Key Apple TV 4 Designer and Chomp Co-Founder Leaving Apple

[MacRumors]

Four years ago, Apple purchased App Store search and discovery company Chomp, gaining Ben Keighran as an employee. Keighran went on to have a pivotal role developing the "look and feel" of the software on the new Apple TV, but according to Re/code, he's now leaving the company.

Keighran participated in the development of tvOS, the software that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV. tvOS marked a huge step forward from software on previous Apple TV set-top boxes, introducing Siri support and a full App Store. According to Keighran, it also incorporates search and discovery elements that he created with Chomp.

In the tvOS development hierarchy, Keighran worked under Bill Bachman, who oversees Apple's media apps. Bachman reports to Robert Kondrk, Apple's vice president of iTunes content, who reports to iTunes chief Eddy Cue. Going forward, Keighran plans to create his own "iconic company," but says the decision to leave Apple was difficult.

While Keighran wouldn't give Re/code behind-the-scenes details on Apple's television development plans, he says Apple "looked at many different ways of delivering an awesome TV experience."

Article Link: Key Apple TV 4 Designer and Chomp Co-Founder Leaving Apple

 

[jclardy]

To be honest, I thought App Store search has only gone downhill since they acquired Chomp. Moving from a list of results to a single page result that you have to flip through is pretty terrible unless you are the number one app already (Good for things like Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Apple apps/etc, bad for small developers.) It basically turned the App Store from a place where users could discover apps to a showcase for the basic essential apps available on iOS. I can't remember the last time I have actual found a cool new app via the App Store itself, now it is pretty much all via Twitter or Product Hunt and the App Store is now just the distribution platform.

Which is also why the 30% cut Apple is still taking from apps is just painful. For 99.9% of apps now the App Store is just a content hosting and credit card processing service. If you want proof, just look at the Mac App Store that is just straight dying, because buying apps outside of it is just for users in support (Dev's can offer their own refunds/discounts - not possible on the App Store) and better for developers in profits (Fees under 5%, download hosting is nearly free at this point.)

 

[camnchar]

Maybe he was Frustrated by Inability to Reach Deals With TV Programmers for Television Service

 

[Jess13]

To be honest, I thought App Store search has only gone downhill since they acquired Chomp. Moving from a list of results to a single page result that you have to flip through is pretty terrible unless you are the number one app already (Good for things like Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Apple apps/etc, bad for small developers.) It basically turned the App Store from a place where users could discover apps to a showcase for the basic essential apps available on iOS. I can't remember the last time I have actual found a cool new app via the App Store itself, now it is pretty much all via Twitter or Product Hunt and the App Store is now just the distribution platform.

Which is also why the 30% cut Apple is still taking from apps is just painful. For 99.9% of apps now the App Store is just a content hosting and credit card processing service. If you want proof, just look at the Mac App Store that is just straight dying, because buying apps outside of it is just for users in support (Dev's can offer their own refunds/discounts - not possible on the App Store) and better for developers in profits (Fees under 5%, download hosting is nearly free at this point.)

The Mac App Store could be great, if Apple would just overhaul it.

I only use OS X and iOS; Apple has made, and still does make an amazing operating system and apps. But really, the Mac App Store is just painful to use, it easily is one of the worst parts of OS X, other than the click-to-update/install. The search, discovery, the UI (for instance, the tiny description font with no way to increase its size,) crippled interaction, etc. just make it mostly unusable. I only download apps in the MAS if they're not available from a developer's site, i.e. instead they have a MAS link only.

 

[camnchar]

Which is also why the 30% cut Apple is still taking from apps is just painful. For 99.9% of apps now the App Store is just a content hosting and credit card processing service. If you want proof, just look at the Mac App Store that is just straight dying, because buying apps outside of it is just for users in support (Dev's can offer their own refunds/discounts - not possible on the App Store) and better for developers in profits (Fees under 5%, download hosting is nearly free at this point.)

Seriously I wonder what cut Wal-mart and similar places take for the products on their shelves. I doubt it's 30%.

 

[Oh-es-Ten]

The Mac App Store could be great, if Apple would just overhaul it.

I only use OS X and iOS; Apple has made, and still does make an amazing operating system and apps. But really, the Mac App Store is just painful to use, it easily is one of the worst parts of OS X, other than the click-to-update/install. The search, discovery, the UI (for instance, the tiny description font with no way to increase its size,) crippled interaction, etc. just make it mostly unusable. I only download apps in the MAS if they're not available from a developer's site, i.e. instead they have a MAS link only.

