Apple TV is now available in its retail stores! It retails for $149USD/$199CAD or $199USD/$269CAD for the 32GB or 64GB model respectively.

The most exciting feature I would say is the support for a full App Store. This means developers will start and probably have already released several third-party apps and most interesting, games! Although I would not compare the Apple TV to a Playstation, Xbox or the Wii U, it is much more affordable and will have its own set of unique games for also much more affordable prices! Considering the fact that gaming on mobile phones is quickly becoming very popular with almost 50% of smartphone users playing games at least once a month in the UK according to TechRadar, I would not be surprised if they dig a nice whole into the traditional console’s market.

Apple fans who have not yet jumped onto the Apple TV train due to its lack of features over any other smart device should definitely think about giving this new 4th gen iteration a shot. In terms of whether or not you should upgrade from a previous model would depend on how much you value the addition of the app store. The new gen device also comes with hardware upgrades to support the new functionality such as a redesigned remote with a mic for Siri as well as a touch panel, accelerometer and gyroscope for more user input. It also supports 7.1 Dolby Digital Surround as opposed to the 5.1 channel of the previous model. Last but not least, a jump from the old single-core A5 chip to the dual-core A8 chip and support for wireless AC.

Sources: Apple, TechnoBuffalo, TechRadar