iOS 5 to Unlock Bluetooth Capabilities of Apple TV?

MacRumors

macrumors bot

Original poster

Apr 12, 2001

63,515

30,790

• Jul 12, 2011

• #1

Apple's forthcoming iOS 5 contains code that, if activated, would allow users to connect a Bluetooth wireless keyboard to the second-generation Apple TV. The new Apple TV contains a combination Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip, but the Bluetooth functionality is not enabled in its present state.

Broadcom Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip in second-generation Apple TV (Source: iFixit)​

As noted by 9 to 5 Mac, the Apple TV iOS 5 beta contains Bluetooth activation strings such as:

- "Your Apple TV is paired with this %@"
- "The pairing attempt was unsuccessful. Make sure your device is in range of this Apple TV, turn on and 'discoverable.' When ready, click Continue to try again."

Click to expand...

The ability to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with the Apple TV would obviously make for significantly easier text entry, simplifying such tasks as initial setup with iTunes Store accounts and Wi-Fi network passwords as well as day-to-day content searching.

But activation of the Apple TV's Bluetooth capabilities could also open the door to a host of other developments on the platform if Apple were to allow third-party apps on the Apple TV. Such possibilities include the ability to use other Bluetooth peripherals such as gaming controllers.

With the Apple TV running on the same iOS code base as the company's mobile devices, app development for the Apple TV should be a relatively straightforward process once design considerations for the lack of direct touch input and other differences in usage are accounted for. Apple CEO Steve Jobs even acknowledged at the time of the Apple TV's debut last September that the company could launch an App Store for the device when the time is right.

Article Link: iOS 5 to Unlock Bluetooth Capabilities of Apple TV?

 

Article Link

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/12/ios-5-to-unlock-bluetooth-capabilities-of-apple-tv/

wordoflife

macrumors 604

Jul 6, 2009

7,564

37

• Jul 12, 2011

• #2

I believe this. They did the very same with the 2nd gen iPod Touch.

 

definitive

macrumors 68020

Aug 4, 2008

2,051

895

• Jul 12, 2011

• #3

would be nice if apple tv had a safari browser built in. would go nice with a wireless keyboard.

 

42streetsdown

macrumors 6502a

Feb 12, 2011

655

3

Gallifrey, 5124

• Jul 12, 2011

• #4

a cheap game console?

 

D

dustinsc

macrumors regular

Nov 21, 2009

230

52

• Jul 12, 2011

• #5

Yes please! YouTube is so impractical without a keyboard.

 

justflie

macrumors 6502a

Nov 29, 2005

888

1

Red Sox Nation

• Jul 12, 2011

• #6

dustinsc said:

Yes please! YouTube is so impractical without a keyboard.

Click to expand...

...if you don't have an iDevice to use as a keyboard.

 

F

FanBoyTroll

macrumors member

Aug 13, 2010

38

0

• Jul 12, 2011

• #7

... and basic functionality to read/write e-mails.

 

jaw04005

macrumors 601

Aug 19, 2003

4,513

402

AR

• Jul 12, 2011

• #8

I've been keeping my Apple TV updated with each new beta, and there's something weird about this one (iOS 5 Beta 1 and 2). It makes me think they're going to change the interface and the current UI/app is just a temporary placeholder until September.

Photostream feels tacked on.

 

H

handygeek

macrumors member

Sep 14, 2007

50

0

• Jul 12, 2011

• #9

I'd be happy if I could pair my BT headphones with it.

 

D

Digitalclips

macrumors 65816

Mar 16, 2006

1,475

36

Sarasota, Florida

• Jul 12, 2011

• #10

And maybe a track pad too?

 

H

handygeek

macrumors member

Sep 14, 2007

50

0

• Jul 12, 2011

• #11

And come to think of it, why should we not be able to load any number of iOS apps on the thing, including a browser?

 

J

j2-core

macrumors newbie

May 20, 2011

6

0

• Jul 12, 2011

• #12

So if you bought a new Apple TV it has bluetooth but you can't use it until Apple says so? That's innovation at it's best.

 

wordoflife

macrumors 604

Jul 6, 2009

7,564

37

• Jul 12, 2011

• #13

handygeek said:

I'd be happy if I could pair my BT headphones with it.

Click to expand...

This!
I would totally buy an Apple TV provided it has such a feature

 

B

bjett92

macrumors 6502a

Oct 22, 2007

733

1

Indy, IN

• Jul 12, 2011

• #14

definitive said:

would be nice if apple tv had a safari browser built in. would go nice with a wireless keyboard.