Agree 100 percent. Apple has great taste and design in a lot of areas, however the MAS, and in particular Mac software updates are shocking.... Broken progress bars, stalled, stuck and disappearing updates - it feels like the whole back end is made of Papier-mâché, and is not robust at all. The old Software Update mechanism was excellent and always generally reliable and robust. A big re-engieering is required here, hopefully Schiller will get on the case.

 

[Binarymix]

Good Riddance.

Siri support within other apps/countries is abysmal (Where is the API?). The ATV app store is a mess. And the blindingly white interface on a TV is a joke.

Also my sound system exhibits annoying pops whenever I navigate the home screen, which still hasn't been fixed, and numerous people have complained about (though admittedly probably has nothing to do with this guy).

 

[Studioman]

Seriously I wonder what cut Wal-mart and similar places take for the products on their shelves. I doubt it's 30%.

Depends on the product, but retailers tend to make more than the maker. When I worked in retail lots of things had 100 markup or more furniture 300%. What would be a better comparison though, and Amazon Was paying way less to the publishers tg was paying way less to the publishers than Apple.

 

[iSee]

Seriously I wonder what cut Wal-mart and similar places take for the products on their shelves. I doubt it's 30%.

I worked a few years for a small company who sold electronics mainly through retail. We got half of the retail price from the retailer. However, they usually sold the product at a discount from retail price. In effect, it probably averaged that they took a 33% cut. (My experience selling software at retail is too far out of date to be comparable, but that was actually about 50% retail price as well. Not sure of the typical retail discount.)

Anyway, the people I work for these days who sell software through the iOS store complain about a lot things, but not the 30% cut Apple takes.

 

[supercoolmanchu]

Seriously I wonder what cut Wal-mart and similar places take for the products on their shelves. I doubt it's 30%.

It's an extremely favorable rate to any manufacturer for retain placement, especially in an international preeminent brand's store. It would be a great split for a retailer like Target/BestBuy, but people like to bitch about this just because it's Apple. Also non-exclusive for manufacturers, so they deserve absolutely zero sympathy for Apple's 30% cut.

 

[BobZ521]

Good Riddance.

Siri support within other apps/countries is abysmal (Where is the API?). The ATV app store is a mess. And the blindingly white interface on a TV is a joke.

Also my sound system exhibits annoying pops whenever I navigate the home screen, which still hasn't been fixed, and numerous people have complained about (though admittedly probably has nothing to do with this guy).

Totally agree. Let's add the removal of features that were working on the old units like blue tooth keyboards, removal of free broadcast radio app, and Album art in music that sits stagnant in the middle of the screen on the white background. I find it irritating that they took the album art animation away and prefer the dark background. Just my opinion.

 

[stan.nikola]

good, apple TV is so far behind in software design behind all other apple products, let's hope the change is for better.

 

[pat500000]

Maybe he was Frustrated by Inability to Reach Deals With TV Programmers for Television Service

or maybe he just got fired...and not actually leaving on his term.

 

[iMember]

this is really disappointed news, Apple TV 4 it's great product..reminds me of old Apple

Apple should fire the guy who came up with Watch OS and Apple Music design not this guy

I see people here complaining about something that can be fixed with an update, and forget that tvOS it's close to 2007 iPhone OS X and 84 Mac OS in terms of design

Bluetooth keyboard? you do understand not everyone owns a Bluetooth keyboard?

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

To be honest, I thought App Store search has only gone downhill since they acquired Chomp. Moving from a list of results to a single page result that you have to flip through is pretty terrible unless you are the number one app already (Good for things like Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Apple apps/etc, bad for small developers.) It basically turned the App Store from a place where users could discover apps to a showcase for the basic essential apps available on iOS. I can't remember the last time I have actual found a cool new app via the App Store itself, now it is pretty much all via Twitter or Product Hunt and the App Store is now just the distribution platform.

Which is also why the 30% cut Apple is still taking from apps is just painful. For 99.9% of apps now the App Store is just a content hosting and credit card processing service. If you want proof, just look at the Mac App Store that is just straight dying, because buying apps outside of it is just for users in support (Dev's can offer their own refunds/discounts - not possible on the App Store) and better for developers in profits (Fees under 5%, download hosting is nearly free at this point.)

Too many junk app from china is one of the biggest new issues that I see.

 

[beanbaguk]

Too many junk app from china is one of the biggest new issues that I see.

