Never say never.
I don't see them INITIALLY having whole house DVR capacity, but I see it being tacked on in a release further down the road.
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Apple Reportedly Investigating Television Set Components as Anticipation Builds
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Never say never.
I don't see them INITIALLY having whole house DVR capacity, but I see it being tacked on in a release further down the road.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I'm sorry, I must have mis-communicated in some way. I didn't mean to imply that a new
TV should be priced the same as a whole television with a built-in TV. You are correct that consumers would not want to pay as much for an TV as a whole TV with an TV built into it.And you are right that (hopefully) the TV itself will not need changes very often (but that's one of the weak parts of the concept per all the other hardware that Apple seems to like to sell with short upgrade cycles).
What I think you might be misunderstanding is that if the gist of the advantages of an Apple Television is pretty much in the software alone, then that same software could be made to run in a separate box we could attach to the HDTVs we already own. No one needs to buy a whole new TV for just software-based benefits- just give us a new
TV with that software. A benefit like Siri could be built into an TV just as easily as building it into a whole Television. Of course, but that "revolutionize the offering of content" is a whale of a condition. In speculating how they can revolutionize it, there's practically no scenario that requires a whole Television over a new
TV (because content is just software). That revolution also comes with all kinds of issues- some of which I've probably referenced in other posts within this thread."Features users have been wanting in a TV for years" is another whale of a condition. What features could those be? If they are software driven, why do we need a whole new television for that? If they are hardware-driven, that can support considerations for a new television, but then what could hardware-based features like that be? Everyone speculates software benefits. Hardly anyone seems to come up with something hardware-based that can't be covered via a new
TVUnfortunately, I see the bulk of an Apple Television proposition coming down to some of us wanting a pretty case with an Apple logo on it... or esthetics (not liking cables or little set-top boxes). Almost everything else that people throw around about this dream is simply software (content, apps, UI, cable-killer subscription, Siri, etc). All of that software can be delivered in a new
TV that can be hooked to any size, shape, color, screen type, branded, etc television to be built in the next few years or is already in our living rooms. The separation of Apple software (via
TV) from Apple hardware (this hypothetical television) just makes this a mess compared to other Apple stuff. If we could buy OS X or iOS and run them on anyone's hardware in an Apple-endorsed way, would we be as tempted to pay up for Apple's hardware? That's what we could have here- an Apple Television with a next-gen TV built in (probably entirely made by someone else- like Samsung, LG, Sharp, etc) vs. the exact same Television hardware sold by whoever makes it for probably hundreds less. Pair the latter with an TV and the exact same software experience is realized... for (probably) hundreds less. In this way, this hypothetical product is unlike all of the other major "next big things" before it. Macs came locked with OS X. The OS for iPods were exclusively for iPods. iOS was exclusively locked to the iPhone & Touch. iOS was then expanded but still locked to iPads. But this "next big thing" could very well come out with its software also available in a cheap, little set-top box too. It's one big reason I think the rumor is false.
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
You make some interesting points but a cable-killing solution needs to solve the live events/sports and local programming problem. That begs for something other than just iCloud fed sources of video content. Build in a tuner(s) and that begs for DVR functionality to compete with cable/satt hardware alternatives.
I can see Apple not building in DVR functionality too, but then this thing doesn't sell as well as it could. And if the goal is to make this a potential alternative to cable/satt, they almost have to build in a good variation to DVR functionality. And solve the live events/sports and local programming issue.
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How do stores like Best Buy overcome this enormous problem when they sell a television?
I don't think Apple would side with any service providers. Instead, they would go the iTunes route and share the profit with the owners via internet streaming. The contents are directly from Disney, HBO, ESPN, and everyone gets their fair share of profits, similar to the already established iTunes.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
But to get those players to play ball in a very full way that can be embraced by the masses involves showing those players how they'll make more money this way than they make in the established model. Right now, the content producers "share the profits" with the existing content distribution model (for example, a company like Comcast). In addition to making some money for each channel, they also make a whole lot of of their money from the commercials.
The established iTunes model is commercial-free. That's about $49 billion that would need to be made up somewhere, which, spread over each household in the U.S. is about $54 per each month. Apple will probably want their 30% but maybe we can assume that that would be just a wash with a Comcast's share of profit. If the Comcasts, etc. notice that Apple is eating into some of their lucrative cable revenues, what do they do? One thing they do is tighten tiers on broadband and raise prices (justified with something like "due to increasing broadband demand"). Play this out and the Apple solution with us buying just the content we want (instead of 200 channels we don't want) can work out to cost us a lot more than the existing model does now.
