Apple TV+ Offers Highest Quality 4K Streaming, Averaging Up to 29Mbps

Apple TV+ has the highest 4K streaming quality offered by a streaming service that supports 4K, according to testing conducted by FlatpanelsHD founder Rasmus Larsen.

Larsen says that the ‌Apple TV+‌ offers higher quality 4K streaming than most iTunes movies, based on averages of the variable bitrate employed by the service.

dickinsonappletv
"See" had the highest bitrate of an ‌Apple TV+‌ show tested, averaging a 29Mb/s video bitrate and a 41Mb/s peak.

"The Elephant Queen" averaged right around 26Mb/s for video bitrate, and other content, such as "Snoopy in Space" also performed well.

According to Larsen, the ‌Apple TV+‌ offers 1.5 to 2x the video bitrate of a typical HD Blu-ray disc and around half of a typical UHD Blu-ray disc.

Comparatively, Netflix's 4K bitrate appears to max out at right around 16Mb/s, though Netflix requires a 25Mb/s connection to stream 4K content.

Top Rated Comments

Mr. Turtle Avatar
59 months ago

Bitrate means nothing. It's the compression settings that matter more. If anyone's used handbrake with some advanced settings, you'll know that bitrate only matters so much. I can compress a full length 2hr 1080p movie down to about 3.5gb in file size with almost no noticeable difference in picture quality unless you pixel peek overlaying the original and compressed still frames. Granted, the 3.5gb file size is typically with movies where there isn't a lot of noise/grain.

Furthermore, bitrate is absolutely a moot point when the content sucks. Given Apple's inability to produce a solid product even in their own tech market... I have ZERO confidence in Apple knowing how to make a movie or TV series.
regarding your first point... that is technically wrong. The compression determines the Bitrate and less compressed, higher quality content, (in general) has a higher Bitrate. Of course the Compression type is also a variable, but it’s way less important then the compression “strength”.

furthermore, you really have no idea what you’re talking about and at this point your just trolling so I’m not going to waste my time any further.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bladerunner2000 Avatar
59 months ago
Bitrate means nothing. It's the compression settings that matter more. If anyone's used handbrake with some advanced settings, you'll know that bitrate only matters so much. I can compress a full length 2hr 1080p movie down to about 3.5gb in file size with almost no noticeable difference in picture quality unless you pixel peek overlaying the original and compressed still frames. Granted, the 3.5gb file size is typically with movies where there isn't a lot of noise/grain.

Furthermore, bitrate is absolutely a moot point when the content sucks. Given Apple's inability to produce a solid product even in their own tech market... I have ZERO confidence in Apple knowing how to make a movie or TV series.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Iconoclysm Avatar
59 months ago

Given Apple's inability to produce a solid product even in their own tech market... I have ZERO confidence in Apple knowing how to make a movie or TV series.
This makes everything else you said mean absolutely nothing. Not that you were even correct in your assumptions around bitrate based on experience with handbrake... I mean, you're completely clueless about it in fact. It's no wonder you make such ridiculous statements about Apple and technology in general - just stop embarrassing yourself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit_rate
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zachari Avatar
59 months ago
Honestly, as a complete skeptic I have loved everything I have watched so far. The Morning Show is my favorite (binged all 3 episodes in a night), Dickinson was quirky and witty. I am looking forward to more content from Apple. Glad Apple is doing everything they can to make it worthwhile.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
59 months ago
Given Apple's inability to produce a solid product even in their own tech market... I have ZERO confidence in Apple knowing how to make (insert category)
I Keep reading this since my first Internet connection in 1998. Like a constant, whining note. Which proves itself wrong,year after year, while the company makes metric tons of money selling solid products.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
59 months ago
Awesome!
Apple is the best - again - as always!
Thank you Tim!
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

Troubling iOS 17.5 Bug Reportedly Resurfacing Old Deleted Photos

Wednesday May 15, 2024 5:29 am PDT by
There are concerning reports on Reddit that Apple's latest iOS 17.5 update has introduced a bug that causes old photos that were deleted – in some cases years ago – to reappear in users' photo libraries. After updating their iPhone, one user said they were shocked to find old NSFW photos that they deleted in 2021 suddenly showing up in photos marked as recently uploaded to iCloud. Other...
CarPlay Sound Recognition

Apple Previews Three New CarPlay Features Coming With iOS 18

Wednesday May 15, 2024 9:18 am PDT by
Apple today previewed new accessibility features coming with iOS 18 later this year, and this includes some new options for CarPlay. Apple highlighted three new features coming to CarPlay: Voice Control: This feature will allow users to navigate CarPlay and control apps with just their voice. Color Filters: This feature will make the CarPlay interface visually easier to use for...
General Apps Messages

iMessage Down for Some Users [Update: Service Restored]

Thursday May 16, 2024 3:00 pm PDT by
The iMessage service that Apple users to send messages to one another appears to be down for some users, and messages are failing to go out or are taking an extra long time to send. There are numerous reports about the issue on social networks and a spike of outage reports on Down Detector, but Apple's System Status page is not yet reporting an outage. Update: Apple's status page says...
apple tv 4k red image

Apple Releases tvOS 17.5

Monday May 13, 2024 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 17.5, the fifth update update to the tvOS 17 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 17.5 comes two months after the release of tvOS 17.4. tvOS 17.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to ...
ChatGPT for Mac

OpenAI Announces ChatGPT App for Mac, GPT-4 for Free, and More

Monday May 13, 2024 10:43 am PDT by
At its Spring Update event, OpenAI announced that it will be releasing a desktop app for the Mac, as seen in the screenshot below. The app will be rolling out to ChatGPT Plus subscribers starting today, ahead of a wider launch "in the coming weeks." "With a simple keyboard shortcut (Option + Space), you can instantly ask ChatGPT a question," OpenAI's press release says. In addition, Voice...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With the New M4 OLED iPad Pro

Wednesday May 15, 2024 10:40 am PDT by
Today is the official launch day of the new iPad Pro models, and these updated tablets mark the biggest feature and design refresh that we've seen for the iPad Pro in several years. We picked up one of the new 13-inch models to check out everything new. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. When it comes to design, Apple is still offering 11-inch and 13-inch size options ...