More Apple TV Models, Future Apple TV Software Hints

[MacRumors]

Speculation is rising that Apple may have more models of the Apple TV waiting in the wings after it was noted that the way Apple sells the unit on its online store is more typical of a product with multiple models than a single-model product (first noted by AppleTVHacks.com).

Apple's online store has become a hotbed of rumors, with a recent leak apparently predicting the arrival of 8-core Mac Pros.

Meanwhile, LoopRumors claims to have some inside information on an upcoming update to the Apple TV software. Future features are said to include widget-like utilities (such as weather forecasts, news, game day scores, and RSS feed headlines). LoopRumors continues to have a checkered rumor accuracy record.

[longofest]

So, LoopRumors:

They NAILED the "lite OS X" rumor. They have also had a few not so good claims as well (Leopard on March 24th seemed to be speculation). Their recent HD Mac Pro at NAB rumor also looks a little doubtful given the recent Mac Pro update.

Still, don't totally throw out their reliability. Take some salt when reading their rumor, most definitely, but don't just throw them out the window.

Note: we have also been off the mark on the Leopard release date as well, but we didn't trumpet it nearly as loudly. In fact, we were very careful to put a big disclaimer:

"While the sources are anonymous and cannot be confirmed at this time by other known and traditionally reliable means, agreement from such a variety of sources is rare. Still, Leopard's release has been prone to much hype and speculation, and we hesitate to place too much hope in such rumors (yet)."

[aspro]

I wonder how they would split the AppleTV into multiple models… bigger hard drive is the only thing I can really come up with.

[Di9it8]

Originally Posted by aspro

I wonder how they would split the AppleTV into multiple models… bigger hard drive is the only thing I can really come up with.

What about a couple of receivers in the box, to compete with Elgato??

[nagromme]

BTW, that "Select Your Apple TV" text is a graphic, not HTML. It might be human error of some kind, but it's no simple typo. (The alt tag reads simply "Image"--good thing I don't have impaired vision!)

Given the simple functionality of the device, multiple models does seem likely to refer to capacity, as with iPods. (The thing is basically a specialized iPod after all.)

Entirely new functions like DVR could be added, but that's not what Apple TV is about--Apple TV is moving towards some future goal based on iTunes, not rabbit ears. (Me, I like my rabbit ears + EyeTV.)

Optional accessories--USB controller for casual games?--could be bundled to add value to a higher model. Or maybe that's just EA's wishful thinking.

[Abstract]

Originally Posted by longofest

So, LoopRumors:

They NAILED the "lite OS X" rumor.

So? Was anyone else expecting a full-blown version of OSX on the iPhone? On the other end, was anyone expecting software that resembled some of the shoddy UIs currently in existence? I think they just nailed something we all nailed.

And this rumour......that there will be more features introduced with Apple TV in the future......is this not obvious as well? I would have certainly pegged widgets as being a part of a future version of Apple TV. Due to the games as some already have.

[vendettabass]

slingbox functionality would be swa-eet!

[longofest]

Originally Posted by Abstract

So? Was anyone else expecting a full-blown version of OSX on the iPhone? On the other end, was anyone expecting software that resembled some of the shoddy UIs currently in existence? I think they just nailed something we all nailed.

Some people were looking in the iPod firmware to look for signs of the iPhone. No one but LoopRumors claimed so specifically that it would be a derivative of OS X that the iPhone would run on.

[Chris Bangle]

the reason i bought a wii was because there were no extra features to appletv @ macworld. If they do release internet on it and possibly access to ure mac in your living room, ie it replicates your desktop then im definatly buying. eg leopard in your living room

[Passante]

I almost never participate in telephone surveys but some marketing firm called last night asking if I would participate in a 10 minute survey for AppleTV so I did. They were interested in how AppleTV was being used (music vs photo vs movies) how it was connected (cables), how full the hard drive was, what remote was I using, what type of TV and resolution it was connected to and finally what one thing would I change about Apple TV. I was torn between having music streaming capability and a larger hard drive. When I told the surveyor a larger hard drive he said I was the 4th person he spoke to who said that.

It will be interesting to see how Apple TV will evolve based on customer feed back.

[Jarcrew]

If they bumped the hard drive space I would almost certainly pick one of those bad boys up - I wouldn't be surprised if, come the end of the year, we've got the current AppleTV at £150 and a newer, bigger model at the current £200 pricepoint, say 80GB. It's kind of strange that the top level iPod only costs £50 more, yet has double the hard drive space in a box a quarter of the size.

[afd]

Originally Posted by aspro

I wonder how they would split the AppleTV into multiple models… bigger hard drive is the only thing I can really come up with.