Click to expand...

Agreed I'm not a fan of the browser from atv flash...

 

OmegaRed1723

macrumors 6502

Jun 19, 2009

324

160

The Waste

• Jul 12, 2011

• #15

handygeek said:

And come to think of it, why should we not be able to load any number of iOS apps on the thing, including a browser?

Click to expand...

There's only 8GB of storage on the current TV, which, among other things, is used for buffering downloads of iTunes rentals. This, and the prospective introduction of 1080p content coming to iTunes leads me to believe that we will see an TV3 launch in the near future with at least 16GB of storage.

 

wackymacky

macrumors 68000

Sep 20, 2007

1,546

53

38°39′20″N 27°13′10″W

• Jul 12, 2011

• #16

MacRumors said:

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2011/07/apple_tv_wifi_bluetooth_chip.jpg]Image​

Broadcom Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip in second-generation Apple TV (Source:


.... Apple CEO Steve Jobs even [url="https://www.macrumors.com/2010/09/17/jobs-says-apple-tv-app-store-could-launch-when-the-time-is-right/"]acknowledged at the time of the Apple TV's debut last September that the company could launch an App Store for the device when the time is right.

Article Link: iOS 5 to Unlock Bluetooth Capabilities of Apple TV?​

Click to expand...

When the times is right? The time is right NOW as far as I'm concerned!​

 

wackymacky

macrumors 68000

Sep 20, 2007

1,546

53

38°39′20″N 27°13′10″W

• Jul 12, 2011

• #17

j2-core said:

So if you bought a new Apple TV it has bluetooth but you can't use it until Apple says so? That's innovation at it's best.

Click to expand...

Would you expect anything else from our friends at Infinity Loop?

 

Consultant

macrumors G5

Jun 27, 2007

13,314

34

• Jul 12, 2011

• #18

What can bluetooth do that wifi can't? Slightly faster screen sharing?

 

FakeWozniak

macrumors 6502

Nov 8, 2007

428

26

• Jul 12, 2011

• #19

42streetsdown said:

a cheap game console?

Click to expand...

Exactly. It'd be nice if my Dual Shock 3 worked with it.

 

jbyun04

macrumors 6502a

Aug 31, 2008

556

55

Canada

• Jul 12, 2011

• #20

Consultant said:

What can bluetooth do that wifi can't? Slightly faster screen sharing?

Click to expand...

Connect peripherals without annoying dongles and munch on your battery life like no other

 

W

whoami

macrumors member

Jul 17, 2002

96

8

• Jul 12, 2011

• #21

OmegaRed1723 said:

There's only 8GB of storage on the current TV, which, among other things, is used for buffering downloads of iTunes rentals. This, and the prospective introduction of 1080p content coming to iTunes leads me to believe that we will see an TV3 launch in the near future with at least 16GB of storage.

Click to expand...

they "could" use iCloud for apps on demand..

 

macduke

macrumors G5

Jun 27, 2007

13,136

19,666

• Jul 12, 2011

• #22

Magic Trackpad for Safari and simple games like Angry Birds would be even better.

I love playing my iPad 2 on the aTV with iOS 5. I think Apple should release a remote app for games on aTV. That way if you only owned the aTV version, you could still play from your iOS device. It could provide an SDK for devs that could load in the custom UI for controls and provide other feedback such as inventory or in-game map. This has three benefits: eliminate some of the lag of streaming from one device to another (controls can sometimes lag when streaming the whole game over video), provide better battery life for the controller device, and simplify all the separate remote apps into one, provided by Apple, with an SDK.

 

nate13

macrumors 6502

Feb 16, 2004

329

225

Fargo, ND

• Jul 12, 2011

• #23

a $100 fully functional iOS/ basic computer on an existing piece of hardware? With awesome connectivity to the most popular PC music player/ smartphone/ tablet/ iTouch, access to a wide range of existing application code? FOR $100 DOLLARS!?

I'm sorry, but that would be absolutely genius- we truly are in the Post PC era.

 

D

DotCom2

macrumors 603

Feb 22, 2009

6,165

5,435

• Jul 12, 2011

• #24

handygeek said:

I'd be happy if I could pair my BT headphones with it.

Click to expand...

This is a MUST for me!
Here's hoping!

 

Consultant

macrumors G5

Jun 27, 2007

13,314

34

• Jul 12, 2011

• #25

jbyun04 said:

Connect peripherals without annoying dongles and munch on your battery life like no other

Click to expand...

Yeah I guess the game controls might be interesting, especially for some developers who can't figure out how to do good touch control.