You can already do that actually. Display one screen on your iPad, and a different screen via Airplay/AppleTV on your TV.
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Apple Reportedly Set to Open Up Apple TV to Third-Party Developers at WWDC
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You can already do that actually. Display one screen on your iPad, and a different screen via Airplay/AppleTV on your TV.
I think extending the App Store model to the Apple TV is the only natural path for the Apple TV to go, at least if Apple wants to be serious about it and not keep it as a hobby.
Even if they come out with an Apple-branded TV set, I don't think they will kill off the set-top box. Apple TV is to the Mac Mini, what an Apple-branded TV set is to the iMac.
8GB won't be a problem for the Apple TV. Video streaming applications don't take up much space as they are just fairly simple UI and some code to handle streaming, which doesn't take up much space. It's not like they have huge libraries that come along with them, like GarageBand, for example. Now if they intend for this to be a gaming platform, then yeah, we might see larger-sized storage options in a future Apple TV. But even then there will be large portion of the market that doesn't care about games and just wants more streaming video and audio options (I fall into that category), and 8GB will be fine for these people.
The other way they might require more storage is if they allow apps to store media locally. It would be nice to have this option in case your internet connection isn't reliable. Even if they moved away from this from the original Apple TV, they may start moving back in that direction to be able to make more profit on more expensive models with more storage.
Even if they come out with an Apple-branded TV set, I don't think they will kill off the set-top box. Apple TV is to the Mac Mini, what an Apple-branded TV set is to the iMac.
8GB won't be a problem for the Apple TV. Video streaming applications don't take up much space as they are just fairly simple UI and some code to handle streaming, which doesn't take up much space. It's not like they have huge libraries that come along with them, like GarageBand, for example. Now if they intend for this to be a gaming platform, then yeah, we might see larger-sized storage options in a future Apple TV. But even then there will be large portion of the market that doesn't care about games and just wants more streaming video and audio options (I fall into that category), and 8GB will be fine for these people.
The other way they might require more storage is if they allow apps to store media locally. It would be nice to have this option in case your internet connection isn't reliable. Even if they moved away from this from the original Apple TV, they may start moving back in that direction to be able to make more profit on more expensive models with more storage.
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
While I can somewhat agree with your thinking here, I'll point out that the alternative is to do what they're doing with iPhone: all apps must be submitted to Apple and Apple takes a good look at them before approving them. The bulk of the "killer feature" of iPhone 4s was developed by a third party. Apple then bought what became Siri. This model would make it possible to have tons of free labor (developers) innovating stuff that Apple can't even think of in isolation and then Apple could pick & choose those to try to buy out (and brand as Apple) rather than roll them out branded to the developers.
What would this accomplish? A much faster pace of development & launch of a stream of "killer" features rather than the relatively tepid pace of new features launched via in-house innovation since 2007. Think about it. The first
TV hit in 2007. For 5 years now, Apple has completely owned the development for it. What "killer" innovations for this little box have come out (of Apple) over those 5 years? Dolby Digital is a 1992 audio standard. 720p as implemented in the original was a near minimalist claim to "HD". 1080p- while terrific- arrived what seems like about 3+ years later than ideal. Airplay is great. Anything else?Now, if this rumor comes to pass at WWDC, I would bet that in just 6 months, we'll see more killer features added by third parties than we got from Apple exclusive control over the last 5 years. I'm pretty well versed in this particular stuff and I expect the third parties will fully blow my mind with what they bring as "killer" apps.
Hyperbole much? Do you work for Apple marketing? Yeah I'm sure Comcast and DirecTV are quaking in their boots right now.
Comcast and DirecTV should be taking the Apple TV seriously.
There are 5 families in my circle who have now 'cut the cord' and use a combination of over-the-air TV (with Tivo DVRs), Apple TVs. This is all because of them upset at the cost of cable, and seeing our free solution since 2009. If it weren't for me showing them what is possible out there, they would still be with cable. I talk to people every day who don't understand that television can be much cheaper, and there are devices out there (not necessarily Apple TV, but Tivo and Roku as well). Most people don't know this, or think it's too complicated to switch.
