Current ATV vs. possible iTV

Should the rumors be true, then the current Apple TV will not be able to run iOS since iOS is only used on ARM based processors. The Apple TV uses Intel (x86).

Unconsoled said:

Good point. Does that mean the ATV is already dead then?

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I have 2 that are alive and well, doing exactly what I wanted them to do and more

...and they'll continue to work just as well even when the new one comes out.

HobeSoundDarryl said:

...and they'll continue to work just as well even when the new one comes out.

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Agreed...it's not like people had to throw aware the first gen white iPods when the new ones came out. I'm sure that there are still people using PowerPC-based Macs each and every day. I can also bet you can STILL make phonecalls and surf the web on the first gen iPhones.


You just won't be able to take advantage of newer features, but they will still perform exactly as they do right now.

HobeSoundDarryl said:

...and they'll continue to work just as well even when the new one comes out.

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mstrze said:

Agreed...it's not like people had to throw aware the first gen white iPods when the new ones came out. I'm sure that there are still people using PowerPC-based Macs each and every day. I can also bet you can STILL make phonecalls and surf the web on the first gen iPhones.

You just won't be able to take advantage of newer features, but they will still perform exactly as they do right now.

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That's not guaranteed. For example, if Apple changes their rental model, the old AppleTV may no longer be able to rent movies. I think that Apple would continue to support the old AppleTV for a couple years, but you never know.

Or Google might upgrade the way YouTube videos are delivered .

Of course, any local features are likely to continue to work as long as the hardware does.

BaldiMac said:

That's not guaranteed. For example, if Apple changes their rental model, the old AppleTV may no longer be able to rent movies. I think that Apple would continue to support the old AppleTV for a couple years, but you never know.

Or Google might upgrade the way YouTube videos are delivered .

Of course, any local features are likely to continue to work as long as the hardware does.

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When in the history of Apple has a new version of a product been issued and then all legacy versions of the same product or type of product immediately stop working or being supported?

Hence, I strongly feel that it's a certainty that current ATV owners will be able to use their current boxes for at least a few more years. You won't have all the functionailty of the newest boxes, but you will have current functionality for the foreseeable future.

mstrze said:

When in the history of Apple has a new version of a product been issued and then all legacy versions of the same product or type of product immediately stop working or being supported?

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The acquisition of LaLa is one example. iTools is another.

Hence, I strongly feel that it's a certainty that current ATV owners will be able to use their current boxes for at least a few more years. You won't have all the functionailty of the newest boxes, but you will have current functionality for the foreseeable future.

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As I said before, I agree that it is likely that Apple will maintain functionality for a couple of years. It's just not guaranteed.

mstrze said:

When in the history of Apple has a new version of a product been issued and then all legacy versions of the same product or type of product immediately stop working or being supported?

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As soon as the iPod touch came out (maybe even before that), Apple immediately ended any new iPod games for clickwheel ipods. I know, it's not technically the same, but close.

I also do agree that current aTV's will still be supported, but don't look for any new features to pop up.

ftaok said:

As soon as the iPod touch came out (maybe even before that), Apple immediately ended any new iPod games for clickwheel ipods. I know, it's not technically the same, but close.

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BUT, you could still buy a clickwheel iPod and buy the current games before the Touch announcement and still play those same games after (and I belive still purchase games for the clickwheel iPod too...you just weren't getting new ones)...

And the worry was that the ATVs out there would not function when the new version was released which is not true. I mean, even if for some strange reason they completely change movie delivery methods to alienate the current ATV you would still certainly be able to play back all of your current iTunes items. (BTW, if they did change that method, it would likely affect iTunes as well and lead to a new version release which might also eliminate hundreds of thousands of other folks' ability to rent or buy movies and songs...meaning less money for Apple.)

Heck, I can guarantee that there are still people using Mac Classic computers out there for some tasks and they are performing as well as they did when the machines were new....even though Apple may no longer support those systems.

Yes, things can change...with Google YouTube delivery methods being the biggest question mark...but all in all the current AppleTV could function for several years. Chances are if you bought today, you'd probably get a new one in a few years anyway.

ftaok said:

I also do agree that current aTV's will still be supported, but don't look for any new features to pop up.

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Which is exactly what I was saying.

BaldiMac said:

That's not guaranteed. For example, if Apple changes their rental model, the old AppleTV may no longer be able to rent movies.

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Not sure why that would be. The iTunes store is pretty much net delivered. If there is a new "rent" button or something whether its clicked and deliver via an ios4 "tap" action or the current action is almost totally trivial. The current atv should easily be able to handle any rental model they would institute. Of course apps etc. are a different story.

dynaflash said:

Not sure why that would be. The iTunes store is pretty much net delivered. If there is a new "rent" button or something whether its clicked and deliver via an ios4 "tap" action or the current action is almost totally trivial. The current atv should easily be able to handle any rental model they would institute. Of course apps etc. are a different story.

