Apple iTunes 4K video rant

I just bought a cool new High Dollar Samsung 8 Series 4K HDR TV over at the Costco! Problem. Most of my video content has been purchased over the years from Apple iTunes. As of January 11, 2017 Apple is the only major company on earth not supporting 4K. BOOOOOO!

I have done many Google searches and all I’m finding are Apple apologist web sites telling me that upscaled 1080p is just as good as 4K and I can’t tell the difference [FACT CHECK FALSE]. These very same web sites are littered with FAKE NEWS articles dating back to 2015 touting rumors that a 4K Apple TV would be released in weeks if not months. Where are the follow up articles saying “Oops, my source lied”?

Seriously, has anyone heard any actual facts from the company? Everyone is assuming they are working on 4K but I can find no evidence of this from Apple itself. Here are the 2 big questions that Apple must address before I can purchase anything more from Apple:

(1) If I buy a current 4th generation Apple TV will it get a software upgrade for 4K and HDR?

(2) If I purchase video content in HD right now, will I be able to stream it in 4K HDR when available or, will I have to buy it again later?

Sorry for the rant but I had to post my frustration somewhere. HeHeHe…

Conversation 4 comments

  • 5812

    12 January, 2017 - 2:00 pm

    <p>Hello. I can answer question #1 for with 100% certainty.</p>
    <p>NO. the 4th gen Apple TV&nbsp;video out has a specific hard version that doesn’t do 4k so it will never work and no software / firmware can fix that. You will need to replace it. &nbsp;</p>
    <p>On question 2. I’d say with 95% certainty NO. You can’t buy HD video content and expect now your entitled to 4k content. I don’t want to say this is obvious but just look at the prices. You want to rent or buy a movie. The price for SD is cheaper than HD. If you go out and buy 4k anything it cost more than HD 1080p versions. The companies that make movies want you to have to rebuy. It’s all they got. Over the years in music what keep everyone making so much money was people buy the same music over and over and over from 8track to reel to reel to cassette tape to cd and now that we are to mp3 and it’s been stuck at mp3 all the music folks are mad and say they aren’t making money. Look at star-wars. How many people bought VCR Tapes, Laser Disk, DVD, and now Blu-ray. You think they won’t want you to get a free update from 1080p to 4k. NO WAY!&nbsp;</p>

    • 7209

      12 January, 2017 - 7:10 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#35964">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Nicholas_Kathrein">Nicholas_Kathrein</a><a href="#35964">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Thanks for the reply! I think you are totally&nbsp;correct on both questions. However, this creates a huge problem. Here is what Apple is effectively telling me with these policies:<br /> <br /> (1) Apple Say: Don&rsquo;t buy an Apple TV. Instead by a streamer from any of our competitors all of whom fully support 4K.<br /> <br /> (2) Apple Say: Don&rsquo;t buy any content from us right now because we intend to double charge you to get 4K. Instead buy your content from any of our competitors who will single charge you.<br /> <br /> Apple can fix both of these problems right now for me even if the server upgrades (or whatever is delaying 4K) takes a while longer. Here are the solutions Apple needs to implement. Note, I&rsquo;m very upset that Apple has not done this already&hellip;<br /> <br /> (1) Apple Solution: Announce a release date for the 4K Apple TV. This will allow me to wait with confidence. If they are truly so messed up that they don&rsquo;t even have a date then at least they could announce their intent to support 4K &ldquo;some day in the future&rdquo;.<br /> <br /> (2) Apple Solution: Start selling 4K content right now to be delivered on the previously mentioned 4K Apple TV Release date. This will allow me to buy content with confidence knowing that I only have to buy it once.</p>

      • 313

        Premium Member
        12 January, 2017 - 7:51 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#36062">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/gvan">gvan</a><a href="#36062">:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>Apple will never do the former. &nbsp;Saying "we’ll release a 4k capable device on *this date* would basically mean that no one will buy the existing device. &nbsp;Just frankly will not happen.</p>
        <p>&nbsp;</p>
        <p>I won’t disagree with your second point. &nbsp;Apple sells high resolution devices now that could take advantage of it. &nbsp;But in true apple way I doubt they’ll do it until they have a 4k apple TV. &nbsp;But one thing to remember is that there still isn’t a ton of content available to purchase in 4k in any method. &nbsp;Google Play offers some 4k content for purchase, but very little of it compared the entire library. &nbsp;Same for 4k blu-rays. &nbsp;And this is true of even new releases. &nbsp;Not all new movies being released are getting 4k versions. &nbsp;That will get better over time of course, but it could be that apple is waiting for a larger library of content to be available before flipping the switch.</p>

  • 7209

    12 January, 2017 - 8:32 pm

    <p>My understanding is that all Hollywood moves filmed in the last decade (or more) have been shot in 6K or 8K. That means a tsunami of 4K content is coming very soon as the move studios rush to get 4K sales going. I expect the 4K transition to happen at lightning speed because there is so much content that has already been filmed and is ready to go!</p>

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