Alexa+ is exactly why I want Apple Intelligence on my Apple TV

Like it or not, AI is here to stay, and it’s only going to get more powerful. In some ways, we’ve been living with it without really thinking about it. Popular assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant all take questions you ask them and answer them, much like AI does. Anybody who has used any of those services knows there are a variety of ways they could be improved. It seems like Amazon is well aware and is taking a big step forward with Alexa+.

Admittedly, I don’t have any devices that use Alexa, so I can’t test out these features firsthand. However, I’ve talked quite a bit about wanting to see Apple’s new AI come to the Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV 4K is my main streaming device, and it’s actually the only Apple product I have. Because of that, I’m not used to using things like Siri, but if Apple can take a page out of Amazon’s book by loading up its Apple Intelligence with some of the new features coming with Alexa+, I’ll be a happy camper. Amazon came out with a list of 50 things Alexa+ can do, and there are numerous options I would love to see Apple borrow from. I don’t expect Apple to take everything, but there are some I’d start using immediately. Some of the features listed are more useful than others, but it’s still an impressive update that seemingly came out of nowhere — and it applies to more than just TV and movie watching.

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Alexa+ is what I want from Apple Intelligence on my Apple TV 4K

Come on Apple, make it happen

Apple / Pocket-lint

Apple Intelligence is one of Apple’s most recent innovations, but it’s not available on any Apple TV devices yet. Due to hardware limitations, I’m not sure if it could happen at all without coming out with a new model, so I don’t exactly have my fingers crossed it can come in a tvOS update, especially since I’m on a first-gen model. Luckily, rumors indicate a 4th-gen is due sometime this year, and if that happens, I need to see some leaps.

One of the things Amazon laid out is the ability to describe a scene to Alexa+ only for the AI to jump right to it in a movie. This is especially handy for somebody who’s trying to show a scene to a friend or if you want to jump to a spot that tests out your new sound system. In practice, I probably wouldn’t use this feature very much, but it’s cool the technology exists to make it happen. It could also be helpful if you somehow lost your place in a movie when you pause it.

The bigger selling point for me is the option to have a back and forth conversation with the new Alexa for improved recommendations. I don’t have a lot of friends who are into movies like I am, so I can’t really look to them for advice outside big streaming hits. Being able to get personalized recommendations like this would be a game-changer, and I hope Apple is able to implement this in some way. An improved Siri is already out for many people, but for people like me who only have an Apple TV 4K, I’m left to wonder if Apple ever plans to support the device with this new feature. There’s still a lot of time left for Apple to unveil a new model, and now the bar is set, in my eyes, for what needs to happen with the next Apple TV 4K. Even if I don’t use AI all that often, it’s hard for me to find many downsides if Apple can roll this stuff out.

Even without having to speak to my remote or phone, Alexa+ gives better recommendations through AI. Amazon explains it as typing in something broad like “action movies” could result in a wide range of selections instead of just a rundown of generic action films. As somebody who often struggles to find new things to watch, this sounds like a good change that I’d love to see come to Apple TV. The fact that I can’t do this with my Apple TV while Fire TV users can is annoying.

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I love Apple, but it needs to do more

Apple needs to step it up

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To be clear, I love my Apple TV 4K, but I’m well aware of its shortcomings. Although it’s the fastest streamer on the market, there are things the competition does better. The Alexa+ implementation is a big step, and it’s something I wish I could use my Siri remote for, but that’s not the only thing Apple is behind on.

Something I noticed after I picked up a Roku Ultra for nearly half the price of a full-priced Apple TV 4K third-gen is how much Apple is pricing the average person out of. If you pick up a $130 Apple TV 4K, you get a model that doesn’t come with an Ethernet port, something that comes standard on the Roku Ultra. Another big thing Roku has over Apple is the ability to integrate nicely into a smart home, even if you don’t have Apple products. My Roku Ultra works seamlessly with my Google Home, so that was a nice touch that my Apple TV 4K didn’t have.

If the next-generation Apple TV 4K launches without Apple Intelligence, I’ll be quite disappointed. After seeing firsthand what the new Alexa+ brings to the table, it’d feel like a lot being left on the cutting room floor for Apple not to incorporate its new AI into the new hardware. Of course, it’s all just rumors about whether a new box is even coming, but the writing seems to be on the wall for the older models. New features almost always skip the first-gen box, and we’re starting to see the same thing happen to the second-gen. This leaves the third-generation Apple TV 4K as the only device guaranteed to receive the new features, and even that’s coming up on its third birthday. The time is now for Apple to shake things up again, and I hope it borrows a lot of what makes Alexa+ so appealing right now.

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