Apple Confirms No Software Update for Original Apple TV

[MacRumors]

Included in a nice overview of Apple's new iPods and Apple TV from Ars Technica is confirmation that users of Apple's earlier Apple TV models will not be receiving a software upgrade to enable Netflix streaming and other software features of the revamped model. Users of the older models will, however, continue to be able to purchase content, as opposed to the rental-only model for the new version, which lacks significant onboard storage.

Additionally, there will be no software update to bring the new features to older Apple TVs. Older Apple TVs will continue to work as they have been working up to this point, and they will continue to be able to purchase movies and TV shows even though the new Apple TV is rental-only.

Apple first offered a sneak peak of the Apple TV, then known by its code-name of "iTV", in September 2006. The device was officially announced at Macworld San Francisco in January 2007, and began shipping as a 40 GB model in March 2007 with a 160 GB model following just two months later. The hardware had remained unchanged since that time aside from the discontinuation of the 40 GB model in September 2009, although Apple has offered several software updates over the years to increase the functionality of the device.

Article Link: Apple Confirms No Software Update for Original Apple TV

 

[japanime]

This gives new meaning to the word "brick." Seriously, why couldn't Apple allowed an update to this?

 

[lilo777]

Corporative greed. Nothing new.

 

[cvaldes]

This gives new meaning to the word "brick."

Wrong.

The device still functions as it did last week/month/year. It would be a brick if it lost all functionality, which it has not.

 

[Peace]

Well it sort of makes sense. The original Apple TV is outdated hardware wise.

Mine keeps freezing all the time. And for $99 the new one is MUCH better.

 

[GadgetAddict]

Bummer...

 

[hitekalex]

oh noeeesss

 

[DCstewieG]

Different hardware/architecture. They're not holding anything back, they just aren't porting the stuff back.

 

[cet2055]

I'll miss the ability to be able to buy directly from AppleTV--I liked browsing movies, music etc. that way.

Seems weird that they wouldn't have set it up with the ability to do that. I know that there's no longer any onboard storage, but if you've got it synced with your computer seems like you should be able to buy through the Apple TV interface and have the purchase downloaded to the synced computer.

 

[eye]

Oh darn. I won't be able to blow money on renting tv shows. I'll just have to keep streaming free content from the web with my hacked 1st gen Apple TV. Poor me.

 

[potatis]

And I was hoping for an update that does away with podcasts...

 

[japanime]

Wrong.

The device still functions as it did last week/month/year. It would be a brick if it lost all functionality, which it has not.

OK, fair enough. Still, there's no reason (beyond greed) that they couldn't have allowed it to be upgraded.

 

[Maserati7200]

Corporative greed. Nothing new.

The reason is simple
The original Apple TV has some low grade, old intel processor and the new Apple TV has the A4 chip. The new software wont work on the old hardware.

 

[eh270]

Will we be able to rent TV shows?

 

[rtdgoldfish]

Would have been nice if they could have at least added Netflix support to the old one.

I for one will be keeping my old one and not upgrading, I would miss having third party programs on it. Unless someone manages to get Boxee running on the new one...

 

[kellen]

Lame. The one thing I was looking forward to.

Still would rather have my 160GB ATV than a streaming machine.

 

[Yebot]

Wonder how it will do on Ebay.

 

[tequilamockbird]

BFD. Still love my old ATV and will love the new one I purchased. Too much whining around here...

 

[jamesryanbell]

Good. You've gotta rock the latest and greatest. Don't complain.

 

[ipedro]

I got excellent use out of mine for over 3 years... 3 years cable free.

AppleTV 1 is Intel. AppleTV 2 is ARM. I didn't expect them to port it over at all. Obsolescence is a fact of life in tech.

Nonetheless, the current software version is the most stable and best performing of them all. I'll be happy to continue to use it to rent movies and purchase tv shows. I'll also be happy to continue to use it as a standalone music player with no computer required to be running.

 

[umbertoc]

You can still buy movies or TV shows on your iMac or Macbook and then stream to ATV. Some programs are good enough to want to own!

 

[dezeinstein]

The only reason I don't throw our apple tv in the trash is because it heats our tv room nicely in the winter.

 

[Peter321]

I wasn't expecting to get an update with the same features, but it seems lame that we can't even rent tv-shows on the old one.

It seems that even if you rent them via iTunes the old ATV won't recognize them - only rented movies.

I'll not be buying a new box just so I can rent TV-shows, I guess I'll torrent the stuff instead, since the networks obviously dont want my money

 

[tkatz]

OK, fair enough. Still, there's no reason (beyond greed) that they couldn't have allowed it to be upgraded.

... except for the reason that others have stated. The new Apple TV is a completely different architecture then the current model.

The old model is essentially a very low end pc/mac running a stripped version of the desktop OSX OS, whereas the new model is essentially an ipod touch without the screen and an hdmi output.

Using your reasoning, you can argue that the only reason we don't have iOS running on our mac pro's is due to corporate greed.

 

[fowler.]

Corporative greed. Nothing new.

Oh God. Company does something I don't like, label it "Corporate Greed".