Apple TV Roundup: Apple's Plans for Television

[MacRumors]

Following last week's addition of an iPhone 6 roundup, MacRumors today is publishing a new Apple TV roundup covering not only Apple's current set-top box and rumors for future enhancements, but also long-running rumors of a dedicated Apple television set.

While Apple has been busy increasing the amount of content available through the current Apple TV, there is still uncertainty about timing for new television-related hardware from the company. A dedicated Apple television set has been rumored for a number of years, with Steve Jobs having been quoted in his 2011 biography as saying "I finally cracked it" with regard to a television interface concept, but signs continue to suggest that release is not yet imminent.

Apple has also been rumored to be working on Kinect-like motion control for the Apple TV, and Apple's acquisition of PrimeSense, the company behind the original Microsoft Kinect motion control technology, last month has continued to fuel that speculation. But whether that technology will make its way into the next Apple TV as part of a radical revamp or if the next-generation box will primarily be an iterative update based on improved internals remains to be seen.

Continue reading our full Apple TV roundup...

Article Link: Apple TV Roundup: Apple's Plans for Television

 

[osx11]

A Roundup? Really?

There aren't really any serious Apple TV rumors! I wish there were more rumors! ;-)

 

[840quadra]

Still waiting with bated breath, an app store for the current and future Apple TV System. I personally feel that Apple is missing out on an other possible Application Mecca, that has yet to be tapped into.

 

[MrSmith]

Last thing I want to be seen doing is gesticulating to my TV. How embarrassing would that be?

 

[iomar]

My next TV will be an Apple TV. I can't wait for apple to make this reality. I have been waiting a long time. I want more apps for my Apple TV as well.

 

[zorinlynx]

I bet these services will require that you have a cable/satellite subscription.

Something I've not had in years and refuse to pay for.

We're moving over to the Internet, but companies don't want to give up their old business models. It's irritating. I'd love to pay HBO directly $15 a month for access to Go, but they physically won't let me.

You would think HBO would want to cut out the middleman as much as I would! But nooooo.

Hopefully things eventually change going forward.

 

[macduke]

I hope Apple makes something more advanced. The Apple TV can be a little clunky to control with swipes in the remote app. I recently purchased an Xbox One and tried replacing my Apple TV for everything except AirPlay. So far it's not working out well. Kinect controls are really finicky, especially if your couch is more than 7-8 ft from the TV. You have to "high-five" the TV to select things, which usually ends up making the cursor go down and below the selection clicking on something else. And the target areas are really small sometimes. The voice controls are also really inconsistent, much worse than Siri IMO. Then when I leave the room it recognizes my wife and says hello to her, but then our Netflix account isn't setup right for her because it switches users. But I can't ever troubleshoot it for her because when I come back it logs me back in. Maybe I should wear a mask? It's pretty weird. The other thing is you have to say really specific phrases. Other times I can yell "Xbox Pause" when I run to the kitchen and forget to pause it, and it will work fine. It's strange. I hope Apple eats their lunch. There's a big opportunity here to make a better software experience.

We've since hooked the Apple TV up through the HDMI-in on the Xbox One. So I can switch from games to the Apple TV easily. And voice control on the Kinect still works to pause the Apple TV when I leave the room, because it has an IR blaster. So that's kind of a cool mashup.

 

[clukas]

Well steve jobs may have "cracked it" but it does not mean apple is ready to release it. They may already have a fully functioning product, but apple will not release it until it makes sense for apple. I guess well just have to wait a little longer.

 

[alent1234]

I bet these services will require that you have a cable/satellite subscription.

Something I've not had in years and refuse to pay for.

We're moving over to the Internet, but companies don't want to give up their old business models. It's irritating. I'd love to pay HBO directly $15 a month for access to Go, but they physically won't let me.

You would think HBO would want to cut out the middleman as much as I would! But nooooo.

Hopefully things eventually change going forward.

time warner and comcast are selling slimmed down cable plans now with internet and HBO

 

[sputnikv]

im sure they'll call it itv. seems like the idea behind this first materialized sometime before they renamed the then itv to the apple tv

 

[taylord22]

I couldnt' care less about a TV. I've got my TV, and I'm positive it will outperform Apple's future TV at its core function — unless they release the first OLED 4k.

What I do care about is an advanced set top box that acts as the brains for my set up. If they bolster their content offerings, and figure out a way for it to directly interact with my receiver, I'll pay out the wazoo for it.

