The Apple TV 2021 is expected to debut at the April Apple event, but it remains to be seen how Apple will market this update and set itself apart from its competitors. The existing Apple TV 4K is priced at an exorbitant $179, effectively putting budget-conscious consumers off.

Apple is simply charging too much when one of the best streaming devices, like the Chromecast with Google TV or Roku Streaming Stick Plus, can be had for just $50. Maybe they're trying to pigeonhole people like me who appreciate the well-designed interface and integration with iOS, but it's hard to recommend a purchase to relatives and friends.

In addition, Apple TV has no streaming services not found elsewhere. Even Apple's own TV app is compatible with Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, PlayStation 4 and 5, several newer Xbox, Samsung, LG, and Vizio smart TVs. In other words, you don't need an Apple TV for Ted Lasso, or even an old iTunes purchase.

But what makes the new Apple TV 2021 worth considering? Here are my thoughts.

It's no exaggeration to say that the Siri Remote on Apple TV has its pros and cons. Its touchpad is too fine-grained for some, and has encouraged the creation of third-party remotes like the Funct101 button remote for Apple TV, which provides physical buttons for navigation. Apple TV should have a seriously good remote control that doesn't test your patience instead of asking you to negotiate on a small surface or click the edge to jump forward or backward 10 seconds.

A September report from Bloomberg revealed that a cool remote control feature may be in development. And it sounds great.

However, the Roku Ultra already has similar functionality and is much more affordable at $99. An Apple version of this technology would need to be a bit cooler. Perhaps Apple could use AR and the iPhone's camera to show where the Siri Remote falls on the couch.

This may be Apple's most difficult request, but these days people will pay top dollar for video games. And while Apple Arcade had some cool games, they disappeared from the conversation when the new consoles came out.

So how could Apple sit in the same living room as the PS5, Xbox Series X, and the newly rumored Nintendo Switch Pro? It's a question of gaming and performance. If the announcement of the new Apple TV 2021 included news that Apple had signed a big deal with a major studio (or an indie darling like Devolver) for exclusive games, people would take notice. More to the point, Apple will probably create its own video game controller for the Apple TV and offer it as a low-cost add-on.

If the Apple TV 2021 has an Apple M1 chip-level processor or is faster, game developers might take Apple seriously enough to invest the time. Apple could buy its way into AAA-level video games, and I would be able to find the equivalent of "Ted Lasso," the Apple TV Plus show I practically tease my friends to watch.

That said, studios would probably want a device that would be more popular in more households than the current Apple TV. Which brings us to the last point:

Call it the Apple TV SE, or the Apple TV mini if it's just a stick like the Fire TV Stick 4K, but the biggest problem Apple has right now is that the $150 Apple TV HD and $179 But the biggest problem Apple has right now is that the $150 Apple TV HD and $179 Apple TV 4K are priced too high. If they could shrink the Apple TV 4K to a price of $50, they would have a device that could compete with the best streaming devices from Roku, Google, and Amazon.

We don't know if Apple's interest lies in making Apple TV more affordable. It has been five and a half years since the Apple TV 4K was launched in October 2015, and the product line has not moved one bit. However, the 4K streaming device market is flooded with devices with similar features (with the exception of codecs), and for many, price is the ultimate differentiator. We love the Roku device, and in most ways it is better than Amazon's Fire TV device, but Amazon's propensity to always put devices on sale means it still sells well.

Apple should think about this little story about my friends Eric and Daniela who were gifted an Apple TV 4K by a relative. They had just bought a Samsung Smart TV, which already had a lot of apps on it.

I told them why I liked the Apple TV, but they didn't quite understand why it was worth the $179 I mentioned. Then I understood. Then I explained that one year of Apple TV Plus is free (worth $60), but they still wanted to know what else was so special about this $179 box.

However, they ended up getting a refund because the Apple TV does not offer content or great features not available elsewhere. I like a minimal interface with no ads, but that's not a big deal to anyone. I bet Eric and Daniela would not have taken the Apple TV 4K back to the store for a refund if I had been able to explain that it was worth using for gaming and that it would solve the major headache of finding a lost remote control.

If Apple does not find a way to convince Eric and Daniela around the world to buy the Apple TV 2021, this next upgrade may be reserved for those firmly locked into the Apple ecosystem.