I think once Apple's marketing arm gets this out there, Comcast, Time/Warner, DirecTV, etc. will be in trouble. Funny thing is, this will be a complete roll reversal. Apple will be going for the cheap/less features television crowd while Comcast, T/W, DirecTV, etc. will be going for the more expensive/more features crowd.
Supporting apps would place it squarely in competition with the Xbox 360. The entry level model of which comes with 4GB of storage, 1/4 of the Apple TV's 16GB.
Granted, the Xbox 360 is a far more powerful and capable gaming machine, but iOS has played host to many fantastic games that do not need the capabilities of a dedicated gaming system.
One area where Microsoft are really charging forward is in the video content space. There are apps for Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, YouTube, Vimeo, ESPN, various sporting leagues, Nickelodeon, Xfinity, HBO GO and many, many more. Apple TV being open to apps would allow iOS's range of video apps to be ported and make the device stiffer competition for Microsoft.
Microsoft clearly sees this move coming: they recently announced a subscription supported $100 Xbox 360/Kinect/Xbox Live Gold bundle. That price tag is clearly to help it compete against the Apple TV.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
if Apple were to release an iTV it would obviously run the same OS as the
TV. It makes sense to continue beefing up the OS in preparation. Especially if Apple wants to make an app store for the iTV. Now there are millions of TV's all over the world that will give a greater incentive to devs. Can you imagine if apple said "Ok devs, start making some apps for this $1,500-$2,000 tv that I'm gonna be releasing in a few months. I have no idea how successful it'll be, but give it a shot!" People go where the apps are, apps are built where the people are. If you start out at zero it's kinda tough to get either one.
Hulu Plus is a good example. I would rather have the app running on the Apple TV instead of tying up my iPad streaming the content.
Sure, 8GB is small by today's standards but there are plenty of usable iPhones out there with 8GB so it isn't unreasonable.
Smartglass? You mean like AirPlay from an iPad?
No I don't mean like airplay, at least not how it's currently being used. Airplay mirrors your screen or pushing video content. Yes it has the right basic idea, but it can be majorly improved upon even if it's just a matter of Apple creating better developer tools.
And it wouldn't occupy your iPad. If you've used Airplay you know that you can start a video and then leave the app or even sleep the device. The iPad/iPhone would simply be used as a remote to boot up the content, then do whatever you want. Have you used netflix on your
tv? Now have you used netflix on your iPad? HUGE difference in usability.Do you not own an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac? If not, I'm not really sure what you are doing here. In fact I would venture a guess that less than 1% of all people who have bought the Apple TV don't own any of the above devices. I mean what is the purpose of it then?
What is the one thing I ALWAYS have on me at all times. my iPhone. What is the one thing I can never find. The TV remote. Now I will always know where my remote is, and if I can't find it I'll use the alert feature of "find my iPhone".
The caveat is that HBO GO requires a traditional HBO subscription. This is how they protect their existing agreements with cable providers.
B
True, less storage would be needed as most of mine is taken up with music on the iPhone, and movies on the iPad, which would not be needed. I think of it as more future-proofing than anything.
On the other hand, several games (nova 3, modern combat 3, rage hd) are now taking over a gig of storage each, so 8gb would be limiting if gaming takes off in the aTV 3.
8GB is quite a limitation. I wonder what option they'll take:
- Ship ATVs with more storage. Use apps to drive ATVs-with-more-storage sales!
- ATV apps are effectively downloaded on the fly. With modern broadband speeds and if app sizes are kept small, it might not introduce too much of a delay.
- Home Sharing shares apps instead of just music & video. When you launch it, it's pulled down from your local Home Sharing server.
It'd be great if this is (partly) to help make Airplay-enabled games avoid the significant latency with Airplay gameplay. Maybe they'll even let the ATV create an ad-hoc Wifi network in that scenario, that could help reduce the latency quite a bit.
- Ship ATVs with more storage. Use apps to drive ATVs-with-more-storage sales!
- ATV apps are effectively downloaded on the fly. With modern broadband speeds and if app sizes are kept small, it might not introduce too much of a delay.
- Home Sharing shares apps instead of just music & video. When you launch it, it's pulled down from your local Home Sharing server.
It'd be great if this is (partly) to help make Airplay-enabled games avoid the significant latency with Airplay gameplay. Maybe they'll even let the ATV create an ad-hoc Wifi network in that scenario, that could help reduce the latency quite a bit.
