Apple Retail Stores Pushing Sales of Current Apple TV with $25 iTunes Gift Card Offer

[charlituna]

Perhaps they are giving the $25 itunes gift card so people can use it in the App store that will be announced for Apple TV.

Or simply to buy movies etc.

I highly doubt Apple will announce a product in April and not release until the Holidays, unless the holiday is easter.

Correct. They don't show their stuff way way in advance without a hell of a good reason. Too much opening for talk of production issues, delays etc.

They might do it at say WWDC if there is going to be a revamp of the system with iOS 8 opening it up to some limited categories of apps and they want to give developers prep time.

They might do it 2-3 months ahead of, like with the first phone, they need FCC approval or something else that will go public and spoil it.

But a good six months out highly likely

I wouldn't be shocked if they decided to do this at the last minute cause of the Oscars. Watch ABC is on the Apple TV. Not Apples style to restrict a promo to certain cities to all of the US gets it. And the Oscars often put movies on folks minds so with the 2-3 movie rentals that card might get you . . .

 

[foodog]

2+ minutes?? Something's wrong. Mine has never taken more than 5 seconds.

Without knowing anything more about your setup, if I had to guess, I'd say your router is the problem.

Or there is a lot of wireless interference /channel overlap etc...

 

[beelee1113]

Not confirmed by Apple Chat employee?

This offer is not available online, and not confirmed when asked of a Chat response. Anyone actually able to find and follow this deal?

 

[Lord Hamsa]

Nonsense - the new UI is extremely better. However, with the additional stations added it has become cluttered. I'm sure Apple has figured out this mess with the next major ATV software release.

The clutter is actually easy to fix right now - go into parental control and hide the channels you don't want to see displayed.

I think the real UI problem is in navigating large libraries. When I connect to my computer for Home Sharing, even with a modest-sized library of about 80 movies, it's annoying scrolling to the right one. With larger libraries, the problem just gets worse.

Also, to steal an idea I've seen elsewhere on the board, what it could really use is a unified search that will display matches from all channels/sources and let you choose which one you want from the results list.

 

[Jambalaya]

I think the reason to combine the APX and Apple TV is to increase the reliability of the wifi network (especially for airplay). You are already 10 feet from your aTV why route through your more distant wifi router.

Steve

I had the same question of "why add a router" and I understand your responce but most of us don't have our broadband arrive next to the tv, it's more likely to be in hall/kitchen with the phone socket. Now I could add a Powerline to bring Ethernet to the ATV but that's yet another plug next to the tv and Powerline works poorly with multiple sockets. I'm still a bit confused.

As to other posters complaining of cluttered ATV interface with too many channels you can hide the ones you don't want (ie most of them) via the "parental control thing" (sorry forgot proper name)

 

[Tiger8]

Which is just weird. If you live somewhere and have an antenna hooked up to your TV and get these stations, it's not possible for you to verify.

This will have to change eventually. But probably not soon enough...

Gary

ABC and Fox both require that you 'validate' your subscription to access last night content on their Apps or Hulu, if you don't, you would have to wait 8 days.

 

[AppleMark]

Translation start -

Apple have come to a deal [in the US only] with content providers and so are able to consider releasing updated hardware to suit.

Therefore they have reduced the current ATV in price [US only], so all those who do not read tech sites like MR, will go out and possibly buy outdated surplus stock, Apple may not be able to shift once the new hardware is released.

Which basically means that I will have to wait until they reduce the price of the ATV in the UK, to have an idea when they will be close to a deal in the UK and when Apple will look to release the long anticipated updated hardware over here.



Translation ended.

 

[KdParker]

what channels are actually available on apple tv?

 

[czeano]

So for every 52 AppleTVs I purchase, I'll be able to get a free Macbook Air! This'll save my company THOUSANDS!

 

[unplugme71]

The clutter is actually easy to fix right now - go into parental control and hide the channels you don't want to see displayed.

