Apple Hiring Software Manager and Engineer to Build 'Next Generation Features' for Apple TV

[IronManFan]

How about making the ATV picture quality awesome instead of adequate?

With h.265, there's a chance to make iTunes 1080p content true Blu-Ray quality, if not better, instead of the over-compressed near-beer that it is now, which is good enough for most, but certainly not fantastic. "Good enough" is what Android is aiming for and succeeding. Google Play is a joke right now, but it might not be in five years.

Apple needs to aim for nothing less than becoming the premier supplier of videophile-quality film and TV content and taking the lead in making the home theater experience completely seamless and disc-free, before they start monkeying around with an iTV, especially given Tim Cook's feelings about OLED.

[Macist]

Just give it an App store. the inbuilt App selection is dire. Who's interested in boring American sports for example? Where's 4od? Where's iPlayer? Why can't I see a strong selection of streaming channels from across the world?

[richman555]

Originally Posted by IronManFan

How about making the ATV picture quality awesome instead of adequate?

With h.265, there's a chance to make iTunes 1080p content true Blu-Ray quality, if not better, instead of the over-compressed near-beer that it is now, which is good enough for most, but certainly not fantastic. "Good enough" is what Android is aiming for and succeeding. Google Play is a joke right now, but it might not be in five years.

Apple needs to aim for nothing less than becoming the premier supplier of videophile-quality film and TV content and taking the lead in making the home theater experience completely seamless and disc-free, before they start monkeying around with an iTV, especially given Tim Cook's feelings about OLED.

While I agree with you, it would be nice to have nicer looking 1080p, there are constraints on download speeds and drive space. Most people wont enjoy these types of issues once they are realized. But that being said, there is nothing wrong if Apple were to offer as an option for those who really want it. Once average technology catches up a bit... then they can go higher quality by default.

[Imhotep397]

Hopefully whoever the hire is will recommend they acquire Sony so they can integrate AppleTV with Playstation and Playstation portable IP with the iPhone/iPad line to get taken seriously by a larger paying audience. Sony built a non subscription based TV recording device for PS3 in Australia. The PlayTV functionality alone would bring at least million to the table before even getting to the IP. Some people are tired of having to pay extra every month to get VCR functionality.

[itickings]

Originally Posted by richman555

While I agree with you, it would be nice to have nicer looking 1080p, there are constraints on download speeds and drive space. Most people wont enjoy these types of issues once they are realized. But that being said, there is nothing wrong if Apple were to offer as an option for those who really want it. Once average technology catches up a bit... then they can go higher quality by default.

That's why IronManFan mentioned h.265. It is supposed to bring better quality using less space...

[richman555]

Originally Posted by itickings

That's why IronManFan mentioned h.265. It is supposed to bring better quality using less space...

Ahh... I was thinking of h.264 compression. I completely agree with Ironman then. This newer compression would be a great advantage if Apple were to bring it along quicker than competitors.

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by nickgri

You don't have to be an engineer to see the vision they are missing -hire people who can "think differently". How about the easiest thing that can make billions of just making a "bookmark" function that takes tv ads and sends the viewer either now or later to the website of the ad maker.

Second screen apps can already do this kind of thing. As well as tell you what song is playing an link to the iTunes Store so you can buy it.

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Originally Posted by Ironduke

needs to run apps from the appstore, allow the ipad to be its keyboard and mouse

Run if off your iPad, use Airplay Mirroring. Done

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Originally Posted by mic j

So, they are just now looking for an "engineer manager" for aTV development? I thought we were going to have product introduction anywhere from next month to late fall! Seems like the product would be introduced long after the project manager is hired.

These announcements are just rumor not fact. And we don't know whether this is a new position or a replacement/additional person for an existing one.

And if it is new we don't know what positions already exist and what they have been working on for the last several months etc


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Originally Posted by I WAS the one

Please Apple just add a game store and sell optional controllers for people that doesn't want to use their idevices as controllers... just that and make another billion with it!

Controllers already exist. Several companies make them

[IronManFan]

Originally Posted by richman555

Ahh... I was thinking of h.264 compression. I completely agree with Ironman then. This newer compression would be a great advantage if Apple were to bring it along quicker than competitors.