One of the big problems with the whole concept is that we imagine that the broadband gatekeepers (who generally happen to also be cable/satt competitors) will just roll over and let Apple take that business from them. And we assume the content producers will happily cut Apple in for 30%, give up $49 Billion dollars, and all of this will "just work". The problem is that other companies besides Apple- but on which this whole concept would depend- want to make lots of money too. In fact, just like Apple, their goal is to make more money this year than last.
re original articel
no problem with hardware
its the problem content providers and unification of media that is the the big headache
content providers want whatever coin they can get out of us and confuse us
no problem with hardware
its the problem content providers and unification of media that is the the big headache
content providers want whatever coin they can get out of us and confuse us
I'll settle for nothing less than an iWife.
Must have an off switch
Oh, back on top, I don't believe this sh** will ever happen. Most people race to the bottom [line] when it comes to TV sets.
How many here have Apple Monitors? How many with Asus, Samsung, etc.?
I'd be happy with an A6 Apple TV [version 3] with Siri. Voice controlled searching does appeal to me but relying on Apple's servers and internet connectivity does not.
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This guy gets it!
Must have an off switch
Oh, back on top, I don't believe this sh** will ever happen. Most people race to the bottom [line] when it comes to TV sets.
How many here have Apple Monitors? How many with Asus, Samsung, etc.?
I'd be happy with an A6 Apple TV [version 3] with Siri. Voice controlled searching does appeal to me but relying on Apple's servers and internet connectivity does not.
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This guy gets it!
What are the odds of Apple releasing the beast without a more advanced content solution?
I mean, what are the odds of Apple launching a beautiful, thin, glass display, with FaceTime HD, iOS with a more complete and functional UI than ATV, closer to iPad, and....a coax socket/hdmi?
Meaning, same iTunes/Netflix/etc. options as exist today, plus maybe a few odds and ends, and thats it? For live TV and cable networks, you still need a provider & set top box.
Because most discussion about the iTV seems to always assume and include the idea that they'll release a content delivery solution built in as well, eliminating the need for a cable provider.
But is that really a given? Or could they simply release a TV with built in AppleTV features, plus a few more known Apple features.
I mean, what are the odds of Apple launching a beautiful, thin, glass display, with FaceTime HD, iOS with a more complete and functional UI than ATV, closer to iPad, and....a coax socket/hdmi?
Meaning, same iTunes/Netflix/etc. options as exist today, plus maybe a few odds and ends, and thats it? For live TV and cable networks, you still need a provider & set top box.
Because most discussion about the iTV seems to always assume and include the idea that they'll release a content delivery solution built in as well, eliminating the need for a cable provider.
But is that really a given? Or could they simply release a TV with built in AppleTV features, plus a few more known Apple features.
TV as dumb display
If Apple were really to do something with TV's, then I would think they'll make TV's as pure dumb displays (no UI, minimal buttons), with an inbuilt dock to connect an Apple TV-like set-top box for the smarts, eg UI & software, recording capabilities, wifi, cable connections, etc.
That is, similar to the cinematic display and mac mini, except for TV.
That'll be more in line with their hardware sales business. Then consumers can choose to buy difference TV display sizes, as well as upgradable Apple set-top with different capabilities (solving the problems of obsolescence)
Apple will still provide subscription service and ease of use to get people to buy the units, but the profit will still be in the hardware sales.
If Apple were really to do something with TV's, then I would think they'll make TV's as pure dumb displays (no UI, minimal buttons), with an inbuilt dock to connect an Apple TV-like set-top box for the smarts, eg UI & software, recording capabilities, wifi, cable connections, etc.
That is, similar to the cinematic display and mac mini, except for TV.
That'll be more in line with their hardware sales business. Then consumers can choose to buy difference TV display sizes, as well as upgradable Apple set-top with different capabilities (solving the problems of obsolescence)
Apple will still provide subscription service and ease of use to get people to buy the units, but the profit will still be in the hardware sales.
Nope, I think Apples TV will run Some OS, most likely iOS and include a Thunderbolt port, to allow the TV access to downloaded movies, and POSSIBLY DVR functionality, I alo expect it to include an Ethernet port, and the 802.11ac to allow it to connect to other devices to stream to and from the TV.