As someone with an old telly, and no sign of a new HD one coming to our house in the near future I'd go for composite video. There are probably plenty of people that might want to put them with a older TV in a bedroom or kitchen too.
Only having HDMI or component connectors rules out the majority of TVs. Nobody I know has an HD TV.
A tuner or 2 would also be useful.

[Max Payne]

Good. Now I have something to wait for besides Leopard.

[PlaceofDis]

i think there are some interesting ways for the TV to grow, and certainly they could sell different models.

they could make a SDTV version for one...
they could play around with the Hard Drive sizes.
they could make an "Extreme" unit with more features and functionality (ie serves as a basestation too, etc.)

[alfismoney]

Originally Posted by aspro

I wonder how they would split the AppleTV into multiple models… bigger hard drive is the only thing I can really come up with.

Support for 1080p would be a good place to start, a nice follow on would be practical support for MPEG-2 and other formats. You know, things that would justify buying a high definition device. Right now Apple charges an awful lot for a box that really doesn't do much.

[mainstreetmark]

Originally Posted by PlaceofDis

i think there are some interesting ways for the TV to grow, and certainly they could sell different models.

they could make a SDTV version for one...
they could play around with the Hard Drive sizes.
they could make an "Extreme" unit with more features and functionality (ie serves as a basestation too, etc.)

...they could allow external USBs (since they already have a plug)
...they could make it an Airtunes compatible unit (which I am just amazed they didn't. Now, if you want to play music from your computer, you gotta also buy an Airport Express)

[~Shard~]

This doesn't surprise me in the least. I know ATV has a great future ahead of itself and a lot of potential. This version is simply the inaugural one and is merely a stepping stone to bigger and better things. After all, look what people are already accomplishing via hacks to the current model!

All that being said, unless I can play non-iTMS content with ease (and without needing a hack) I will not be purchasing one.

[n-abounds]

Has the tv been selling well?

Might give some indication whether there will be future upgrades as well...

[Motley]

Originally Posted by Di9it8

What about a couple of receivers in the box, to compete with Elgato??

Do that and let me plug it into my old obsolete tv's and I'm sold

[netdog]

I kind of doubt that Apple is going to complicate this sector of offerings. The AppleTV actually works great as it is, and attachements will come via their interesting USB port and through the addition of more codecs over time, probably including the DivX codec that was put on Apple Quicktime Codec page today.

[belovedmonster]

Switching to your computer desktop from the living room = what I want

That would be really sweet. I dont want to buy a Mac Mini for my living room just so I can check my email during the advert breaks or whatever general computing crap I might wanna do in the living room. Being able to control your main Mac from any number of rooms using Apple TVs would be cool.

[Avatar74]

Originally Posted by alfismoney

Support for 1080p would be a good place to start, a nice follow on would be practical support for MPEG-2 and other formats. You know, things that would justify buying a high definition device. Right now Apple charges an awful lot for a box that really doesn't do much.

The expenditures associated with manufacturing 1080p capable hardware, and the rise in cost passed to the consumer might not pay off until 802.11n standardizes. As Netgear is sadly discovering... their ill-equipped EVA8000's big selling point over AppleTV was 1080p but the unit can only do 802.11g... so the unit is essentially worthless because it cannot reliably do the one thing they banked everything on.

Apple's wisely playing it safe by guaranteeing 720p only over n networks even though many users including myself report doing 720p just fine over 802.11g.

When 802.11n passes the final revision into full ratification and as users start adopting N network hardware, content is ready and broadband adoption has increased further there'll be a basis for the fixed cost associated with launching AppleTV units that can support 1080p... but right now I think the very small market would not recover Apple's fixed costs on such a bet.

One step at a time... Apple still needs to get at least DVD-quality content on iTunes Store before they try tackling even 720p, much less 1080p whose bandwidth and processing requirements are tremendous compared to even 720p.

[Digitalclips]

Originally Posted by alfismoney

Support for 1080p would be a good place to start, a nice follow on would be practical support for MPEG-2 and other formats. You know, things that would justify buying a high definition device. Right now Apple charges an awful lot for a box that really doesn't do much.

It would be lovely if it had a 500 GIG drive to hold 1080p but then I ask ... where would you get the 1080p (or even 1080i) material from? Other than making your own from existing HD material from a camera. You could if you could RIP commercial HD DVDs (any format) I guess but the size would be huge and why bother if you have a player anyway?

Heck you can't even get 720p at the moment (if you can tell me how). I shudder to think people might be making 720p out of SD!

But 1080p.. are you expecting iTunes to have that?

No doubt several years from now when the internet is 100 Gbs this will be the case but for now I am confused how this would be useful, please explain... Thanks

[Sebas00]

I'm not bying the AppleTV if it cannot replace at least one box on my shelves. I'm sure they can replace the that freaking DVD.

[syklee26]

if they add wireless router functionality, then I am in.