Oh, totally -- I fully agree vis-a-vis current storage and streaming capability. And I don't mean to knock ATV. It's no small achievement, and with h.264, Apple has made an important step int cracking the code to delivering disc-free 1080p within existing tech constraints.

But with h.265, my hope is that they perfect 1080p before racing off after streaming 4K or simply cutting file sizes in half. The world is still just getting up to speed with 1080p -- this is the chance to really nail it. My gut is that 4K is not going to be mass market any time soon; it'll be more of a super-premium option.

Even if there were a way to deliver the content, so much of what's out there has been mastered in 1080p for home video, the cost of remastering everything is going to be astronomical, for what is likely to be a very niche -- albeit upscale -- market.

[kdarling]

Originally Posted by jimbo1mcm

I guess they don't think anyone working there is worthy of a promotion

That was my first thought, too.

Or perhaps no one wants to be the manager, for the same reasons that made the previous one quit.

[Northgrove]

Third party apps? Games? Boom! They already have BlueTooth keyboard support with the latest update, so just add BlueTooth mouse and voila, you have typical PC gaming controls wirelessly on TV.

[DaKidPin]

Originally Posted by dstankus

Really?

"Siri, put on Channel 2"

"I have found 37 channels that contain the number 2. Which would you like?"

I chuckled

[avanpelt]

I'm tempted to get the Apple TV now just for AirPlay alone. Having apps designed for it down the road would be a bonus (assuming they'd even work with the current-gen ATV.)

I'm torn on whether the voice-controlled TV idea is really a good one. Sure, if I'm watching TV alone, it could be handy; but for most people, that's a pretty limited use case. I'd drive my wife nuts if I'm talking to the TV while she's trying to sleep -- especially considering the way I like to channel surf!

[Andy-V]

Originally Posted by dstankus

Really?

"Siri, put on Channel 2"

"I have found 37 channels that contain the number 2. Which would you like?"

But there's some genuinely great potential:

"Siri, play the latest episode of Game of Thrones"

<trailer for TV show is playing> "Siri, record this program"

[Fatalbert]

Please please please get rid of the HDCP (HDMI copy protection). It's unreliable and causes issues with my TV often, making me unable to watch movies. Yes, I know it's unlikely that they can do that without legal problems.

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Originally Posted by Peace

Apple is also hiring a boss for this boss to work with the Apple TV and Airport.

This listing has been up since Sept. 2012

It's good that they're putting effort into those products. They're great devices.

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One thing I'd like would be Airplay phone connection at least on the AirPort Express. Connect your AirPort Express to your phone line and BAM, your Mac or iPad or iPod or iPhone can use your home phone line with the Phone app. You'd be able to answer calls right from your Mac or iPad instead of dealing with a separate device. Using it with an iPhone, it would allow you to make calls from your iPhone if reception is bad or nonexistent in your house. An iPod touch could replace a house phone.

Also, why does the AirPort Extreme not support AirPlay, but the Express does?

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Originally Posted by miraclemaster28

Apples next big thing is going to integrate home entertainment, cell phones, media players, and computers to seamlessly integrate them to make an entirely new kind of home interface. Apple Home is coming !

Apple already does this, just not with full success. Apple light control would be unlikely but welcome since Lutron and Crestron are ridiculous. 72KB of RAM on our Lutron system for lighting programming and only an RS-232 port! What is this, 1978?

[GodWhomIsMike]

Here's a novel idea. Update the current AppleTV to allow continuous streaming. I hate when I want to marathon a series on Hulu, or a series I bought on iTunes, and at the end of each show, I need to go through a few clicks to start the next episode. Autoplay all the episodes on after another. It's something I absolutely hate about my Apple TV.

[SnackeyG]

Originally Posted by GodWhomIsMike

Here's a novel idea. Update the current AppleTV to allow continuous streaming. I hate when I want to marathon a series on Hulu, or a series I bought on iTunes, and at the end of each show, I need to go through a few clicks to start the next episode. Autoplay all the episodes on after another. It's something I absolutely hate about my Apple TV.

