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In preparation for this week's iTunes Festival at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2014, Apple has expanded its Apple TV lineup to include a revamped iTunes Festival channel that allows users to live stream the concert's shows as well as view lineups and artist information.

itunes_festival_appletv_1-800x456.jpg
The channel showcases artists who will be performing at the festival such as Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay, and Keith Urban, complete with artist bios and concert showtimes. Direct iTunes links to artist albums are featured as well, along with full details on opening acts.

itunes_festival_appletv_2-800x468.jpg
Apple also updated its iTunes Festival app for iOS last week, which introduced a new design and a revamped icon. Apple announced last month that it would be expanding its iTunes Festival to the U.S. for the first time, as five shows will be held from March 11-15 at the Moody Theater in Austin, Texas as a part of the film and music-focused SXSW event.

Article Link: Apple TV Updated with Revamped Channel for Upcoming iTunes Festival at SXSW 2014
 

garya73

macrumors 6502
May 12, 2013
282
71
Delaware, USA
Gotta say I am kind of disappointed with Apple's choice in bands. A lot of SXSW is independent up and comers (with some big names mixed in), while Apple chose to feature a lineup of mostly huge stars (no disrespect to any of the performers).
 

mazz0

macrumors 68040
Mar 23, 2011
3,117
3,564
Leeds, UK
It's as if Apple's purpose for the Apple TV is to give us content they select for us, rather than allowing us to pick our own. Call me crazy, but that's not what I was after when I bought it. Don't get me wrong, I use it all the time for iTunes content, but all this other crap yet no apps for TV channels here in the UK (dunno if the big stations have apps on there is the US?), it's madness, MADNESS!
 

farleysmaster

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2008
814
183
London, UK
More bloat. I have not had this many useless channels on a device since am fm radio

You can turn channels off in (i think) the privacy settings.

It's as if Apple's purpose for the Apple TV is to give us content they select for us, rather than allowing us to pick our own. Call me crazy, but that's not what I was after when I bought it. Don't get me wrong, I use it all the time for iTunes content, but all this other crap yet no apps for TV channels here in the UK (dunno if the big stations have apps on there is the US?), it's madness, MADNESS!

I really just want iPlayer. I got a message from the BBC saying it is a request they're aware of, but no clue to whether this is near. The iPlayer on the Virgin TiVo is not terrible (although a lot more clunky than an Apple TV app would be), but their netflix and spotify are not up to much, so it's a case of iPlayer on TiVo, Netflix on AppleTV, and Spotify via Airplay.
 

pftaylor

macrumors newbie
Mar 9, 2014
5
1
Wake me up when Apple makes tv easy and offers live sports and news. Otherwise let me snore.
 

NMBob

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2007
1,900
2,413
New Mexico
Just put your lips together.

Does anyone know what the 'whistling song' was that played before and between bands during last September's festival? It drove me crazy, but was kinda catchy. Oh my God! I've succumbed to...marketing!
Thanks!
 

Count Blah

macrumors 68040
Jan 6, 2004
3,192
2,748
US of A
Dammit, I read the first three words and got excited, only to have the feeling taken away like a football in the hands of Lucy, with me being Charlie Brown.

Grrrrrr!!!!!!!
 
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BigHonkingDeal

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2009
832
1,027
Fort Pierce
Gotta say I am kind of disappointed with Apple's choice in bands. A lot of SXSW is independent up and comers (with some big names mixed in), while Apple chose to feature a lineup of mostly huge stars (no disrespect to any of the performers).


Kendrick Lamar, Pitbull and Keith Urban.... Next thing we know Tim Cook will be a judge on the Voice:)
 

Parasprite

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2013
1,698
144
Wake me up when Apple makes tv easy and offers live sports and news. Otherwise let me snore.

I'm not into sports, but I can understand how obnoxious the huge gaping hole in (digital) sports access outside of cable.

That being said, why on earth would you want cable-style news?
 

Oracle1729

macrumors 6502a
Feb 4, 2009
638
0
Gotta say I am kind of disappointed with Apple's choice in bands. A lot of SXSW is independent up and comers (with some big names mixed in), while Apple chose to feature a lineup of mostly huge stars (no disrespect to any of the performers).

It's consistent with the way Apple handles everything though in the Timmy era. Go for mass market appeal and ignore the up and coming stuff that might be more niche now but might be tomorrow's next big thing.
 

viacavour

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2012
636
0
It's consistent with the way Apple handles everything though in the Timmy era. Go for mass market appeal and ignore the up and coming stuff that might be more niche now but might be tomorrow's next big thing.

Say what !? Haven't you read about those health related R&D they are doing ? 64-bit is another area they scored when competition were limiting themselves to 32-bit. They thought 64-bit is far away in mobile devices. Still don't have an official rollout yet compared to Apple.

Apple typically want to keep their next big efforts under wrapped.
 

ThunderSkunk

macrumors 68040
Dec 31, 2007
3,782
3,990
Milwaukee Area
Apple typically want to keep their next big efforts under wrapped.

Well it would be nice if they'd actually take them out from under wraps once in a while and actually produce them. Anyone can look at an AppleTV and see how it can be greatly expanded & improved upon. Instead, it gets another update that adds to content bloat, while improving nothing about the functionality or usability of the device whatsoever. Gives the impression after a while that Apple either has no idea how far behind they're falling, no vision of how to improve, or no interest in any of it, & just declared "good enough" as-is. People expect big innovation from Apple, not a bare-minimum performer that's then neglected for years. There's no excuse for ignoring the AppleTV this long. It has been years since there were any real improvements. In all this time, THIS is what they think it needs? Unbelievable.
 
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