AirPlay Video Streaming to iPad Coming? Future Cloud Video?

[MacRumors]

Mockup

A couple of AppleTV firmware findings has raised some interesting possibilities with regard to Apple's new Apple TV and AirPlay streaming service. With the news that AppleTV was iOS based, everyone quickly jumped to the natural prediction that we will be able to run iOS apps on the Apple TV. But the converse to that is also true. Since the Apple TV is just an iOS device, users should be able to eventually run the Apple TV experience (called Lowtide.app) on an iPad. And it seems like Apple may have already building the pieces to this.

TUAW notes the Apple TV interface application has settings that indicate compatibility with the iPad as a hidden service.

Because of this setting, Lowtide would probably be run as silent service, presenting its interface only when its features were requested. The iPad's camera connection kit software works very much in this way, opening only when a DCIM camera is attached. The iPad would likely respond to streaming Airplay requests by opening Lowtide, if a future version of its OS included the application.

This means that you may eventually be able to start watching videos on your Apple TV or iTunes, and then finish watching it on your iPad. The Apple TV interface also allows you do to something new on iOS devices -- stream content straight from the iTunes Store. This streaming-only requirement of the new Apple TV was one of the big changes over the previous model. And given all the talk of Apple moving into cloud computing, it seems that this could naturally extend into remote wireless (3G) streaming. TUAW notes that the full Lowtide.app can't run on existing iOS devices due to missing frameworks, but one user has managed to install the Apple TV's airtunesd (AirTunes Daemon) component onto his iPhone 4, allowing him to stream audio to his phone from Airfoil or iTunes.

Article Link: AirPlay Video Streaming to iPad Coming? Future Cloud Video?

 

[filmantopia]

The future of television is unfolding in front of our eyes.

 

[NebulaClash]

This is clearly the direction Apple is taking where you can mix-and-match your devices as you wish and as they fit your life. Watch a movie on an iPhone on the road, finish it on the TV at home with a flick of your finger.

The iPad and Apple TV seem made for each other. This is one area where the tablet wannabes will fall short. Apple is building an entire environment where all of its devices talk to and play with each other very well.

 

[Sky Blue]

Sounds similar to what Plex and the Plex iOS app do right now.

 

[baryon]

What would be the point of having the Apple TV experience on the iPad? Can't you already do everything the Apple TV can do on the iPad, like rent movies? And you can already start watching something on your iPad and finish watching it on your Apple TV, how come it doesn't already work the other way around?

By the way, if the iPad can access the streaming video over WiFi, then the Apple TV can also access it over WiFi, why does the iPad have to stream it to the Apple TV? Why can't the Apple TV just get it from the internet, the same way the iPad does?

 

[tripjammer]

What would be the point of having the Apple TV experience on the iPad? Can't you already do everything the Apple TV can do on the iPad, like rent movies? And you can already start watching something on your iPad and finish watching it on your Apple TV, how come it doesn't already work the other way around?

By the way, if the iPad can access the streaming video over WiFi, then the Apple TV can also access it over WiFi, why does the iPad have to stream it to the Apple TV? Why can't the Apple TV just get it from the internet, the same way the iPad does?

Because doing everything is what we want to be able to do.

 

[arn]

What would be the point of having the Apple TV experience on the iPad? Can't you already do everything the Apple TV can do on the iPad, like rent movies?

1. On the iPad, I believe you have to download the entire movie from iTunes before watching it. On the Apple TV, you can stream.

2. What if you want to watch a movie not in your house? In a coffee-shop, in an airport, in a car.

By the way, if the iPad can access the streaming video over WiFi, then the Apple TV can also access it over WiFi, why does the iPad have to stream it to the Apple TV? Why can't the Apple TV just get it from the internet, the same way the iPad does?

And if the video is on your iPad only? And not on the internet? Or you recorded a video with your iPhone 4?

arn

 

[Small White Car]

As this becomes more popular we'll start to see TV shows that are targeted at this method.

