If apple is planning on adding an appstore ?

[Che Castro]

To the current apple tv or ATV3 maybe coming out soon

Dont they have to tell developers to get ready like about now maybe

There has been no rumors or nothing about apps

Apple would kill the competition if they added apps , atleast some basic ones like maps or pandora

 

[waw74]

Dont they have to tell developers to get ready like about now maybe

apple told them about iOS 5 a few months back, and developers have been working with beta versions of that for a while.
and even though those developers sign a NDA (non-disclosure agreement) stuff still leaks about about the various beta versions.

If there was new hardware, some would probably know, but not everyone in the developer program that apple has, only the big players.
in much the same way that cases leak out before the new devices, certain manufacturers are let in.

 

[From A Buick 8]

To the current apple tv or ATV3 maybe coming out soon

Dont they have to tell developers to get ready like about now maybe

There has been no rumors or nothing about apps

Apple would kill the competition if they added apps , atleast some basic ones like maps or pandora

I am anxiously awaiting apps to come to the ATV, will be the cherry on top of an already great system.

That being said why would you need a map app on it?

 

[nebo1ss]

Would like to see video alternatives like XBMC and Plex client that presently runs on the iphone and ipad available for the ATV2. I know you can install it on a jailbroken unit but if it was on the app store it would make the ATV2 more attractive to a larger audience.

 

[Che Castro]

I am anxiously awaiting apps to come to the ATV, will be the cherry on top of an already great system.

That being said why would you need a map app on it?

To check directions ?

Google earth ?

 

[stordoff]

That being said why would you need a map app on it?

Today, I had my MacBook hooked up to the TV to show my grandparents the location and how to get to a few holidays they were looking at. A maps app on the AppleTV would have been a lot more convenient.

 

[AdrianK]

Today, I had my MacBook hooked up to the TV to show my grandparents the location and how to get to a few holidays they were looking at. A maps app on the AppleTV would have been a lot more convenient.

How would you enter the name of a location? On-screen keyboard? Much more cumbersome than using a real keyboard.

 

[slothrob]

How would you enter the name of a location? On-screen keyboard? Much more cumbersome than using a real keyboard.

Not that I'm advocating this, but you could use the Remote app, which is what I use for searching the aTV2.

But then, if you have an iPhone, Touch or iPad, you could just look up the directions on that. It might be nice if you could AirPlay the map to the TV, though, if you had 3 people trying to look at it.

 

[AdrianK]

Not that I'm advocating this, but you could use the Remote app, which is what I use for searching the aTV2.

Yeah, but the thing is that Apple wouldn't rely on remote as a form of entry. Not everyone has on iOS device or has one on them when they're using ATV, which means that a lot of users with have to use a sub-standard entry methods such as an on-screen keyboard. i can't imagine Apple screwing with the user experience like that.

But then, if you have an iPhone, Touch or iPad, you could just look up the directions on that. It might be nice if you could AirPlay the map to the TV, though, if you had 3 people trying to look at it.

Well, you'll be able to with screen mirroring on iPad 2 running iOS 5, hopefully that will be available for other devices soon.

 

[fpnc]

I'm beginning to think that an App Store for the Apple TV isn't going to happen. Apple wants you to buy an iOS device like the iPad/iPod touch with which you can both control the Apple TV and stream content to same (with AirPlay). In iOS 5 you will be able to mirror anything that runs on the newest iPhone/iPad/iPod touch to the Apple TV so that should cover most needs. Just to be clear, when I say "newest" for the iPhone/iPod touch I'm talking about the next release of both of those products which should happen in the coming months. Also, when I say "anything that runs" I mean anything that isn't explicitly disabled for AirPlay.

The only thing that will "suffer" is games (performance/input lag) and all those users who have the older iOS devices that don't support video mirroring.

Going this route is a win for Apple (more iOS devices being sold), a win for developers (don't have to do much to get their apps on the Apple TV), and a near "win" for users (well, maybe, because it will result in a better overall experience for MOST tasks but it may also require you to purchase a new iOS device).

 

[jaw04005]

well, maybe, because it will result in a better overall experience for MOST tasks but it may also require you to purchase a new iOS device.

I'm not sure how tying up your iPad or iPhone via AirPlay video or mirroring is a win for users. It's very geeky compared to just selecting an App off the Roku, Hulu Plus off XBOX Live, etc.

The Apple TV needs an App Store. However, I'm not sure the economics are there yet for it to happen.

 

[Panch0]

Not every iOS App belongs on ATV. I think that for the time being at least, Apple will go to selected partners and offer them placement on the ATV. Started with Netflix, recently added MLB and MBA. Maybe next time around it will be Pandora or Last FM (even though Airplay really is a good solution for the music services). I'd really like it to be Amazon video on demand, but somehow that seems like too much to ask - competing with both the iTunes store and Netflix as they do. Gaming seems like a natural fit, but until they put out a controller that isn't my iPhone, I think that is going to flop.

 

[jon1987]

All I want extra for it is BBC iplayer and 4OD and I will be happy!

 

[jaw04005]

Dont they have to tell developers to get ready like about now maybe

Not really. Apple gave developers less than three months to get their Mac apps ready for the Mac App Store.

There has been no rumors or nothing about apps

Well, not exactly. When Jobs did an interview with Business Week last year he mentioned the possibility of an App Store. They've been busy this year. Hopefully, it's on the agenda.

"What Jobs didn't say is that Apple wants to become king of the living room. He tells Bloomberg Businessweek that when the time is right, Apple could open an App Store for the TV that could do for television sets what all those apps have done for the iPhone."

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_37/b4194030216774.htm

 

[waw74]

Not really. Apple gave developers less than three months to get their Mac apps ready for the Mac App Store.

