A combined Apple TV and a soundbar

[addictive]

Do you think the next iteration or a future model of the Apple TV could be a combined Apple TV and a soundbar? Apple already have much of this technology with the HomePod. If Apple is looking at a way for getting consumers to buy into their new TV service (with a recurring bill) this would be a useful promotion.

It seems like Apple could introduce this product quite easily while keeping the other Apple TV hardware as well for those that don't need a soundbar or don't want to pay the increased price.

Yet for many people who have invested in big screen TVs but still use the internal speakers this would be an easy way to make the jump to a superior sound.

It could be similar to a Sonos Beam which plugs into a HDMI port on the TV.

We are most likely to see a more diverse range of speakers from Apple/Beats in the future and they'll likely come in difference price ranges. Apple can leverage a lot of the technology from the various acquisitions they've made over the years.

Why do you think Apple haven't released a product like this already?

 

[pdmpolishing]

Yes please

 

[techwarrior]

Why do you think Apple haven't released a product like this already?

Because TV monitors are a fast moving technology with a lot of competition. Apple even got out of the display business save for their mobile devices and iMac.

What I would prefer to see is an agreement with TV makers for a docking solution for ATV on a monitor. Drop the ATV into a slot and all of the connections are made, HDMI\HDMI-CEC, Power, Network, etc. And a slot for a sound bar to attach to the bottom of the Monitor with HDMI-CEC and power connectors built in.

Setup would be as simple as dropping ATV into a slot, attaching a Sound bar to the base of the TV, and plugging in power (and maybe Ethernet) to the TV. The WiFi (and\or Ethernet) could be shared with the components for network control of all three devices.

With a "standard" dock and sound bar interface, the TV maker could support integrations with other sound bar and streaming player manufacturers as well.

The biggest problem with all-in-one is obsolescence of one or more of the components. The biggest problem with separate components is the complexity of wires and outlets needed to make everything work. The solution seems to be a hybrid where any of the components can be swapped out with minimal configuration changes as long as they adhere to the standard interfaces.

It would also make DVD, Cable\SAT, Antenna connections possible through additional ports, but these would be less desirable to consumers due to the extra wiring needed to connect everything.

 

[Topfry]

The biggest problem with all-in-one is obsolescence of one or more of the components. The biggest problem with separate components is the complexity of wires and outlets needed to make everything work. The solution seems to be a hybrid where any of the components can be swapped out with minimal configuration changes as long as they adhere to the standard interfaces.

Not to be a smart ass, but those standard interfaces obsolete too, and Apple pushes that process forward quite aggressively. I actually don’t agree that tv components are obsolete as quickly as you imply; the only recent advances worth replacing your tv have been hdr, 4k/8k and hdmi standards. Prior to that we had 3D tv, and various incarnations of lcd technology much of which were very questionable as improvements.
If you were able to purchase an ATV/sound bar or even an ATV/tv set tomorrow I’m pretty sure it would last you 5-10 years without too much concern.
Also as an aside it still rankles that the ATV 4 was replaced very quickly by the ATV 4k, which arguably should have been the initial product rather than a replacement from the beginning. But an integrated ATV would be optimised for itself and whether you would need any part of it replacing until you needed a new one is also debatable.

 

[techwarrior]

Maybe, but in the last 5-10 years, TV and AV components have changed considerably with 1080P, 4k, 5k, 8K and audio updates like Atmos. Typically, the rate of tech change accelerates.

Sure stuff you buy now will last 5-10 years, but it may be replaced in 1-2 years with something compelling. We just don't know when we buy something how long we will want to keep it.

My recollection re: ATV is 4k was still pretty new when ATV4 came out. Apple generally is not first to adopt something new, choosing to wait 1-2 years for the standards to become clear. An ATV with 5 or 8K support, enhanced GPU for gaming, or other updates may be just round the corner.

An all in one solution would require a costly replacement of the whole monitor\streamer\soundbar if the user wanted to enjoy the latest technologies. Modular solutions might allow updates at less cost for the pieces most appealing to that user. Maybe the sound is adequate for 5-10 years but the GPU upgrade is highly desired. Or maybe the resolution upgrade is. Point is, there is an element of choice when there are components vs all in one.

Sure, interfaces change with time too. But some are pretty long lived. Ethernet and power probably won't change much.

Bottom line, I prefer the component approach as it gives me more choices regarding future upgrades. I dislike the clutter current modular components require. Anything that could be done to reduce clutter and clean up the wiring mess would seem welcome. It could be as simple as a power outlet on the back of TV monitors, along with mounting holes for a standard streaming mount and a few short cables to make the connections. Or making an ATV powered by USB, or it could be a full fledged dock type of solution with no wires. But I believe there is room for improvement and cooperation between component makers.

 

[Topfry]

Maybe, but in the last 5-10 years, TV and AV components have changed considerably with 1080P, 4k, 5k, 8K and audio updates like Atmos. Typically, the rate of tech change accelerates.

Sure stuff you buy now will last 5-10 years, but it may be replaced in 1-2 years with something compelling. We just don't know when we buy something how long we will want to keep it.

My recollection re: ATV is 4k was still pretty new when ATV4 came out. Apple generally is not first to adopt something new, choosing to wait 1-2 years for the standards to become clear. An ATV with 5 or 8K support, enhanced GPU for gaming, or other updates may be just round the corner.

An all in one solution would require a costly replacement of the whole monitor\streamer\soundbar if the user wanted to enjoy the latest technologies. Modular solutions might allow updates at less cost for the pieces most appealing to that user. Maybe the sound is adequate for 5-10 years but the GPU upgrade is highly desired. Or maybe the resolution upgrade is. Point is, there is an element of choice when there are components vs all in one.

Sure, interfaces change with time too. But some are pretty long lived. Ethernet and power probably won't change much.

Bottom line, I prefer the component approach as it gives me more choices regarding future upgrades. I dislike the clutter current modular components require. Anything that could be done to reduce clutter and clean up the wiring mess would seem welcome. It could be as simple as a power outlet on the back of TV monitors, along with mounting holes for a standard streaming mount and a few short cables to make the connections. Or making an ATV powered by USB, or it could be a full fledged dock type of solution with no wires. But I believe there is room for improvement and cooperation between component makers.

If you’d bought say an actual Apple TV and four years later someone comes up with a giant leap in tv technology that you can’t do without, you could presumably get an ATV peripheral box to update your slightly out of date TV set, just the same as someone who has a Sony or Samsung tv could.
This argument seems to be about maximising the length of your ownership, it’s longevity, and peripherals do add that to a base set up. But it’s not really a convincing argument for not having a more capable base set up to begin with, and those upgraded peripherals add up in cost by themselves, not to mention power usage/management. I think Apple will push the envelope on this eventually, and the ATV could offer broader functionality. At the moment an integrated TV set seems at last to be a more effective base for a lot of Apple technology. It could comprise of sound, vision, integration, services improvements all round. So as far as the op’s question goes, I personally would prefer that Apple just offer the whole caboodle rather than just another kind of peripheral (ie sound bar/ATV).