 

[quantumphysics]

they really need to change the name of the set top box to something else.

what will they call the actual tv?

 

[iMaven]

Too late Apple. I bought a Roku.

 

[gugy]

Still not sold if Apple is indeed making a TV set.
I see the future of ATV as more of a on content distribution platform, apps and a killer set up box. The screen part per see, I am not so sure would be necessary.

 

[BrockC]

lol I ordered 2 apple tv's along with a Macbook air yesterday. . . I hope I don't regret it TOO soon. Either way i'm looking forward to the future of Apple TV.

 

[fdanna]

Still waiting with baited breath, an app store for the current and future Apple TV System. I personally feel that Apple is missing out on an other possible Application Mecca, that has yet to be tapped into.

It does seem like Apple TV is really missing it's full potential by not having apps, but I suspect something else is going on here.

P.S. It's "bated" breath. Baited breath would be kind of gross

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

They've been saying Apple is making a TV for years. If you bought into the rumors, we would have had these new Apple television sets for over 5 years now. Not saying they're never coming but I'll believe it when they're actually announced by Apple. Every media event, all the rumor sites claim this is the time they'll be announced and every event they don't.

 

[BrockC]

My next TV will be an Apple TV. I can't wait for apple to make this reality. I have been waiting a long time. I want more apps for my Apple TV as well.

hahaha people are so bitter "wait until you make your own money" since he's aware of your current financial state.

 

[fdanna]

There are two problems that will need to be solved soon here:

1) The Apple TV interface will not scale and is already on the cluttered side. There has to be a redesign in the works.

2) The link between apps and Cable providers really tarnishes the draw of any set-top box for anyone trying to cut the cord. Why on earth would ABC need to link to your cable provider when its content is over-the-air for free? I fear this is the only way to stop Cable Operators from crapping their pants and a feeble attempt to stem the technological shift that's coming.

 

[neilmacd]

I can see it now, a UK Apple set top box released with no available channels.

 

[alent1234]

There are two problems that will need to be solved soon here:

1) The Apple TV interface will not scale and is already on the cluttered side. There has to be a redesign in the works.

2) The link between apps and Cable providers really tarnishes the draw of any set-top box for anyone trying to cut the cord. Why on earth would ABC need to link to your cable provider when its content is over-the-air for free? I fear this is the only way to stop Cable Operators from crapping their pants and a feeble attempt to stem the technological shift that's coming.

the OTA content is not on demand like it is on the apple TV

 

[GroundLoop]

Too late Apple. I bought a Roku.

Funny that you say that. I am picking up a Roku 3 today. How do you like it?

GL

 

[AppleInLVX]

It's funny, I was just thinking of this. On Monday, I was home from work and able to live stream the Berlin red carpet for the premiere of The Hobbit : DOS from my iPad over AirPlay right to my 60"tv through the Apple TV and it was awesome. Picture quality was great, no hiccups, no commercials. Couldn't be happier. I was saying that if this is what we can expect from the Olympics or Oscars next year, I'll be more than happy. Is it possible to simply cut out the cable dudes for stuff like this entirely and just get the content over the 'net? I was damned impressed. I haven't had cable for a decade now, and so haven't viewed 'live' content in a while, and viewing that looked better than anything I ever saw on cable.

 

[gnasher729]

Well steve jobs may have "cracked it" but it does not mean apple is ready to release it. They may already have a fully functioning product, but apple will not release it until it makes sense for apple. I guess well just have to wait a little longer.

Steve Jobs may have thought that he "cracked it", and if he had stayed with Apple would have figured out why what he thought of wouldn't actually work well. Quite possible. I wouldn't take one short comment as meaning too much.

He might have figured out that the best way for Apple is to make some small improvements to the existing Apple TV. That's quite possible.

He might have figured out that there is no way for Apple to make a lot of money from the TV market, so he might have "cracked it" by letting others invest and lose money.

Or he might have figured out that to make a meaningful improvement some serious technological advances are needed that are not there yet, and Apple is patiently waiting for these advances to come.

 

[alent1234]

Funny that you say that. I am picking up a Roku 3 today. How do you like it?

GL

i got one for my FIL
you need a CC just to activate it
lots of choice, but its mostly crap and worthless. except for amazon, the time warner cable app and the international channels which i haven't tried