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Bloomberg: Apple Working on New Apple TV With Integrated HomePod Speaker and FaceTime Camera
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It wouldn't surprise me if it is priced out of reach of most people at $799 or something ridiculous.
Apple TV app isn't the same as Apple TV .
Exactly. My ATV is tucked away to the side next to my AV receiver. The TV is probably 15 -20 feet away from where I sit, so a camera would show most of the room rather than me. Apple could put in a zoom lens but then that would aadd cost. They no doubt could do it, but it makes little practical sense to me.
Now, offering a superior sound bar experience might be more desirable for some ATV customers.
For me, it sounds like a soundbar type product, that's very popular today. So it's one unit, but there's still more than one speaker element. And that would also make room and sensible placement for a camera as well.
Assumably, it would be similar to other sound bars in the market, such as the Sonos Beam or Arc. They provide stereo (or even Atmos) sound just fine.
It doesn't. But, I think there is more of a market for higher cost sound bars (again, look at Sonos). It would replace two devices on a typical user's TV. But, being Apple, I fully expect it to be more expensive than comparable devices. Whether it is worth the price is to be seen.
I see two advantages. One, you are combining two devices in to one (a streaming box and soundbar.) That is one less HDMI device to worry about.
As far as FactTime. I am shocked that we have not seen more video devices/ Zoom devices this past year. With the meteoric rise of Zoom calls, a device on a family TV would be perfect for families who want to call grandma. Right now, using an iPhone or iPad is not a great experience for multiple people in a single place.
Make sense, apart from whether there would still be an ability to connect it to a TV via HDMI or if they’re naming in AirPlay.
It would also solve the Apple TV naming issue!
It would also solve the Apple TV naming issue!
Smart TVs which offer no privacy and monitor everything you do, have janky interfaces, low processing power, are missing useful apps, etc, etc.
Apple TV is the Apple product I would least want to do without. Reckon I could get by on Windows and Android if necessary, but every other TV interface and feature set I've used other than Apple TV feels like a ropey compromise, even accepting for the limitations of the Siri Remote. I love being able to just control everything seamlessly with my phone or iPad or Watch, love that through Infuse it handles literally every video file I ask it to.
I think it's a great idea. If the sound is as good as the original HomePod, but with specific drivers for center channel, and maybe use HomePod mini's as an option for rear surrounds..... This could be cool!
Fewer cables too! Just an HDMI cable from the HomePod Apple TV thing to the TV monitor. Fewer issues with learning remotes, multiple devices, etc.
A true home theater setup will outperform this, but sound-bars are very popular these days and have improved dramatically in sound quality.
Fewer cables too! Just an HDMI cable from the HomePod Apple TV thing to the TV monitor. Fewer issues with learning remotes, multiple devices, etc.
A true home theater setup will outperform this, but sound-bars are very popular these days and have improved dramatically in sound quality.
Then it also better have eARC so you can use the sound for everything connected to your tv.
So did Apple. But I do like my stereo pair connected to Apple TV.
Finally, a possible solution that doesn't cost 3K and doesn't require a computer.
Can't believe Logi and webex casually asks users to have a PC running to do the job.
Can't believe Logi and webex casually asks users to have a PC running to do the job.
I know apple likes to follow on the success of others (and who are we to criticize that approach - look at their stock price).
But in my house at least, they lost a foothold into both those spaces. The Apple TV took way too long to adopt 4K - so I found other solutions. And the speakers - forgot about the debate of seri quality - they were just too expensive for what they were, especially when you're putting a half dozen in various rooms in the house to facilitate control of one or two lightbulbs...
But in my house at least, they lost a foothold into both those spaces. The Apple TV took way too long to adopt 4K - so I found other solutions. And the speakers - forgot about the debate of seri quality - they were just too expensive for what they were, especially when you're putting a half dozen in various rooms in the house to facilitate control of one or two lightbulbs...
If you use Fitness Plus, Apple Music, Photos App and most importantly no advertisements in the user interface it's nice to have a separate Apple TV.
My ideal Apple TV type product would be, now with Apple Silicon, also an entry level Mac, include an ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV tuner as well, able to stream either anywhere in the house, could even use a keyboard and mouse. Just add any HDTV and you have many uses. Kind of like the Swiss Army knife of entertainment. But it would have to have two Homepod speakers though for stereo. The Homepod failed because $300 for mono sound is a bit too much doesn't everyone think? Or maybe the product has some of these things as options? Some very nice HDTVs today have very good speakers, but most do not. With over the air 4K TV coming to most large cities in the next year, it's hard to say that there is just one product that fits everyone anymore. Most companies are sticking with their streaming subscription oriented options, but free TV in America is on the rise believe it or not and ATSC 3.0 will expand that since the antenna and chips are small enough for cell phones now. And so many people have invested in a very large screen they are not getting rid of anytime soon. Anyone remember the Macintosh TV? Of course it was a failure, but that doesn't mean the concept is. The TV of tomorrow, either streamed via internet or over the air will both be through a router to all the displays or cell phones in the house.
What? to have a speaker in a TV box top unit? NO, just ridiculous. Speaker pops - then all you'll keep hearing is static or pop sounds while watching your content. Worse if the volume is stuck on high too.
