I was a little excited when I heard to accompany the upcoming Apple TV+, Apple would also start to offer à-la-carte channel subscriptions via Apple's own TV app. I'm normally happy with whatever Apple comes up with, so I decided to let my HBO subscription via Amazon expire, and then try it on Apple TV Channels.
Today, I decided to go back to Amazon Channels, and here's why, but first thing first: whether it's Apple TV Channels or Amazon Channels, I watch it on my Apple TV 4K.
Remember when Apple first launched Apple TV 4K and said all movies in your existing iTunes library will be upgraded to 4K UHD as long as they were available? Therefore, I thought since Apple TV Channels will obviously be pulling contents from their iTunes server, does that mean a movie will be upgraded to 4K UHD as long as it was available to stream on a certain channel? Well, that's not the case, which I can understand.
What I can't understand, however, is the fact that as of right now, Apple TV Channels can't seem to recognize the movies you already own. For example, I own Justice League in my iTunes library, and it's in both 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos. When I tried to stream it on Apple's HBO channel, it was downgraded to HD and regular 5.1 surround sound, even though the content itself was pulled from iTunes, and I own the content in its best form via iTunes.
On the contrary, Amazon handles that really well already. Like Apple, Amazon pulls contents from their own server for Amazon Channels, and once Amazon recognizes a movie available to stream on a certain channel is also owned by me, instead of showing "the title is available to stream via HBO," it will just say "you own this title." On top of that, when a movie is available for you to stream on a channel, Amazon actually give you access to all versions of that movie as well. For example, currently you can stream the Grudge on HBO, so via Amazon Channels, you can stream both the theatrical version and the extended version--Apple TV Channels can't seem to achieve that either.
Anyway, I'm only comparing one single aspect of Apple TV Channels and Amazon Channels, what are you guys' verdicts?