Right now shows are created to fill 30 or 60 minute blocks (minus ads). Future TV shows will be more like movies...the story will dictate the length more than anything.

There will be some shows that have 5 minutes posted every day. (Comedies?) Other shows may post a 2 hour 'movie' every month. (Sci-fi shows similar to BSG?) And everything you can imagine in between.

Dr. Horrible was a mini-experiment into this world. It was a fun test but won't be very popular with today's tech. But with a "laptop-iPhone-iPod-iPad-AppleTV ecosystem" where you can stream something anywhere...it will suddenly become a lot more feasible for "TV" shows to be made in this way.

 

[newagemac]

All content, on all devices, available all the time, anywhere, with a clean, easy-to-use, and beautiful interface that anyone can setup. That seems to be the direction they're going. Complete integration. This is shaping up to be a great time to be fully loaded in the Mac ecosystem.

 

[NebulaClash]

I agree with Small White Car that we are beginning to glimpse the future of television. The past is a cable package consisting of dozens of channels we don't want to get the 5 or 10 we do want, all consisting of shows centrally developed by networks.

The future is having endless choice of programming, but it's a mix of professional and amateur, buy (or rent) what you want, when you want it and only if you want it. Have shows of any length, even 3 minutes, or 17 or an hour and 23. Collaborate with your friends to comment on shows in real time. Post your own videos whenever you want to share. Everyone enjoys some network show simultaneously, but actually watched over a period of a week whenever it suits individual schedules.

Nielson company goes nuts.

 

[NicoleRichie]

I'll say it again... anything to rid of direct tv/comcast/etc...

 

[ringonbob]

Airplay to stream my own media library to my ios device?

1. Who cares about streaming from the cloud to my ios device. Frankly, I would just be happy to be able to stream from my own library in iTunes to my iPhone4 (basically home sharing). Either over wifi or 3G, I currently use Orb, but it is wonky

2. If i have an iphone and a component video cable out to TV, don't I alreadt have an Apple TV (sans remote.. and ok, its not very elegant, but the functionality is there)

 

[roland.g]

Not sure why you would want to install the AirTunes Daemon on your iP4 to stream Airfoil audio when Airfoil makes AirTunes Speakers for the iPhone that allows you to stream any Mac audio from your computer to your iPhone or iPad.

In fact over the weekend I was working around the house and outdoors. I had NFL games playing on my TV with my MacBook plugged into the audio receiving audio through the Line-in jack. I used Airfoil to stream the game audio to my iPhone 4 which I had in my pocket with headphones AND to my Airport Express N which is plugged in in the garage with to bookshelf speakers plugged into it, broadcasting the audio into the backyard. So the speakers had the game outside and my headphones covered me anywhere else in the house.

 

[jaykk]

All content, on all devices, available all the time, anywhere, with a clean, easy-to-use, and beautiful interface that anyone can setup. That seems to be the direction they're going. Complete integration. This is shaping up to be a great time to be fully loaded in the Mac ecosystem.

Exactly. All other tablet makers don't get this. They all mix and match (Win, Android, MeeGo, QNX, WebOS etc), and don't provide a complete experience. Even if you go with all MS or Google or HP solution, they don't have anything closer to this experience.

 

[aduteau]

isn't this exactly what the Netflix experience is all about ?
Starting a show on my TV, stop it .... take my iPad and continue the show where I left off.
Sounds the same

 

[roland.g]

2. If i have an iphone and a component video cable out to TV, don't I alreadt have an Apple TV (sans remote.. and ok, its not very elegant, but the functionality is there)

I have used that cable for my iPad and iPhone while on vacation, but it doesn't always get the video right in terms of widescreen movies, etc. And personally I use the Apple TV with my iPhone Remote app controlling it quite a bit of the time. I have all my DVDs and kid movies on my iMac, streaming at a click on the remote. Your way would involve syncing the movie to my iOS device and connecting the cables first. And when you play music on your Apple TV streaming you get a great floating screensaver of all your family photos, which is how we see most of our pictures. I just add new photo events after we download them. It really makes it easy.

