Apple TV 4K is still the best streaming box when it comes to privacy
New evidence suggests the Apple TV 4K might be home to the most privacy-protected display interface in the market.
In a recent breakdown by Ars Technica, the website revealed that certain ad-related settings are turned off by default or are totally non-existent on the platform.
One of those key missing features is ACR, which stands for Automatic Content Recognition. It's a new feature cropping up on several new smart TVs, allowing TV makers increased access into your daily viewing habits.
It's not on the Apple TV 4K, though. Like on iPhone, tvOS applications must ask you before they collect data, and all the data that is collected is totally anonymized.
It's not the perfect system, but if you're concerned about your privacy, Apple TV 4K continues to prove itself as one of the best streaming devices.
As ACR crops up on many of its rivals, Apple has stayed clear from the feature entirely. Most TV manufacturers use vastly different names for it, but the concept remains the same: collecting viewing habits to target specific ads that meet your interests.
But it's not just ACR the Apple TV 4K excludes. Have you ever noticed the messages that crop up whenever you first boot up a new app on an Apple device? iPhone and iPad users might be most accustomed to it, but it essentially makes third-party app providers ask if you're OK with them collecting analytics data and using location services before they start up.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
These opt-out measures are a huge game changer and puts privacy concerns to bed for the wary.
Apple TV 4K also allows you to turn off other data collecting services like Siri on tvOS. Apple can keep Siri transcripts on its servers for a set period of around six months, however there's nothing stopping you from disabling Siri outright .
Although Apple TV 4K might be the most privacy-protected of all the streaming devices, it's not a full-proof experience. You will still have some privacy concerns to deal with, largely stemming from Apple accounts and the TV application.
Search terms are a big one, as is your general history, but you can even disable personalized recommendations if you wanted to. These sort of make sense, though, as they're not necessarily targeting you nefariously to sell you ads but gain a better understanding of your viewing history to better improve Apple's own recommendations.
Meanwhile, you have companies like Roku and LG devising some of the most dystopian methods of gaining a better understanding of your viewing habits: LG TVs are about to show you ads based on your emotions, which is terrifying to think about. Roku's no better, patenting all kinds of ways to ensure its platform remains ad-rich.
That's what makes Apple stand out. Despite several flaws and a rather high price, the Apple TV 4K is one of the best ways to bypass ad-heavy platforms and keep your viewing habits as private as possible.
Hopefully, the rumored Apple TV 4K refresh takes a similar approach to this success.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
25 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
AirPods are about to get even better — 5 huge upgrades we're likely to see at WWDC 2025
The AirPods family looks set to get a big upgrade at WWDC 2025 thanks to several new features coming to Apple's wireless earbuds in tandem with iOS 26 and macOS 26. According to a report from 9to5Mac, at least five new updates coming to Apple's native apps will result in greater functionality with AirPods and could be announced during the keynote. Apple's head gestures for AirPods arrived last year, allowing you to to nod or shake your head to accept or decline calls. You could do the same to interact with or dismiss certain notifications. This year, we could see these gestures expanded to include new head gestures. One of which seems likely to between extending the time a Conversation Awareness volume change lasts for. At present, you can end a volume adjustment by either pressing and holding the AirPods stem or swiping up, but this would give you a nice hands-free gesture to accomplish the same thing. Are you guilty of falling asleep while wearing your AirPods? A new auto-pause feature could debut next week that will trigger when the wearer falls asleep. What's not clear at this point is whether or not the AirPods will deduce when you fall asleep themselves or if this feature needs to work in tandem with the Apple Watch to be successful. Giving its users more ways to control their iPhone camera is the name of the game this year. First we had the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 and now it seems the AirPods are getting in on the action. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. According to 9to5Mac's sources, the this new feature built into iOS 26 and iPad OS 26 will allow users to snap a picture from their iPhone or iPad by squeezing the AirPods' stem. We could start seeing a lot of pictures where iPhone users are all holding their ears. One of the big features the iPhone 16 launched with was "Audio Mix", which used AI to separate background noise from speech to deliver "studio quality" audio when you record videos. We put it to the test and it's genuinely impressive. Well, those smarts look to be coming to the AirPods via an upgrade that would essentially give them a studio quality mic. That would, presumably, allow them to compete with lapel mics for video creators. And, of course, it'll make you sound better when taking phone calls. Being able to pair AirPods seamlessly with multiple Apple devices is one of the reasons the headphones are