During the WWDC 2022 keynote, Apple announced several new features that are coming soon to iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura and watchOS 9. During the keynote, instead of talking about the new features and enhancements that are coming to tvOS, Apple opted to release the new features on its developer portal quietly.

Everyone expected to hear some news about the upcoming tvOS 16 updates; instead, Apple didn’t even bring it up and mention it during its keynote. It was weird, and it suggests that even Apple doesn’t take tvOS seriously, which is in dire need of attention, assuming that Apple wants to better compete with fireTV, GoogleTV, Roku and other cheaper alternatives.

In case you missed what’s new in tvOS 16, here’s a quick recap:

Cross-device connectivity

“Integrate your tvOS app with your iOS, iPadOS, or watchOS app to unlock new experiences on Apple TV. For example, you can deliver more personalized workouts on Apple TV based on motion sensor data from Apple Watch, display real-time information on iPhone while media plays in your app on Apple TV, or include more screens for gameplay.”

Multiuser support

“Make it easier for people to enjoy your Apple TV app with improved system integration for user profiles. With credentials stored in a shared keychain, users won’t need to sign in and choose their profile every time they launch your app.”

Apple also demonstrates this feature on its website in a live demo.

SwiftUI for tvOS

“Customize your app’s interface and provide even more functionality with SwiftUI. Create custom button styles and effects that accent your design, take advantage of standard gestures, such as Tap and Touch, and add consistency to interactions with the Focus APIs.”

tvOS deserves more attention

tvOS has an intuitive interface, and it provides a great user experience. It contains all of your favorite TV shows and movies, and it has excellent features to keep you entertained. It’s a great platform, but it needs more love from Apple if it wants to keep the lights on.

Apple is working on a cheaper AppleTV product

Last year, we heard that Apple is planning on developing a product that would compete against the cheaper smart tv stick alternatives on the market, including the fireTV stick, GoogleTV, Roku and many more. The current Apple TV HD costs $149, while Apple TV 4K retails for $179, making it hard to justify spending that much on a device when you can get a near-identical experience by spending less than half of that. Other competing platforms have the Apple TV app built-in, making it easier for users to access their favorite shows and movies and Apple’s streaming platform AppleTV+.

Apple doesn’t seem to have a strategy to make its devices cheaper, and it wants to appear as a higher-end model, but that doesn’t seem to appeal to many customers. The upgrade from HD to 4K is steep, considering that fireTV HD costs only $39.99, and fireTV 4K only $54.99. It’s also worth mentioning that these devices are often on sale, saving users an additional $10-20. Chromecast with Google TV goes for $49.99, but Google too often offers it for $39.99, making it one of the best devices to purchase.

Apple TV is in a tough position, and if the company doesn’t invest more time and money on it, it’s unlikely to become the ultimate entertainment device for Apple users. And that brings us to the next point, which is that Apple TV works best for users who are already in the ecosystem. It’s not user-friendly, in the sense that it limits non-Apple users from ever considering it as a high-end alternative.

It’s been a few years since Apple TV+ was unveiled, and the streaming platform didn’t break any records as it did with Apple Music. Assuming that Apple wants to take the streaming service seriously, it needs to develop a more affordable device to convince users to sign up and use the platform. Apple currently offers a three-month subscription with every AppleTV purchase, but that’s hardly a bargain, considering that the service has a limited collection of original shows and movies.