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I'm not saying it would be. Simply that it's a possibility. For example, if Apple eliminated rental downloads in favor of streaming rentals for the rumored iTV, the current AppleTV would not support that without an update.

Again, I don't think that is likely at all. Just that it is a possibility that the current AppleTV could lose functionality after the rumored iTV is released.

On the old AppleTV - no App store...

and no 1080p

(whooops, did I just say that? Did I just say that?)

gkarris said:

On the old AppleTV - no App store...

and no 1080p

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which makes it the same as the new iTV, if the rumors are true..

I don't care about the App Store and all the iOS functionality, I just want to be able to rent TV episodes for $0.99 on my current tv. I don't subscribe to Showtime and hate waiting so long for Dexter to come to DVD. Still haven't seen Season 4 (soon, though, soon).

IgnatiusTheKing said:

I don't care about the App Store and all the iOS functionality, I just want to be able to rent TV episodes for $0.99 on my current tv. I don't subscribe to Showtime and hate waiting so long for Dexter to come to DVD. Still haven't seen Season 4 (soon, though, soon).

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Showtime is on iTunes, but they do not put up the seasons on the same schedule as the other networks (which typically is next day). It's somewhere inbetween when it airs and when the DVDs come out.

mstrze said:

And the worry was that the ATVs out there would not function when the new version was released which is not true. I mean, even if for some strange reason they completely change movie delivery methods to alienate the current ATV you would still certainly be able to play back all of your current iTunes items. (BTW, if they did change that method, it would likely affect iTunes as well and lead to a new version release which might also eliminate hundreds of thousands of other folks' ability to rent or buy movies and songs...meaning less money for Apple.)

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I don't think that was the worry. No one really thinks that the iTV will result in a bricked aTV.

I think the concern is that perhaps services that are available on the current aTV may cease to be available in the future. As of right now, I think HD movie rentals are only available for aTV's, right. Maybe as part of the a potential new deal with the studios, Apple may no longer offer HD rentals to aTV's. Sure, it's a remote possibility, but some may be concerned that it could happen.

At this point, I think we're all waiting for 9/1/10 with bated breath. Anyways, I'm hoping Apple truly delivers a game changing device.

IgnatiusTheKing said:

I don't care about the App Store and all the iOS functionality, I just want to be able to rent TV episodes for $0.99 on my current tv. I don't subscribe to Showtime and hate waiting so long for Dexter to come to DVD. Still haven't seen Season 4 (soon, though, soon).

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You can rent movies on it now so why not TV?

BaldiMac said:

I'm not saying it would be. Simply that it's a possibility. For example, if Apple eliminated rental downloads in favor of streaming rentals for the rumored iTV, the current AppleTV would not support that without an update.

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Not trying to be contrary ... and you could be right. But frankly I do not see why. The current Atv has no problem with streaming anything. In fact it does it regularly from your iTunes library and as well, when you rent via the itms it actually starts a progressive download, which means in general it is streaming after the buffer gets filled. Yes, it stores it on the hdd. But in fact it also does pure streaming quite well, or I should probably say as well as your network connection goes which would be true of a new atv as well ... maybe more as if the rumors are true (which tbh I am not so sure) the new atv/itv would have less hdd space to deal with in terms of storing a sizeable buffer.

Otoh, who knows ? Tbh my guess is we will see little out of the atv at this next update. I don't think they have quite put it together yet.

mstrze said:

BUT, you could still buy a clickwheel iPod and buy the current games before the Touch announcement and still play those same games after (and I belive still purchase games for the clickwheel iPod too...you just weren't getting new ones)...

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You can STILL buy iPod click wheel games nearly 4 years on from then!!

I for one am hoping that I'll still be compatible with rentals purchases. Don't really care about apps as I have an iPhone and iPad for them

zedsdead said:

Showtime is on iTunes, but they do not put up the seasons on the same schedule as the other networks (which typically is next day). It's somewhere inbetween when it airs and when the DVDs come out.

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Any sooner will be better than waiting until a couple of weeks before the new season starts to get caught up.

gkarris said:

You can rent movies on it now so why not TV?

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No idea, but the reports claim that Apple is on the verge of finally doing just that.

gkarris said:

You can rent movies on it now so why not TV?

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Because the TV studios have said "no".

CWallace said:

Because the TV studios have said "no".

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Apple is working on creating the ability to rent TV shows for 99 cents.

Marcus Cyganiak said:

Apple is working on creating the ability to rent TV shows for 99 cents.

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Because the TV studios are apparently now saying "yes".