as well-loved as they are. Now it seems Apple is looking to develop its pairing technology to make it easier for AirPods to be paired with shared iPads. According to 9to5Mac, this is likely to be used in classroom and other teaching environments where multiple students use the same device. The unnamed sources speaking to 9to5Mac seem pretty convinced Apple will reveal these features during the opening keynote at WWDC 2025 next week. Everything kicks off with that keynote on June 9 as Apple will give us updates on all the software improvements its been working on. And we're expecting a major UI overhaul and a brand new naming convention to go along with it. The keynote starts at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST, and you'll be able to watch a WWDC 2025 live stream on YouTube. You can also check out our WWDC 2025 news hub here for everything to expect at the event next week.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
What does Broadcom do? A deeper look at the chipmaker
Broadcom (AVGO) has been a major player in the semiconductor space, especially as the AI race heats up between tech giants. While many consumers may not have a Broadcom-branded product, many personal devices are powered by the chipmaker's components. Wealth host Brad Smith lays out Broadcom's timeline, from its founding in 1991 all the way to today, where several Magnificent Seven names remain their biggest customers. Broadcom is scheduled to report its fiscal second quarter earnings results after the market close on Thursday, June 5. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. If the name Broadcom doesn't ring a bell, there's a good chance you're not alone. But let's bring everyone up to speed. You may not own any Broadcom branded products, but there's a good chance that something you use every day, your phone, laptop, or home Wi-Fi runs on Broadcom technology. Broadcom's roots trace all the way back to 1961 when Hewlett Packard launched a semiconductor division, a group that would help pioneer things like LED lighting, fiber optic transmitters that speed up data transfers, and most importantly, the computer chips that power modern tech. But the company we know now as Broadcom didn't officially start until 1991 when a UCLA professor and a student founded Broadcom Corporation. Their chips focused on one big thing, faster communications. Think high-speed internet, data transfers, and getting broadband into homes through cable TV. Fast forward to 2016, a company called Avago Technologies, which had acquired Hewlett Packard's chip business, bought Broadcom. Then they took Broadcom's name. And that's why Broadcom's stock ticker is AVGO. Today, Broadcom is a global technology firm that makes chips that power things like your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 5G, and smartphones. Who are some of their biggest customers? Names you likely know very well. Apple, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon. Apple alone accounts for 15% of Broadcom's revenue. And Broadcom's competitors also include names that you may recognize, Qualcomm, Intel, AMD, and Nvidia. And while Broadcom might not be as widely known as Nvidia, it's not a small player. The company is worth more than $1 trillion, and 90% of Wall Street analysts have a buy rating on the stock, meaning they're recommending it as an investment. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
8 best Father's Day gifts 2025 — here's my top picks as a Dad
Father's Day is June 15, so time is running out to find the perfect gift. If your dad is into gadgets, you're in luck — we've rounded up some of the coolest tech gifts he's sure to love. I'm a Dad and a full-on tech nerd myself, and I handpicked several of these items to feature on TV for a Father's Day segment. Whether your Dad is into movies, video games, golf, or just loves a clever gadget, there's something here that'll hit the mark. From the red-hot Nintendo Switch 2 to sunglasses that stream music and a golf rangefinder so advanced it feels like cheating, these gifts deliver serious wow factor. Even better? Some of them are on sale, so you can make dad's day without breaking the bank. Just don't wait too long—these picks are popular, and shipping deadlines are coming up fast. If your Dad travels a lot, or is just always on the go, he'll love this MagSafe power bank. It packs a 10,000 mAh battery built in and can fully charge on iPhone 16 Pro nearly twice Even better, the 3-in-1 design lets you charge your AirPods and Apple Watch at the same time. And with support for Apple's StandBy mode, it turns his iPhone into a sleek bedside alarm clock when docked. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. For the Apple-loving Dad, this charger will handle an Apple Watch, an iPhone and AirPods. To top it off, it even has a 10,000mAh battery built-in so he can charge all of his trusty gadgets even when there's no outlet. For the price, you can't beat the functionality it offers. Dads who spend a lot of time outdoors, especially those who like to exercise, will vibe with the Chamelo Music Shield. These high-tech shades let you control the level of tint just by sliding your finger over the right arm of the glasses. If you like to rock out while you work out (like me), the Music Shield lives up to its name with its built-in speakers. So you can listen to music without earbuds — as well as take calls — while still being able to hear the world around you. Sunglasses have long been a staple of every kid's Father's Day gift repertoire. These take sun-blocking and inject tons of tech — they have tint-adjusting technology and a built-in speakers that'll