Agree on this.
I also think they need to retool itunes. It's seems like a resource hog.
I wonder if they will put itunes in the cloud somewhat so that it's not actually running on your computer - but it access your hard drive for content...
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple TV Seeing Moderate Success, But No Hardware Update Imminent?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Agree on this.
I also think they need to retool itunes. It's seems like a resource hog.
I wonder if they will put itunes in the cloud somewhat so that it's not actually running on your computer - but it access your hard drive for content...
My Samsung TV has an app store, so it's strange that Apple haven't tapped into the market yet!
If you like Netflix, great!
If you like Hulu, sorry.
If you like baseball, great!
If you like basketball, sorry.
If you like internet radio, great!
If you like Pandora, sorry.
Wouldn't it be better if these companies could submit apps instead of waiting by the phone, hoping Apple will call them someday? And let's say Apple DOES add Pandora soon...well... If you like Spotify, sorry!
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/8L1)
That's because the next Apple TV .... will be a TV.
I don't think so. And I think it's more likely that other TV manufacturers will integrate Apple TV into its hardware before Apple, themselves got into the TV market.
Let's do a little exercise.
Why does the Apple TV need an App store?
How would you control those apps? With the existing remote? No, too limited. Probably you'll suggest that Apple include a touch screen remote, but then the price would skyrocket from $99 to at least double that (more like triple).
So ok, people should just use their iPods and iPhones and iPads to control the Apps on your TV. Exactly, but then why does the app need to run on the AppleTV when there's more processing power on the handheld device and an already established App Store?
I've been suggesting this for quite some time and Apple has been consistently following steps on a path to realizing this vision: Apps run on your touch screen devices and stream appropriate content to the TV.
The new AirPlay Mirroring brings this vision nearly to fruition. Apple just needs to release more developer tools to make this easier to implement. Give developers the ability to specify a separate UI for a second screen.
For example, a news app would display the news story on the handheld screen (i.e. iPhone or iPad) where its more comfortable to read while pictures and video of the story show on your big screen where that content can best be enjoyed. The Mail app would let you read the email in your hands while attachments show on the TV. Video games would give each player a private screen and the TV would serve as an overview of the full game. The YouTube app would play videos on the AppleTV while you could control the video on the touch screen and read and post comments. There's already a Pandora App for iOS and it works great with the AppleTV.
We don't need a 3rd App Store and yet another copy of an app. The "AppleTV App store" already exists and we'll see more of it with the release of iOS5 and AirPlay mirroring.
Why does the Apple TV need an App store?
How would you control those apps? With the existing remote? No, too limited. Probably you'll suggest that Apple include a touch screen remote, but then the price would skyrocket from $99 to at least double that (more like triple).
So ok, people should just use their iPods and iPhones and iPads to control the Apps on your TV. Exactly, but then why does the app need to run on the AppleTV when there's more processing power on the handheld device and an already established App Store?
I've been suggesting this for quite some time and Apple has been consistently following steps on a path to realizing this vision: Apps run on your touch screen devices and stream appropriate content to the TV.
The new AirPlay Mirroring brings this vision nearly to fruition. Apple just needs to release more developer tools to make this easier to implement. Give developers the ability to specify a separate UI for a second screen.
For example, a news app would display the news story on the handheld screen (i.e. iPhone or iPad) where its more comfortable to read while pictures and video of the story show on your big screen where that content can best be enjoyed. The Mail app would let you read the email in your hands while attachments show on the TV. Video games would give each player a private screen and the TV would serve as an overview of the full game. The YouTube app would play videos on the AppleTV while you could control the video on the touch screen and read and post comments. There's already a Pandora App for iOS and it works great with the AppleTV.
We don't need a 3rd App Store and yet another copy of an app. The "AppleTV App store" already exists and we'll see more of it with the release of iOS5 and AirPlay mirroring.
I picked up an Apple TV after the Sony password debacle, because I needed something to play Netflix and MLB.TV. I'll never go back to the PS3 now. The quality difference in MLB.TV is night and day. I was to the point where I was considering dropping my subscription. But the Apple TV does a terrific job.
There will be an update to the Apple TV this fall...A5 chip and a bit more storage and 1080p streaming.
But same $99 price...we will see it when the Iphone 5, Itouch 5 is announced this fall....ie september...
