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Apple's Rumored Amazon Echo Competitor Could Be a Next-Generation Apple TV

wow that is exactly the one thing that they should not do. I'll reiterate what I said yesterday in the first rumor:

Apple Working on Amazon Echo Competitor, Opening Siri Up to Developers
tennisproha said:
Apple already has a great voice assistant device: iPhone with 'Hey Siri'. The best thing they could do here is massively improve Siri's voice recognition and computation. The worst thing they could do is release a stand-alone device. The only thing worse would be if they integrate it into only Apple TV.
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Nunyabinez said:
4K would be nice, but I'm not sure what I would do with it since:

1. I don't own a 4K set yet
2. I don't have a 4K capable Bluray
3. No one seems able to stream uncompressed 4K to me

Of course that will change in the future, but I'm not missing it as of yet.
Click to expand...

Don't forget about replacing your receiver with one that supports 4K
 
wigby said:
That strategy makes no sense. Why would they whet appetites and leak multiple rumors and then deliver nothing? That would only loo bad for them. Apple typically leaks the weakest (Apple Watch) or more expensive (iPad) tech rumor so that they can announce a real product that is more advanced or cheaper than the rumor. That's how they swoop in as the hero.
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Because they want to stop Apple users from trying out Amazon Echo or the forthcoming Google Home because they want you to wait for their product, even if it is in 2017. They worry if you hear nothing you will try the competition and start to migrate away from the Apple ecosystem. Apple has often used controlled leaks to announce products well in advance (in some case years) to try to blunt sales of the competition. When the Google Wear platform was announced years ago the Wall Street Journal instantly had "inside sources" (ie. Phil Schiller leaking) about the upcoming "Apple Watch" which was still 12 months away at the time...
 
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Apple needs to GREATLY improve Siri in terms of accuracy, understanding natural language, and expand third party API for something like this to be even remotely useful. As everyone knows first hand, Siri gets things wrong more often than right. The Echo and Google Now are leagues better already, so Apple has a TON of work to do.

But in regarding the ecosystem, Apple may have a leg up here. Yes, the main unit will need a microphone array and speaker system, but don't forget many people have multiple Apple devices. All the latest versions of those devices already have always-on "Hey Siri" capability, plus with OS X getting Siri in 10.13, you will already have mics in multiple places with always-on listening. Apple just needs to link all of those via Apple ID to the main "hub" (whether its an update Apple TV or a new standalone device). They can implement access controls for multiple Apple IDs as to which IDs or which devices can access the hub functions. They can even come out with an updated ATV remote with Hey Siri and speaker, or release a cheaper dumbed down iPod Touch or Nano sized device with a dock you can place in any room. Or a Chomecast-like HDMI dongle to stream content to multiple TVs from the main ATV/hub and build in a mic and speaker for Hey Siri with audio feedback of commands.

Google is in a similar position, but I don't think they have as many devices in the wild with passive "OK Google" activation.
 
CFreymarc said:
I'm sure 4K is on the upgrade list. Putting an API enabled Siri into Apple TV just ups the platform even more. Most households, the television is a center of activity. Enabling the voice interaction at the already existing "hub" for home automation, third party apps and as a smart home control center makes a lot of sense.
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I think it makes no sense. For many people, the kitchen area now is the center of activity. At least in the US, in newer homes, kitchens have become larger and a typical gathering place. Any time we have people over, it seems that kitchen is the place everyone ends up. If the AI was part of Apple TV, then you would need your TV or HiFi system on all the time. The Echo has a speaker, the AppleTV uses the speakers in the TV or HiFi. A portable device that can moved like the Echo makes a lot more sense than building it into the AppleTV that must be connected to your TV and therefore is stuck in one room. Giving people choices is always a better idea than tieing them to one location.
 
I don't care. Just make Siri better. It's ridiculous that a simple of request of "Make a reservation for a doctor's appointment for this date" results in Siri responding with, "I don't know what you said, but I googled what "doctor" means." It's a poor joke for a weak AI like Siri to be the forefront of a large company like Apple.
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Nunyabinez said:
4K would be nice, but I'm not sure what I would do with it since:

1. I don't own a 4K set yet
2. I don't have a 4K capable Bluray
3. No one seems able to stream uncompressed 4K to me

Of course that will change in the future, but I'm not missing it as of yet.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, the classic response of, "I don't have it, therefore I don't need it."
 
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blackcrayon said:
I'm surprised heat dissipation is a big deal that needs a redesign. Look at the A9 in the iPhone 5SE... And look at how big and thick the Apple TV already is in comparison.

Not dissatisfied with the current Apple TV but it'd be nice if the upgrade had an A10 and a more sane policy on game controllers.
Click to expand...

It's an ongoing issue they've been working on, for the Apple TV 4 they just made the heat sink really deep but its not the most efficient way
 
Nunyabinez said:
I swear that Siri used to be better at understanding me. This is me Sunday in my car:

Me: "Hey Siri, play album Believe, Hope, Endure."
Siri: "I can't find Believe, hope indoor."
Me: "Play album Believe, Hope, ENDURE (Enunciating as clearly and slowly as I can)"
Siri: "I can find Believe, Hope in Doer"

So I have to give up because the music app is so concluded that I can't easily find it since it is a compilation of artists and it doesn't seem to be in various artists.

