Apple Retail Stores Pushing Sales of Current Apple TV with $25 iTunes Gift Card Offer

MacRumors · Feb 28, 2014

With rumors of a new Apple TV set-top box swirling, Apple's brick and mortar stores have launched a one-week promotion offering customers who purchase the current model a $25 iTunes Store gift card, reports 9to5Mac.

The promotion naturally sparks speculation that Apple is trying to clear stock of the current model ahead of new hardware. A recent report from Bloomberg claimed, however, that while Apple was aiming for an April introduction of the new Apple TV, a launch would not come until much later in the year around the holiday shopping season.

The Apple TV recently received added prominence in the Apple online store with its own major heading as opposed to its previous placement as an accessory, suggesting that Apple may be laying the groundwork to move the Apple TV from its longtime "hobby" status to a full-fledged product on par with its other lines.

Apple has reportedly considered a new set-top box that would combine the features of the current Apple TV with the Wi-Fi router features of the existing AirPort Express. The new Apple TV could also leverage iOS devices and Bluetooth accessories as game controllers for a potential Apple TV App Store, while also adding an Apple software layer on top of users' existing cable television services. Apple has also reportedly been in talks with Time Warner Cable about a potential content deal.

The new gift card offer on the existing Apple TV runs through March 5 and is currently not offered on the Apple online store. As with all iTunes gift cards, the credit can be used in any of Apple's digital content stores, including the iTunes Store, App Store, Mac App Store, and iBooks Store.

Update 8:20 AM: Apple has now posted the Terms and Conditions [PDF] for the offer, indicating that it is valid both in-store and online, but only in the United States.

Update 3:07 PM: Notable Apple journalist Jim Dalrymple has said that a new Apple TV release is not imminent despite the gift card promotion.

Article Link: Apple Retail Stores Pushing Sales of Current Apple TV with $25 iTunes Gift Card Offer

Sky Blue · Feb 28, 2014

Any moment now... It's a-comin.

Will it beat Amazon's box to market?

mrongey · Feb 28, 2014

I knew this would happen! I just bought one from Best Buy two days ago!

Z400Racer37 · Feb 28, 2014

Dear Apple,

Please get rid of my crummy expensive cable TV already, and give me a better UI than Youtube to watch things I'm actually interested in in its place.

Thanks

newdeal · Feb 28, 2014

Perhaps they are giving the $25 itunes gift card so people can use it in the App store that will be announced for Apple TV. I highly doubt Apple will announce a product in April and not release until the Holidays, unless the holiday is easter. That is not an Apple thing to do as interest fizzles with time, competitors launch clones, and sales of existing models plummet. Even if it is a hobby Apple would rather sell their existing model as long as they can if they aren't releasing hardware until Christmas 2014

Frankied22 · Feb 28, 2014

Apple Retail Stores Pushing Sales of Current Apple TV with $25 iTunes Gift Ca...

Very interesting. My only concern with a new revamped Apple TV is a price hike. If it adds an App Store and some other features I can see Apple jacking up the price. Right now the ATV is great because it's only $99.

redscull · Feb 28, 2014

I am finally guying to buy an Apple TV as soon as they add this feature, which I want more than anything else:
I push AirPlay on my iOS device, and in <1 second, I see that content on the tv.

I don't care if it's mirroring an app or streaming a 2GB video, it needs to be instant. Waiting 2+ minutes to so that it can buffer a 3 minute long home video from my photos app is just useless, and the primary reason I don't yet have an Apple TV.

ksnell · Feb 28, 2014

I love new hardware! Come onnnn update!

Razeus · Feb 28, 2014

Z400Racer37 said:
Dear Apple,

Please get rid of my crummy expensive cable TV already, and give me a better UI than Youtube to watch things I'm actually interested in in its place.

Thanks

Not going to happen. The TV apps want you to verify your cable provider before giving you access. The TV industry saw the cable cutters coming so they made it you had to log in to your cable company to use these apps.

iMcLovin · Feb 28, 2014

Yeah apple really knows how to make a bargain when they want to get rid of a product.

AppleWarMachine · Feb 28, 2014

Yes, hopefully I can get a new Apple TV in March

brianvictor7 · Feb 28, 2014

And who knows what else may accompany the refresh. Maybe the Macbooks will update.

MikeyMike01 · Feb 28, 2014

redscull said:
I am finally guying to buy an Apple TV as soon as they add this feature, which I want more than anything else:
I push AirPlay on my iOS device, and in <1 second, I see that content on the tv.

I don't care if it's mirroring an app or streaming a 2GB video, it needs to be instant. Waiting 2+ minutes to so that it can buffer a 3 minute long home video from my photos app is just useless, and the primary reason I don't yet have an Apple TV.