make these the coolest sunglasses Dad has ever owned. This is the rangefinder my colleague Dave uses every round — and he swears by it. Here in the Northeast, bad weather often means cart-path-only golf, where you're not allowed to drive up to your ball. That usually means guessing your distance, grabbing a few clubs, and hoping you picked the right one. The CaddyTalk Cube solves that problem. It lets you measure the distance between the ball and the flag without having to walk to your shot first. If your dad plays in similar conditions, this rangefinder will make his rounds a whole lot easier — and a lot more fun. If your Dad is a golfer, this affordable rangefinder has all the standard distance measuring technology he'd expect from a rangefinder, including slope. It also triangulates two points. This means he can see how far the ball is from the hole without requiring him to stand over it, making it perfect for cart-path-only golf rounds. Dads who love movie night will get a kick out of the MoGo 3 Pro outodoor projector. It delivers full HD visuals up to 120 inches using a 130-degree adjustable stand, so getting the right angle is a breeze. With Google TV built in, he'll have instant access to all his favorite streaming apps, from Netflix to Prime Video. And there's 5-watt Harman Kardon speakers built in for surprisingly rich sound. You can also grab the MoGo 3 Pro with a PowerBase stand for $409, which has its own 2.5-hour battery built in — just enough juice for most action flicks. Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube are already built into this projector, making it easy to watch whatever you want. It projects up to 120 inches of screen, so you can get that movie theater feel any time. Add in the Harmon Kardon and you have a perfect gift for the movie-loving Dad in your life. Move over, Bose and Apple. The Sony WH-1000XM6 are arguably the best headphones for Dads who demand the very best sound quality along with top-notch noise cancellation. You're guaranteed to block out the chaos of your commute or the roar of a plane engine plane engine with Sony's real-time noise cancellation system, which leverages advanced processors and adaptive mics. That noise cancelling comes in handy for calls, too. In fact, in our Sony WH-1000XM6 review, we praised the crystal-clear call quality. The touch controls are also intuitive, and you get an impressive 30 hours of battery life with the ANC turned on. These are on the pricey side, but they're worth every penny. These are some of the best headphones you can get. If your Dad wants wireless audio with quality that'll make him feel like he's at his favorite band's concert, the Sony XM6 deliver with excellent comfort, superior noise cancelling and improved call quality. Plus, you get 30 hours of juice on a charge. Does Dad like Mario? Then he'll love it if you can score him a Nintendo Switch 2, which is easily the most sought-after gadget of the year. That's why we have a Switch 2 live blog going, helping people find stock as it arrives. So what makes it so special? The Switch 2 packs a larger 7.9-inch display, improved 4K graphics (when docked) and improved Joy-Con 2 controllers that attach magnetically to the console. The game lineup looks like a blast, to, with titles like Mario Kart World. And Nintendo is evolving the gaming experience with GameChat and the optional $54 Switch 2 camera, which lets Dad put his face right in the game and interact with his kids even if they're miles away. Maybe it's not nice to share this one here since it's nearly impossible to find a Switch 2, but if you do manage to get one for your Dad for Father's Day, you'll be his favorite (assuming he likes video games). Just make sure to follow our Switch 2 restock live blog for the latest updates. Give the gift of Dad never having to go on an ice run again. The Anker Solix EverFrost 2 cooler can keep your drink and food chilled all the way down to -4°F. And it can cool beverages from 77°F to 32°F in just 15 minutes. The built-in battery can keep your drinks and other items chilled up to 52 hours, or you can extend that to 4.3 days with an optional second battery. The Anker app lets you control the temperature from your phone, and you can even have different temps for the two zones. Oh, and yes — it has built-in lights, just like your fridge. This cooler can chill your drinks with its built-in battery in just 15 minutes, so Dad won't need to worry about keeping it stocked with ice while he's out on the beach hanging out or hosting a killer BBQ, as Dads are known to do. Its battery lasts up to 52 hours, so he can throw a serious party that doesn't end. The Galaxy S25 Edge is one of those phones you have to hold to believe. At just 5.8mm (0.23 inches) thick and 5.75 ounces, it's the thinnest Galaxy S series phone ever — and easily one of the most elegant designs we've seen. In our Galaxy S25 Edge review, we really liked the sheer portability of this device. You also get a large 6.7-inch OLED display, powerful 200MP camera and latest Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite chip. Plus, Samsung stuffs all the latest Galaxy AI features inside this slim phone. Dad will have to trade off some battery life and do without telephoto zoom, but if design matters most, this is easily one of the most impressive phones of the year. Galaxy S25 Edge: up to $750 off w/ trade-in @ Samsung The Galaxy S25 Edge isn't a cheap gift, but if your Dad needs a new phone and he likes his devices to be thin and light, it might be worth throwing down for the S25 Edge. It's one of the best Android phones money can buy, and right now you can save up to $750 with trade-in.