I second this. Why is a feature so old, that even DVD's had it, missing from nearly all streaming services? It is nice that YouTube playlists work the way you suggested though.

I'd like sorting options with movies and TV shows. Sometimes I have TV shows in ascending order and sometimes they're descending. I don't get it.

I'd also like to be able to hide things from my purchased section. I have some free junk I downloaded awhile back and it annoys me that it's listed there.

[gregorsamsa]

Originally Posted by Doctor Q

I want my Apple TV to give me turn-by-turn directions, e.g., "Get off sofa, turn right, walk 10 steps, turn left, open refrigerator door, get next beer, close refrigerator door, turn left, 10 steps, turn right, sit back down on sofa."

Better yet, the Apple TV should get the beer for me.

What you really want is an efficient (it just works!) iRobot-cum-personal-advisor that also doubles up as a domestic whenever you're feeling lazy. Me too!

The technology may be a good few years away to make it widely affordable, but I'm confident there'd be a market for it.

[Fatalbert]

I'm waiting for an app you can install while jailbroken that turns your Apple TV into a Wii with WiiMote support. This is completely possible to do right now.

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

Originally Posted by jimbo1mcm

I guess they don't think anyone working there is worthy of a promotion

Probably the existing people would rather write code than be a manager for a product that has been a "hobby".

Originally Posted by Microkozm

I hope they add staying connected with my iTunes library as a feature.

On a slightly less bitter note, Safari would be nice.

I think the device should be able to support a large local cache for content like iTunesU and video podcasts.

Originally Posted by bearcatrp

It doesn't take an engineer to figure out that if you can put 16, 32 or 64 GB memory in an iPhone that you can do the same with the ATV. Heck, put iOS from the phone to the apple tv with memory, use your iphone to control your games and you have one hell of a game console. Keep the sports icons for subscription and get CBS, ABC and NBC for a dedicated subscription app and apple would rule. But apple is to chicken **** to make a big pounce and knock out xbox, PS3 and wii. Would also suggest apple dump the full size tv and use apple tv to hook up to any tv on the market. OUYA could beat them though if apple drags its feet.

One thing I like about the current ATV is that it is cheap, reliable, and silent. Unlike any gaming console I have seen. If the ATV turns into a full-blown graphics-heavy game device, it is bound to become expensive, less reliable, and require lots of cooling.


One hardware feature that I would like to see is a slot in the back for putting in a weight. The ATV is easily pulled off its shelf by the weight of (e.g. HDMI) cables and so on pulling it back.

[aggri1]

Originally Posted by miraclemaster28

Apples next big thing is going to integrate home entertainment, cell phones, media players, and computers to seamlessly integrate them to make an entirely new kind of home interface. Apple Home is coming !

Oh for the love of the flying spaghetti monster, no! Then we won't even be able to buy milk without going through iTunes.

[rubaxter]

Originally Posted by avanpelt

I'm tempted to get the Apple TV now just for AirPlay alone. Having apps designed for it down the road would be a bonus (assuming they'd even work with the current-gen ATV.)

...

I picked up an open unit as part of a iPad purchase, and it's become the single most-used piece of electronics in the house, after the tv, modem, and wireless.

The first improvement, beyond the non-aerodynamic chassis, is the elegant, but simply-aggravating controller. The 'Search' is painful and the lose-ability score is FAR too high. Is it any wonder the replacement remotes are clearly on sale right next to the units?

Oh, and the price has to stay put or it'll lose out to slightly less useful, but cheaper, units based on the perceived value, as the actual value is hard to estimate if you've never owned one before!

[starfish3]

I still love Apple UI but nothing changed much since iPhone has been released.

[macbeta]

Originally Posted by starfish3

I still love Apple UI but nothing changed much since iPhone has been released.

Apple TV ui is crappy - you cant jump from the top item to the bottom item in a list by going up or down. Even junk arcade machines had this in the 80's had this function.

The best thing about Apple TV to me is XBMC (gen 2 Jailbreak). Which is sad - I think Apple have let alot slide, I hope they improve this basic stuff in any future products.

[tekstud]

Will I ever be able to watch a movie on an Apple TV other than from iTunes? <sigh>

[till213]

Nope.