A gamepad for some games, and for more basic ones, just using ipod touch/iphone/ipad as controllers? Could be cool!
Me too. I have absolutely no desire to buy a new TV. Sell me a new ATV4 with lots more capabilities.
Can't argue with you on that, but the iPhone SDK came after the iPhone had been on the market for several weeks - they'd already had the fanfare for the device itself. My thinking is that by delaying the TV SDK, it means that if they release a full TV set, they'll take the fanfare for themselves (with one or two big name partners involved) at product launch, rather than a much smaller "look, you've had all this functionality and apps for ages - now here's a screen to display them on!" - in that case, may as well stick a tuner in an update to the current Apple TV and put an HDMI port on the Cinema Displays and "hey presto" - full Apple TV with minimal development cost. I just don't think that's the Apple way of doing things though...
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Such apps could be stored on the computer and streamed over when needed... just like a movie collection.
TV is different than all of it's iDevice cousins in that it generally is a stationary device. It will typically just stay home and thus always have a live connection to either a computer running iTunes and/or iCloud. Thus, there is little need to store apps on it. You just need working space for whatever is to be shown on screen at the time (movie, tv show, podcast or game).By how it is typically used, it also has less reason for needing much multitasking (which can be memory hungry). Unlike- say- an iPhone where you might need to hop from- say- Skype to Safari to Mail, etc, this little box is more of a one-thing-at-a-time consumption device: watch 1 movie, play 1 game, have 1 videoconference, etc.
It makes great sense to worry about storage with the other iDevices because they go out with us and don't always have access to our home computer and/or iCloud. But this is a different iDevice.
Note (all that said): I very much miss the 1st gen benefit of "big local storage"- especially the jailbreak option of being able to hook up a huge hard drive via the USB port. I'd love to see the normalization of that USB port come with this SDK so that some app software plus hardware add-on options could come to pass too.
I guess you've never seen an iMac. Every three years you have to toss out a perfectly good 27" monitor.
At the moment I have an OpenELEC install on my HTPC. There was no setup involved other than pointing it at the shares on my network and telling it to output sound over HDMI. It took 5mins to setup and that was it.
What's Apple going to do that will make me want to give up my DirecTV? I have any channel I want plus boat loads of sports programming. I have HD DVR with a simple/slick interface. I haven't heard or seen anything yet that would make me switch to Apple TV.
Games on discs still have loading time. Just like a movie and tv show is downloaded before each play on the AppleTV 2 and 3, a game could be too.
Apple can also limit the amount of on board code necessary by providing specific API's for video streaming, menus, gaming engines and other frequently used code and assets.
Add to the shopping list
Now I wonder with updates to the icloud, streaming will become available to the ATV??
This will finally free me away from Microsoft's grip. After Monday, I will be taking delivery of a refreshed or refurb MBP, ATV3 and a big smile on my face!
Now I wonder with updates to the icloud, streaming will become available to the ATV??
This will finally free me away from Microsoft's grip. After Monday, I will be taking delivery of a refreshed or refurb MBP, ATV3 and a big smile on my face!
But leaks don't happen until a product is getting ready to ship. Apple is VERY good at keeping products under wraps, but when it comes to mass production it's inevitable.
Think of the 8GB of storage in the ATV is a "cache". Nothing is permanently stored there. The data are moved from either a local computer of an Apple server farm. The software figures out what it can trash if it needs more room. It trashes the data you are lead likely to use next.
Hyperbole much? Do you work for Apple marketing? Yeah I'm sure Comcast and DirecTV are quaking in their boots right now.
The Apple TV doesn't provide any of the shows that cable does, so it's not even a competitor with Comcast and DirecTV unless you count the movie rentals. They should add a coax input for antenna and cable with recording ability.
My story is the same. When I tell people i have no cable the first reaction is disbelief. I ask what they watch on TV, if they say lots of live sports shows then I say the solution will not work for you.... yet. If, like me, they mostly watch broadcast TV shows and a few others. I explain the glory of TiVo, Netflix, and ATV with an antenna. Showtime and HBO shows end up on Netflix the following year. I wait until then. Everything else is either bought through iTunes or recorded by TiVo. The only costs now are the Netflix subscription. My TiVo's are lifetime subscription.