Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole made by Apple Inc. It is a small piece of networking hardware that sends received media data such as video and audio to a TV or external display. Its media services include streaming media, TV Everywhere–based services, local media sources, sports journalism and broadcasts.
The first generation Apple TV was introduced in 2007 and was primarily intended to download and play content from the iTunes Store. The second generation model in 2010 was redesigned as an all-streaming device and is only compatible with HDMI-equipped enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen televisions. The fourth generation model released in 2015 introduced the tvOS operating system and support for third-party apps via an app store.