I think the real UI problem is in navigating large libraries. When I connect to my computer for Home Sharing, even with a modest-sized library of about 80 movies, it's annoying scrolling to the right one. With larger libraries, the problem just gets worse.

Also, to steal an idea I've seen elsewhere on the board, what it could really use is a unified search that will display matches from all channels/sources and let you choose which one you want from the results list.

I know about the hide option.

And agreed - I have just over 210 movies now. It's a complete pain scrolling through the large list.

There needs to be smart lists that allow you to view most recently watched, least watched, new, etc so its easier to sort. Or maybe tie into a social network and suggest a movie my friends are watching or have watched recently that I haven't seen. The ability for multiple ATVs to talk to each other would be cool as well. This way it can stream the same movie onto multiple ATV's.

----------

I wonder if instead Apple will leverage iCloud, which already knows which apps you've bought. So instead of downloading them onto your ATV, the apps will just stream over the Net like a movie. Maybe the technical challenges inherent in such a setup are what's holding up the new ATV.

That might be too slow to run over the web with some connection speeds. Then again, if you have ATV and stream, you probably have sufficient broadband.

 

[FreeState]

iOS7

Hmm maybe this is what is holding up iOS7.1

 

[cwoloszynski]

I am finally guying to buy an Apple TV as soon as they add this feature, which I want more than anything else:
I push AirPlay on my iOS device, and in <1 second, I see that content on the tv.

I don't care if it's mirroring an app or streaming a 2GB video, it needs to be instant. Waiting 2+ minutes to so that it can buffer a 3 minute long home video from my photos app is just useless, and the primary reason I don't yet have an Apple TV.

Mine always starts showing content in a second or two... never seen anything like a 2+ minute wait. Something is broken in your environment.

 

[dgalvan123]

Option 1: Buy an Apple TV at full price ($99 plus tax, free shipping, meaning ~$108 if purchased in CA), and get a $25 iTunes gift card (which can only be used for Apple/iTunes purchases). . .

or

Option 2: Buy a refurbished Apple TV ($75 plus tax, free shipping, ~$82 if purchased in CA):
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD199LL/A/refurbished-apple-tv

If you go with option 1, you spend $108 and end up with $25 to spend on iTunes (so your net cost is $83, but again you're limited to spending that $25 savings with Apple).

If you go with option 2, you spend $82. And your savings can be spent anywhere.

Just saying'.

 

[Born Again]

I'm sick of this apologist "hobby" product discussion

It's a MASS market product !!!!

It doesn't sell well so accept it!

"Hobby" is a ridiculous cop out

apparently anything selling poorly is a "hobby"

 

[willcapellaro]

Very interesting. My only concern with a new revamped Apple TV is a price hike. If it adds an App Store and some other features I can see Apple jacking up the price. Right now the ATV is great because it's only $99.

They'd be fools to omit future-proofing for iOS gaming. I am not sure if people include that in their definition of app store.

Currently there is no lag-free way to play iOS games on a TV. Meanwhile we have console-ish MFi controllers like the SteelSeries Stratus that seem to create an opportunity for Apple to carve themselves a nice little niche on the couch.

For me the future proofing is a new evolution of AirPlay that greatly reduces lag, or iOS app storage onboard that allows controller-approved games. If Apple created storage levels or makes it complicated, that last one would possibly upset the price conscious shoppers like you mention, but it is one solution to this problem/opportunity.

 

[Solarioc]

Retail and online stores

I have called all three retail stores in my area (Portland) They have not heard anything about this. I shared the release with a apple online chat rep and they said the same thing. Suggested that it will officially start tomorrow because it says between the 28th and March 5th.

 

[Lord Hamsa]

I think the reason to combine the APX and Apple TV is to increase the reliability of the wifi network (especially for airplay). You are already 10 feet from your aTV why route through your more distant wifi router.

Steve

The theory I've heard is that combining them will make your your ATV the center of your network, and the internals can give priority to ATV streaming needs over less immediate needs like file transfers.