 

[azentropy]

Hopefully the next iPad has HDMI out plus the AppleTV capability/apps which would make a heck of a portable media device.

 

[Small White Car]

isn't this exactly what the Netflix experience is all about ?
Starting a show on my TV, stop it .... take my iPad and continue the show where I left off.
Sounds the same

Yeah, but you can't rent last week's episode of The Simpsons on Netflix for $1.

That's just one little example but the point is that Apple is clearly pushing to expand what's available on iTunes. I don't think Netflix will be as successful at that as Apple will be. (Or, at least, not as quickly anyway.)

This is not about technology. (I mean, Netflix is using Apple hardware to stream in many cases.) This is about the service itself...not iOS vs. Netflix but iTunes vs. Netflix.

The fact that BOTH are available on iOS means that even if Apple loses, they still win. They're like the sports team owner who owns the stadium too. Even if his team loses, he still sold a bunch of tickets and snacks.

 

[ipedro]

You already own the new tv

Like I've been writing in the tv forums, you may already own the new tv. The iPad, iPhone and iPod. You won't need any apps on the tv as you'll have them on your iOS device. What has been missing was a way to get their content to the big screen.

tv2 is just a transition device that will provide users with a way to transmit their video, audio and soon their apps, to the big screen. Future TV's will have AirPlay built in.

I expect to see a new iOS5 API announced at WWDC2011 that enables developers of iOS apps to define an external screen layout. You won't see a mirror of what you see on your iPad. Instead, content more suitable to the big screen will be displayed on your TV, while content better fit for the on hand experience would be displayed on your iPad (or iPhone/iPod).

MLB @ Bat for example will display video on the TV while stats and controls appear on your iPad.

Jaime Oliver's Kitchen would display the recipe on your iPad screen, while visuals of the meal would show up on the TV. Mom could walk into the living room where Dad and the kids are watching a show and run through dinner options. As she swipes the iPad in her hands, the family watches the tv as photos of meals run by.

A friend's game of Poker would display the entire table on the big screen, and each users' hands and chips would show up on a mix of each's iPhones, iPods or iPads.

To those thinking that the new tv was a disappointment because it had no apps, you're looking past the real tv already in your pocket and on your lap.

 

[roland.g]

I'll say it again... anything to rid of direct tv/comcast/etc...

At least 60% of my TV watch is live sports. And over half of that or more is not from local OTA channels. So I don't see a way I can personally get away from the above content sources.

 

[andiwm2003]

all these possibilities are a sign that Apple has a hard time to come up with a consistent software platform for the iOS world.

that is nor surprising because it seems that many manufacturers can come up with reasonably good hardware. but all have a hard time to make good software.

i hope that apple gets back on track in november when they release OS4.2 for iPad and then they hopefully include all these features (from streaming till printing and multitasking).

 

[giosaccone]

very very interesting..........!

 

[Data]

I would be interested if i would be able to stream all of my own content to all of my iDevices from my own server at home, streaming everything from Apple's cloud will have monthly cost i'm sure and paying more then enough monthly as it is.

 

[roland.g]

all these possibilities are a sign that Apple has a hard time to come up with a consistent software platform for the iOS world.

that is nor surprising because it seems that many manufacturers can come up with reasonably good hardware. but all have a hard time to make good software.

i hope that apple gets back on track in november when they release OS4.2 for iPad and then they hopefully include all these features (from streaming till printing and multitasking).

I for one am looking forward to November for the 4.2 coming to iPad, not for Printing, or Airplay - I already have the remote app - but mostly for Folders. My iPad seems so cluttered compared to my iP4.

 

[AidenShaw]

And over half of that or more is not from local OTA channels.

And how could anyone who's watched OTA HD suggest eliminating the only video source that can come close to BD for quality?

Oh wait, the obvious answer is "the Kool-Aid drinking fan who believes the 'bag of hurt' lie"....