1st gen Apple TV losing iTunes Store compatibility on May 25th
Still have that original Apple TV? Hooked up a TV? Functioning? That’s pretty impressive…in a sad kind of way. And unfortunately, the situation gets even more upsetting now that Apple has announced the 1st generation Apple TV will no longer connect to the iTunes Store after a security update on May 25th.
The announcement comes along with news that support for Windows XP and Vista will also be dropped. That certainly has to be a blow to the ego of original Apple TV owners.
Per Apple’s support doc:
Starting May 25, Apple will introduce security changes that prevent older Windows PCs from using the iTunes Store. If you have Windows XP or Vista PC, your computer is no longer supported by Microsoft, and you’re not able to use the latest version of iTunes.
Also beginning May 25, security changes will prevent Apple TV (1st generation) from using the iTunes Store. This device is an obsolete Apple product and will not be updated to support these security changes.
After the changes, you’ll only be able to access the iTunes Store on Apple TV (2nd generation) or later.
Considering the original Apple TV was released back in 2007, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. In fact, Apple officially declared it obsolete/vintage in September of 2015. It’s time to move on. It’ll be hard, we know…especially for owners of the 160GB model. Yes, the original Apple TV actually contained an HDD, allowing it to pack a lot of storage. The newer Apple TV models haven’t come close to that, but the need is no longer there now that you can easily and quickly stream your media content. The need to download and store content is a thing of the past.
If you’re looking to dump it off before upgrading to an Apple TV 4K, used models are selling for around $20.00 to $40.00 on ebay. A factory sealed 160GB version is at $91.00 with two bids at press time. Good luck, and welcome to the future.
About the Author
Kirk Hiner has been writing for the Apple web since 1997, having served as editor of Applelinks and the Technology Tell Apple Channel. In addition to his work with BEST Apple TV, Kirk currently contributes to Mac Gamer HQ and Pure Nintendo. He lives with his wife and three children in small-town Ohio where the land is cheap and the air is (relatively) clean.
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Please confirm that these security changes will limit use of Apple TV to iTunes only. Can the Apple TV continue to be used for all present applications like utube, Netflix, Amazon, etc. other than iTunes?
So maybe lot of people will not install upgrade anyway..