That said, I think it's overkill for most people and should probably be just a different ATV configuration if at all.

 

[mach]

Very interesting. My only concern with a new revamped Apple TV is a price hike. If it adds an App Store and some other features I can see Apple jacking up the price. Right now the ATV is great because it's only $99.

I am concerned about this as well. I have a current Apple TV but would love to replace it as soon as this new one comes out, especially if it has a built-in router for more reliable / faster Airplay.

Hopefully the Chromecast will put some pressure on Apple to keep the price low.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I highly doubt Apple will announce a product in April and not release until the Holidays, unless the holiday is easter. That is not an Apple thing to do as interest fizzles with time, competitors launch clones, and sales of existing models plummet. Even if it is a hobby Apple would rather sell their existing model as long as they can if they aren't releasing hardware until Christmas 2014

If they are going to give ATV access to devs then Apple has to give them time to develop. I don't think the announcement to launch gap will be as long as April to Sept but April to late July (back to school season) is plausible. No point in releasing new hardware w/o the "ATV store" being up and running if that will be the main feature. Most likely the ATV 3 is going to be ATV2 on steroids to better process graphics for games and such.

 

[arkmannj]

At first I was wondering why they would consider adding WiFi when many people (if not most) do not have their internet come in by their TV.

My guess is that it woudn't necessarily be meant to replace your primary router, but rather to extend your network and to help keep local AirPlay and streaming traffic from sending all those packets through the whole network, but rather keep the traffic close by. That could be handy if we see Wifi enabled remotes and not just blutooth to help with connectivity.

 

[willcapellaro]

I wonder if instead Apple will leverage iCloud, which already knows which apps you've bought. So instead of downloading them onto your ATV, the apps will just stream over the Net like a movie. Maybe the technical challenges inherent in such a setup are what's holding up the new ATV.

An intriguing idea, I don't know if I would trust that. Also, I think we'd have seen a patent for that.

 

[monaarts]

or they're clearing inventory AND getting more people to buy the Apple TV. it's a win win.

But apple doesn't really do this type if stuff to clear inventory. :-/

 

[d21mike]

I had the same question of "why add a router" and I understand your responce but most of us don't have our broadband arrive next to the tv, it's more likely to be in hall/kitchen with the phone socket. Now I could add a Powerline to bring Ethernet to the ATV but that's yet another plug next to the tv and Powerline works poorly with multiple sockets. I'm still a bit confused.

I have my Router in my laundry room and I run Ethernet Drops from my various TV's to the laundry room. In a couple of rooms I use MOCA (Ethernet over Cable) because it is too difficult to run the Ethernet Drop. If you did this then your Wifi Adapter would be available to be used. Of course Apple could put 2 Wifi Adapters in next ATV.

 

[redscull]

Mine always starts showing content in a second or two... never seen anything like a 2+ minute wait. Something is broken in your environment.

So I got multiple replies from people all saying this same thing. I admitted I haven't actually gotten an Apple TV for myself yet; my experience is based on connecting at someone else's house. I don't know her router model (except that it's 802.11 N), but my devices on her wifi always achieve her internet download speed of ~15Mbs so device-to-device speed must also be at least that fast? Technically N should achieve higher device-to-device speeds, but I don't know the Apple TV's network performance.

I don't get this issue on everything. When I had an older iPhone, video shot with it would AirPlay in only seconds. I first noticed this issue when I upgraded to an iPhone capable of 1080p video. These larger clips take inordinately long to stream over to the Apple TV. I don't honestly know if it's 30 seconds or 2 minutes before the video actually starts; whatever it is is too long and might as well be infinity. We just huddle over the iPhone/iPad to watch instead of using AirPlay.

 

[newyorksole]

But apple doesn't really do this type if stuff to clear inventory. :-/

The 13" MBP is $200 off for students now instead of $100 off. Pretty hefty discount probably because they're going to get rid of them soon.

Usually Apple just stops sending stores certain products. You're right that this is their first time doing something like this to clear inventory.