Thanks M.G. Siegler, for writing a beautiful manifesto of what “works”! Apple TV here is a talking point, and one hopes Apple would “listen” to this post and do what you suggest about “iphoni-fication” of Apple TV there. The triumvirate of connected TV, gaming console, and home assistant, say in the form factor of Apple TV (existing form factor) would be a “killer” device.
Does that not mean that TV will change as well. A paradigm shift.

In times like these, one misses the sheer genius of Steve Jobs.