Umm, mine is already instant? Even with the Apple TV already off, it takes five seconds tops.

Maybe your network is the problem?

garylapointe · Feb 28, 2014

over the air?

Razeus said:
Not going to happen. The TV apps want you to verify your cable provider before giving you access. The TV industry saw the cable cutters coming so they made it you had to log in to your cable company to use these apps.

Which is just weird. If you live somewhere and have an antenna hooked up to your TV and get these stations, it's not possible for you to verify.

This will have to change eventually. But probably not soon enough...

Gary

macduke · Feb 28, 2014

I think it would be neat if Apple offered two versions of the Apple TV: one that handles streaming channels similar to the current model, and one with beefier specs (that costs more) that can run games using iPhone and Bluetooth controllers, along with the same streaming TV channel functionality. It would be cool if you could quickly switch between gaming and TV like Xbox One. It would be doubly cool if it had Siri capabilityas I find the voice commands on Xbox One to be pretty awful.

mattopotamus · Feb 28, 2014

MikeyMike01 said:
Umm, mine is already instant? Even with the Apple TV already off, it takes five seconds tops.

Maybe your network is the problem?

Agreed. That sounds like 'his' network. If the ATV is on it is instant, and even from an off state it is ~5 seconds.

Reason077 · Feb 28, 2014

An Airport base station combined with Apple TV in the same hardware could end up being a security nightmare, especially if such a device allowed apps!

Alumeenium · Feb 28, 2014

broken UI, too many pointless channels
no way to store content, (like the old model)
no thanks it's a useless as a watch, when we all have smart phones

Reason077 · Feb 28, 2014

Alumeenium said:
broken UI, too many pointless channels

Agree with you on these two points.

It's weird, the Apple TV has been through several UI iterations over the years, but I still think the original UI was the best in many ways.

Bearxor · Feb 28, 2014

Clearance sale!!!

unplugme71 · Feb 28, 2014

newdeal said:
Perhaps they are giving the $25 itunes gift card so people can use it in the App store that will be announced for Apple TV. I highly doubt Apple will announce a product in April and not release until the Holidays, unless the holiday is easter. That is not an Apple thing to do as interest fizzles with time, competitors launch clones, and sales of existing models plummet. Even if it is a hobby Apple would rather sell their existing model as long as they can if they aren't releasing hardware until Christmas 2014

Sounds like an app-store model will finally arrive to the Apple TV. They will probably launch a new hardware which includes more storage. I'm thinking 16GB and 32GB versions to store games and apps - content will still be streamed. No app store will be given to existing ATV owners.

Frankied22 said:
Very interesting. My only concern with a new revamped Apple TV is a price hike. If it adds an App Store and some other features I can see Apple jacking up the price. Right now the ATV is great because it's only $99.

There will most likely be a $99 ATV w/ no app store, a $149 ATV with 16GB and a $199 ATV w/ 32GB.

----------

Reason077 said:
Agree with you on these two points.

It's weird, the Apple TV has been through several UI iterations over the years, but I still think the original UI was the best in many ways.

Nonsense - the new UI is extremely better. However, with the additional stations added it has become cluttered. I'm sure Apple has figured out this mess with the next major ATV software release.

The Economist · Feb 28, 2014

redscull said:
I am finally guying to buy an Apple TV as soon as they add this feature, which I want more than anything else:
I push AirPlay on my iOS device, and in <1 second, I see that content on the tv.

I don't care if it's mirroring an app or streaming a 2GB video, it needs to be instant. Waiting 2+ minutes to so that it can buffer a 3 minute long home video from my photos app is just useless, and the primary reason I don't yet have an Apple TV.

That's more likely a problem with your internet connection or your router.

RobertMartens · Feb 28, 2014

brianvictor7 said:
And who knows what else may accompany the refresh. Maybe the Macbooks will update.

I like how you did that.

monaarts · Feb 28, 2014

To me this sounds like a push to get a larger number of people using AppleTV so they can justify the AppleTV Store on it. Think, if they currently have 30 million AppleTVs being used but can increase that number to 50 million in the next few months - they can use that as leverage to persuade developers to create apps for it. ;-)

davidbrummy · Feb 28, 2014

Need to fix multiple Airplay issue

I got given a new AppleTv for Christmas. I had the original one and loved it. Put multiple Speakers throughout the house connected via Airport Expresses. Like a lot of people I was really disappointed when I tried the new one and it only allowed music to be streamed to one speaker.

Also if I connected it to my iTunes account there was no way of making it ask for my password before purchases. A big issue with kids in the house.

Now it sits on top of my first gen Apple TV unplugged.

David

Apple Retail Stores Pushing Sales of Current Apple TV with $25 iTunes Gift Card Offer

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