But same $99 price...we will see it when the Iphone 5, Itouch 5 is announced this fall....ie september...
PS3 is still better picture quality in netflix...but I use Apple TV 2 because it is instant on. and easier to use.
Apple has been adding Apps to the Apple TV its whole life. They put Netflix in it and then they put Major League Baseball in it.
Nobody had trouble using them. Apple wasn't forced to include a touch-screen remote.
This isn't impossible, clearly. We're just asking them to speed up the processes instead of adding one app per year.
We need a AppleTv appstore....and we will get it soon. Apple knows we want it.
What about the people who don't have an iPad? I'm not looking to the Apple TV for games anyway... What about online shopping, video chat (extra hardware needed admittedly), endless video and music streaming services... Just general customisation?
Isn't that like saying that a Retina Display is not a large enough difference to warrant a whole new iPhone? 1080p (2.1mp) has over twice as many pixels as 720p (0.9mp).
No, the software can handle 1080p somewhat but it still streams out as 720. The 720 is a hardware limit.
Haha. Point taken. On the whole, I suppose an App Store would solve the issue of delivering support of the entertainment apps that we've come to know and love. I could be way off base here, but I think they're slow to act on that front because it could potentially undermine their own offerings; as limited as they are. Opening up an App Store would provide US with greater value, but it also devalues what little content they have available even more.
+1
Yep, this is huge.
I have a MacPro and I don't want to turn it on to watch soothing out of my library and my wife has a laptop, if she leaves home I am stuck.
Time to free up ATV from the Mac. Just use it to setup and them let an external drive do the job.
You very well may be right, but I hope they get over themselves if that's the case. They didn't worry about that on the iPhone or the iPad and both of those seem to be working out pretty well for them.
My 40" 1080p TV and I disagree
yes I can watch TV on my phone if I'm stuck on a train, but I'd much rather sit in my room with 5.1 surround and enjoy the experience as it was designed.Yup. It makes no sense that an apple network device (atv2) can't see files on my apple network harddrive (connected to airport extreme). It's kind of annoying to have a movie quit playing on the tv as a result of my laptop running out of batteries because it has to be on and awake for hours at a time. Definitely not an example of harmony within the apple ecosystem.
It's really lacking in features for those of us outside the US & Canada.
If it ever gets iPlayer and the other UK catch-up services I'll get one. LOVEFiLM Player would also make it more worthwhile but at the moment it's just too limited.
I think saying Apple is intentionally crippling AppleTV is a bridge too far. The fact they removed Front Row from Lion lends to the theory, in fact, that Apple is trying to support AppleTV. This "report," not withstanding, I imagine Apple will enhance AppleTV's features in due time. It's always been a "hobby" for Apple so you have to expect development to be glacial. That is not the equivalent to crippling it.
iCloud streaming
For me, what has been limiting
tv is the difficulty and work involved in storing massive files for your TV Shows and Movies on a computer and/or external drives then requiring iTunes to be running to play them.
iCloud is bringing us a step closer to the model that I prefer: you buy a movie or tv show which gives you the rights to that content. You never have to download the file, just stream it to your AppleTV, Mac or iPhone/iPad/iPod whenever you want to watch it.
For me, what has been limiting
tv is the difficulty and work involved in storing massive files for your TV Shows and Movies on a computer and/or external drives then requiring iTunes to be running to play them. iCloud is bringing us a step closer to the model that I prefer: you buy a movie or tv show which gives you the rights to that content. You never have to download the file, just stream it to your AppleTV, Mac or iPhone/iPad/iPod whenever you want to watch it.
The only reason I bought an ATV at all was for airplay; after the ios5 preview, I immediately wanted to have one handy so I could do iPad mirroring. Turns out I use it for Netflix almost exclusively (meaning, more than my PS3, XBOX, or Boxee), and it's easily the best solution for streaming music to your home theatre. I still use the Boxee box for 100% of my DLC and ripped movies (the inability to sideload content makes the ATV useless to me for that, and the Boxee will handle ANY media format you throw at it), but the ATV is a perfect solution for the few things it does really, really well.
Throw an app store and ios5 on there and that's all I'll ever need.
Throw an app store and ios5 on there and that's all I'll ever need.