Indeed. I was even stung by the recent Xcode malware bug from an app that I unwittingly purchased from a Chinese developer for my car OBD2 diagnostics port.

The software was crap at best, but did the job I needed. Only later did I find out they used unauthorised API's and was compiled with a malware infected Xcode. I avoid Chinese apps like the plague and it does make me wonder how Apple didn't catch this!

 

[Rogifan]

this is really disappointed news, Apple TV 4 it's great product..reminds me of old Apple

Apple should fire the guy who came up with Watch OS and Apple Music design not this guy

I see people here complaining about something that can be fixed with an update, and forget that tvOS it's close to 2007 iPhone OS X and 84 Mac OS in terms of design

Bluetooth keyboard? you do understand not everyone owns a Bluetooth keyboard?

What? How is TV 4 interface anything like the original iPhone OS? The design on my old TV 2 is more reminiscent of original iPhone OS than this is.

To be honest, I thought App Store search has only gone downhill since they acquired Chomp. Moving from a list of results to a single page result that you have to flip through is pretty terrible unless you are the number one app already (Good for things like Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Apple apps/etc, bad for small developers.) It basically turned the App Store from a place where users could discover apps to a showcase for the basic essential apps available on iOS. I can't remember the last time I have actual found a cool new app via the App Store itself, now it is pretty much all via Twitter or Product Hunt and the App Store is now just the distribution platform.

Which is also why the 30% cut Apple is still taking from apps is just painful. For 99.9% of apps now the App Store is just a content hosting and credit card processing service. If you want proof, just look at the Mac App Store that is just straight dying, because buying apps outside of it is just for users in support (Dev's can offer their own refunds/discounts - not possible on the App Store) and better for developers in profits (Fees under 5%, download hosting is nearly free at this point.)

I wonder if things will change now that Phil Schiller is in charge. It seems like almost everything under Eddy Cue is a cluster**** so I'm hopeful things will get better with Schiller.

 

[gimikinc]

Good luck on creating his own "iconic company"!

 

[nt5672]

Yep, I wanted so much to buy an Apple TV, but in the end did not. Not really sure why, but I figured there is no reason to get into the Apple walled garden outside of the iPhone. No one else has access to my Apple TV so it does not need the same protection.

 

[iMember]

What? How is TV 4 interface anything like the original iPhone OS? The design on my old TV 2 is more reminiscent of original iPhone OS than this is.

I mean close by being in third place, 1. Mac OS (OS X/Windows), 2. iOS (Android) 3. tvOS and very soon Android TV/others will use the same UI. tvOS is not gonna change the world the way OS X/iOS did, but this is the far a TV OS with remote input is capable of

TV Software was great, but they should've went with a touchpad from the start

 

[Binarymix]

this is really disappointed news, Apple TV 4 it's great product..reminds me of old Apple

Apple should fire the guy who came up with Watch OS and Apple Music design not this guy

I see people here complaining about something that can be fixed with an update, and forget that tvOS it's close to 2007 iPhone OS X and 84 Mac OS in terms of design

Bluetooth keyboard? you do understand not everyone owns a Bluetooth keyboard?

"Can be fixed" that's the point. We're on our 3rd update and the only complaint being addressed is keyboard support, which should have been there from the start.

The Siri API is the most annoying part. Why can't I at least search my own library of non iTunes media?

Siri on iOS can search and plat anything I have in my library, why not on TVOS?

Siris backend is quite capable.

 

[zone23]

So he designed the all white background? The Apple TV has virtually no design if you ask me its about as plan as it gets.

 

[petsounds]

this is really disappointed news, Apple TV 4 it's great product..reminds me of old Apple

Apple should fire the guy who came up with Watch OS and Apple Music design not this guy

I see people here complaining about something that can be fixed with an update, and forget that tvOS it's close to 2007 iPhone OS X and 84 Mac OS in terms of design

iOS 1.0 was a great OS. I don't think tvOS is a disaster, but it certainly has lots of problems that shouldn't have been shipped in the state it is. If this guy was actually responsible for designing tvOS, then this can only be a good thing for Apple.

And the guy who lead the watchOS project is Alan Dye, who now unfortunately leads UI Design for Apple. He has no UX background and it appears he has no natural eye for it either, given the stuff he's let go out the door. He concerns me.

 

[nws0291]

Of all the Apple products I have had over the years the Apple TV has been the worst. Always lagging too far behind to be useful for anything really. There has always been much better options out there.