I never had these problems before, in fact my wife tells me that she sees Siri initially hearing everything she said perfectly and then changing it to something that makes no sense.
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I've seen this same thing happen. Siri gets it right and autocorrect on the phone changes it. Autocorrect screws it up way more than Siri does.
 
nuckinfutz said:
This is why Tech media is in a slow decline. ******* crazy articles like this do not instill trust.

Why would I want an Apple TV with a microphone? I sit 12 feet away from my HDTV.
There's nothing synergistic about cramming these AI features into device that plugs into a TV.

This idea is so preposterously stupid yet the author ran with it anyway.

SMH
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You put the microphone in the remote so it does not matter where the Apple TV sits. My Samsung TV has a MIC in the remote and you can control the tv with voice commands from the remote.
 
Both this rumored device/Apple TV 5 and the Google Home still need to solve the problem of voice recognition and permissions. No one wants to be vulnerable to Jimmy Fallon turning to the TV camera and saying, "Hey Siri/Google, show me pictures of Marty Feldman."
 
kevinkyoo said:
Ah yes, the classic response of, "I don't have it, therefore I don't need it."
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that response. The problem is when people say "I don't want it, therefore YOU don't need it."

If it's OK for someone to say "I want this" in a post it's just as appropriate to say "But, I don't need it."
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2010mini said:
Don't forget about replacing your receiver with one that supports 4K
Click to expand...

Actually, my receiver recently crapped the bed and I had to pull out my old one just to get basic surround sound, so when I get a new one it probably will be 4K capable since I'm hoping it will last for a good many years.
 
bruinsrme said:
Over the last two years:
I have watch hundreds of hours various 4k video from travel and adventure sites. so god awful wihile others are pretty darn good.
Stuff my friends and I have recorded on iphones and go pros.
A lot of movies.

I don't watch a lot of TV but there are a few outlets that just have some breath taking video content.
Click to expand...
Cool, but you are not the norm. Most people don't care about nature videos nowadays. 4K streaming of movies is just ok and unless you have a huge tv it won't make that much of a difference. I still prefer my BLurays. but how do you watch 4K from your iPhone? Uploading it to YouTube or something? Does 4K streams of movies have HDR?
 
Chromecast for $40 makes the AppleTV look like a complete waste of money. Plex especially coupled with my Android phone has been such a delight to use.

Sorry Apple, whatever you release will make it too late to the party!

If I was going to waste so much cash on an AppleTV, I'd opt for the Nvidia Shield... that thing is like a Boxee Box, Chromecast, AppleTV all in one on steroids.
 
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duffman9000 said:
For the people who bought the current Apple TV because the previous version was ridiculously outdated... SUCKERS!!!

-National Enquirer
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I'm one of those suckers.... and honestly the remote sucks and I can't believe Apple couldn't invision making the Apple 4 TV a hub. Completely disappoint with the product. They had years to figure something out too! And they did nothing.... It's Tim's legacy.. sub par product releases without the finishing finesse that Steve brought...

Tim, think it's time to resign or go back to supply line management
 
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Bonte said:
I don't see that happening, a device like that needs to stand on a central place away from the TV. It could only work when integrated into a real TV but you would still need standalone versions for other rooms.
Click to expand...

My Echo works across the room. And if you're in a different room, you likely will be able to use Siri on your phone. "Hey Siri, turn on the lights in the living room" sends a message to your Apple TV, which controls the lights. That could - eventually - do things with smart appliances like telling Siri to pre-heat the oven when you're on your way home to work.
 
Precision Gem said:
I think it makes no sense. For many people, the kitchen area now is the center of activity. At least in the US, in newer homes, kitchens have become larger and a typical gathering place. Any time we have people over, it seems that kitchen is the place everyone ends up. If the AI was part of Apple TV, then you would need your TV or HiFi system on all the time. The Echo has a speaker, the AppleTV uses the speakers in the TV or HiFi. A portable device that can moved like the Echo makes a lot more sense than building it into the AppleTV that must be connected to your TV and therefore is stuck in one room. Giving people choices is always a better idea than tieing them to one location.
Click to expand...

My take is that we are looking at classic mass market consumer demographics were there is an entire industry researching how much toothpaste is used each day, when it is used down the to pressure on the tube to save mills off the cost of manufacture by the millions of units.

Echo: place it anywhere in the home
Apple TV: place near the television

One demographic that I know is highly coveted is how and where to people use their smartphones at home. I some some that put it next to them at night and it is the first item they reach for in the morning. While others don't pick it up 'til they are out the door for the day.
 
Soccertess said:
I'm one of those suckers.... and honestly the remote sucks and I can't believe Apple couldn't invision making the Apple 4 TV a hub. Completely disappoint with the product. They had years to figure something out too! And they did nothing.... It's Tim's legacy.. sub par product releases without the finishing finesse that Steve brought...

Tim, think it's time to resign or go back to supply line management
Click to expand...

I initially wanted one too. But then reality set in. Look at how the product has languished over the years. It's been treated worse than a red headed step child.

Edit: not to mention that the ATV 4 ships with an A8. Already a generation behind at launch lol.
 
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