 24, 2020: Apple TV Software 7.5 (iOS 8.4.4) Released
On March 24, 2020, Apple TV Software 7.5 (iOS 8.4.4) was released to the public.
April 20, 2021: Announcement of updated Apple TV 4K
On April 20, 2021, Apple announced an updated Apple TV 4K featuring the A12 Bionic chip, support for high frame rate HDR, HDMI 2.1, and Wi-Fi 6.
October 18, 2022: Discontinuation of the Apple TV HD
On October 18, 2022, Apple discontinued the Apple TV HD after seven years on the market, following the release of the 4K third-generation model.
2022: Apple TV native support
As of 2022, Apple TV natively supports various audio, video, and picture formats. The Apple TV HD and later models can use built-in software to play other codecs and formats, such as Emby, MrMC, VLC media player, Kodi, and Plex.
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