The mac app store is just that, a store. you could take your existing app, and move it to the new store.

an app store for the TV is for a whole new platform. It would require some time for the developers to get their software built and tested..

 

[fpnc]

I'm not sure how tying up your iPad or iPhone via AirPlay video or mirroring is a win for users. It's very geeky compared to just selecting an App off the Roku, Hulu Plus off XBOX Live, etc...

It isn't as "geeky" or tiresome as trying to control a cursor position on the TV with a regular button or traditional keyboard.

You're going to need a more advanced input controller if you really want to put a variety of different apps on the Apple TV. We aren't talking just about video playback here, the current Apple TV does that just fine and will continue to improve with changes to the iTunes Store and offerings direct from Apple.

However, with other types of functions the existing three-button IR remote just won't cut it. In that case, Apple wants you to use a hand-held iOS device and if you mirror the display you get both the control and the ability to run just about any app that currently exists for the iPhone/iPod touch/iPad. That's the way Apple is going to do it, they aren't going to require a completely new class of apps just for the Apple TV.

Look at the Google TV and the Boxee Box. Both require some type of dedicated keyboard or controller for their more advanced functions. If the Apple TV is going to be anything more than a video playback device then it needs a similar controller and the touch-controlled iOS devices are miles and miles ahead of anything that ships with either the Google TV or Boxee Box.

You should think of the Apple TV as a kind of loss-leader, just a basic and inexpensive display adapter to go between your TV, iTunes, iCloud and/or the iPhone/iPod touch/iPad. Those other products are what Apple really wants to sell, not a $99 Apple TV that may eventually have to compete at an even lower price point.

Thus, I continue to believe that there won't be any kind of app store for the Apple TV. We will have apps for the other iOS devices that will mirror to the Apple TV.

 

[peterjcat]

That's going to be a good solution for a lot of apps (particularly when developers start coding proper video-out into their apps, so that mirroring takes up the whole TV screen rather than a 4:3 patch of it), but it's not going to be good enough for stuff like action games, where Airplay Mirroring is just too laggy and degrades graphics quality too much. I still think there's a lot of room for an ATV that can run apps itself and use iOS devices as controllers.

 

[fpnc]

...it's not going to be good enough for stuff like action games, where Airplay Mirroring is just too laggy and degrades graphics quality too much. I still think there's a lot of room for an ATV that can run apps itself and use iOS devices as controllers.

Yes, but I already mentioned that in my first post:

...The only thing that will "suffer" is games (performance/input lag)...

In any case, it's going to be a while before a $99 device like the current Apple TV can be all things to all people. Thus, if your primary interest is high performance gaming then maybe the Apple TV isn't for you. However, I suspect that many of the levels in Angry Birds will do just fine over AirPlay.

 

[newagemac]

I'm not sure how tying up your iPad or iPhone via AirPlay video or mirroring is a win for users. It's very geeky compared to just selecting an App off the Roku, Hulu Plus off XBOX Live, etc.

The Apple TV needs an App Store. However, I'm not sure the economics are there yet for it to happen.

Airplay doesn't tie up your iDevice. You can sleep it, go to a different app, play a game, browse the web, etc. while you're Airplaying to the tv.

 

[Uofmtiger]

Airplay doesn't tie up your iDevice. You can sleep it, go to a different app, play a game, browse the web, etc. while you're Airplaying to the tv.

While that is true, I don't think the performance is a good while you are using Airplay. I get kicked out of Safari a lot more often when I am running Airplay than when I am not. As a result, I usually just run Airplay on my iPhone and use the iPad for surfing the web.

I would like the option to put the apps on the Apple TV. I don't see why it is a problem for Apple since they are allowing a lot of the competitor apps on the iOS devices.

 

[reebzor]

If done right, adding apps to the AppleTV could be one of the best things to happen to Apple. I'm not talking about little stuff like Pandora or Maps, I'm talking about HDHomeRun app, EyeTV app to get the ball rolling. Then we'll see how cable companies respond. I feel like seeing an Xfininty TV app on the ATV. Let me stop paying ~$15 a month to rent STB's and I will spend $100 on an ATV.

No more clunky STB's from your cable companies, no need for them to keep developing for them, all they will need to do is build an App for the Apple TV. It's Win for cable companies, win for Apple, and WIN for us.

 

[fpnc]

...No more clunky STB's from your cable companies, no need for them to keep developing for them, all they will need to do is build an App for the Apple TV. It's Win for cable companies, win for Apple, and WIN for us.

Losing any amount of control over how the media is delivered to the home would NOT be viewed as a "win" by the cable companies. Also, the content providers would not be very happy about having you find cheaper alternatives to their current offerings via a relatively open app process on the Apple TV.

This actually raises a good point about why apps for the Apple TV may NOT happen -- the media companies, the cable companies, and the TV networks would be worried about Apple gaining too much control over their content delivery. Those same groups are also worried about piracy and they really aren't very eager to allow people to find anything that they want, at any price they want (including "free") on the internet. Just look at the Google TV, they tried the "open" route and got immediately turned off by the content providers.

The media companies view mobile as something entirely different than the home TV (they see it as complementary to their existing markets and that's why they have begun to embrace the iPhone and iPad). However, the home TV experience is not something where the traditional players want to see rapid or radical change.

Apple is taking a very conservative approach to this entire issue. The biggest change in AirPlay for iOS 5 is that it has shifted from an opt-in to an opt-out model where the content providers will have to explicitly block content if they don't want it to appear on the Apple TV. That, in itself, is pretty radical and probably the single biggest change in third-party support that will we see for the Apple TV for some time to come.