New iTunes Store Terms Suggest Impending Apple TV 3.0 Software Update

[iOrlando]

YEAHH...i mean boo


Enjoy iTunes Extras, iTunes LP & Genius Mixes on Your HD TV


CUPERTINO, Calif., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple® today introduced new Apple TV® 3.0 software featuring a redesigned main menu that makes navigating your favorite content simpler and faster, and makes enjoying the largest selection of on-demand HD movie rentals and purchases, HD TV shows, music and podcasts from the iTunes® Store even better on your TV. You can now enjoy iTunes Extras and iTunes LP in stunning fullscreen with your Apple TV, as well as listen to Genius Mixes and Internet radio through your home theater system. The new Apple TV software is available immediately free of charge to existing Apple TV owners, and Apple TV with 160GB capacity is available for just $229.


"The new software for Apple TV features a simpler and faster interface that gives you instant access to your favorite content," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of Internet Services. "HD movies and HD TV shows from iTunes have been a huge hit with Apple TV customers, and with Apple TV 3.0 they get great new features including iTunes Extras, Genius Mixes and Internet radio."


The redesigned main menu on Apple TV gives you instant access to your favorite content. Recently rented or purchased movies, as well as other content including TV shows, music, podcasts, photos and YouTube, are accessible directly from the new main menu. The new software also allows Apple TV users to enjoy stunning fullscreen iTunes Extras and iTunes LP, including great new movie titles such as "Star Trek" or classics like "The Wizard of Oz" and albums such as Taylor Swift's "Fearless (Platinum Edition)" and Jack Johnson's "En Concert." iTunes Extras gives movie fans great additional content such as deleted scenes, interviews and interactive galleries. iTunes LP is the next evolution of the music album, delivering a rich, immersive experience for select albums on the iTunes Store by combining beautiful design with expanded visual features like live performance videos, lyrics, artwork, liner notes, interviews, photos, album credits and more.


Now Apple TV users can enjoy Genius Mixes through their home theater system and listen to up to 12 endless mixes of songs that go great together, automatically generated from their iTunes library. Customers can also enjoy Internet radio, allowing them to browse and listen to thousands of Internet radio stations, as well as tag favorite stations to listen to later. Apple TV's support of HD photos is enhanced with iPhoto Events, which simplifies finding your favorite photos on Apple TV, as well as iPhoto® Faces, which gives access to photos organized by people identified in iPhoto.


Apple TV users have direct access to a catalog of over 8,000 Hollywood films on iTunes including over 2,000 in stunning HD video available for rent or purchase. Users can also choose from a selection of 11 million songs, 10,000 music videos and over 50,000 TV episodes to purchase directly from their Apple TV or browse and enjoy the iTunes Store podcast directory of over 175,000 free video and audio podcasts. Purchases downloaded to Apple TV are automatically synced back to iTunes on the user's computer for enjoyment on their Mac® or PC or all current generation iPods or iPhones.* iPod touch® or iPhone® users can download the free Remote app from the App Store to control their Apple TV with a simple tap or flick of the finger.


Pricing & Availability


The new Apple TV software is available as a free automatic download to all Apple TV customers. The 160GB Apple TV is available from the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $229 (US). Apple TV requires an 802.11b/g/n wireless network or 10/100 Base-T Ethernet networking, a broadband Internet connection and a high definition widescreen TV. Video availability varies by country.


Apple TV easily connects to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports. Using high-speed Wi-Fi, Apple TV automatically plays your iTunes content without setup or management.


*Movie rentals work on iPod classic®, iPod nano® with video, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.


Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.


© 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, Apple TV, iTunes, iPhoto, iPod touch, iPhone, Apple Store, iPod classic and iPod nano are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.


SOURCE Apple

 

[Alfuh]

better, but not good enough. Don't think any software updates can save this thing ...

Once I get the new iMac my Mac Mini goes to the TV ...

 

[colinmack]

Sure if you want to take the "Apple is right, BUYERS are wrong". Didn't Ford also get credited with something like "They can have any color of car they want, as long as it is black"? If we accept that maybe BUYERS can imagine what they want, perhaps that Ford quote better applies to this situation?

Or, people want a more "future proof" TV solution that is a good match for what the playback device- their TV- can handle today (and yesterday). We can spend about the same cost that Apple asked for TV to get a BD box that can play our movies back at much higher quality than what TV can yield. Some of those boxes also have some TV features (albeit generally more poorly implemented) and some coveted TV features NOT available.

I don't really want a BD player in the next-gen, but many BUYERS would BUY if they could kill both birds with one stone. I don't really want DVR functionality in the next gen, but many BUYERS would BUY if they could kill those 2 birds with one stone. Based on other hardware in the marketplace, it is OBVIOUS that Apple could deliver on both of these wants and probably leave TV pricing about where it is IF THEY WANTED TO DO THAT.

Or, they could try to make us want any color of car as long as it is black, and NOT win those BUYERS who are waiting for the feature(s) they want. Even Ford came around eventually (and perhaps he learned that insulting his market's intelligence with "only WE know what you want to buy" is not necessarily the best attitude for maximizing the sales of his products).

Actually that's one of my favourite quotes...I have my kids convinced that black cars are just that little bit faster than other colours

I think the main point of the horse quote was not that people should ignore their customers, but that sometimes customers can't see past minor evolution of current technology, and that leaps of innovation sometimes have to come at the expense of the customer always being right.

The greatest innovations in history didn't come from iterative product enhancements and 'faster horses', they came through re-invention and a new way of looking at things.

Now, I don't think Apple has often been the source of true innovation themselves (sorry for stepping out of the reality distortion field for a minute), but what they do tend to be really good at is sniffing out the next big wave, and figuring out how to simplify it, market it, and build a viable ecosystem around it. The mouse, GUI, iPod/iTunes, iPhone/App store are all good examples where Apple didn't invent something, but they did recognize it early, figured out how to make it work better, and brought it to the masses.

Of course in this case there are presumably additional motives for not including optical drives or DVR features - it might slow the adoption of their version of digital content delivery with consumers, could weaken their arm-twisting with the major studios to get new content online, and take revenue away from the iTunes store. All good reasons (from Apple's perspective) to stall as long as possible and hope for traction. Tactical vs. strategic.

 

[Terminal.app]

The Apple TV is the only Apple product that has an HDMI output. When will we see this on their other products...like, erm...Macs for example?

 

[severe]

I'd like to see an example of the new software. A quick Google search found nothing.

 

[peterdevries]

A pointless update for a pointless product.

Aaah, it must be great having the world revolve around you...

To many people the Apple TV actually is a great product.. Your point of view is not necessarily that of everyone.

 

[pmjoe]

CUPERTINO, Calif., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple® today introduced [...]

The new software also allows Apple TV users to enjoy stunning fullscreen iTunes Extras and iTunes LP, including great new movie titles such as "Star Trek"

This press release must be a hoax.

 

[echoout]

I'm totally happy with my AppleTV. I rent movies, view my family photos and movies on an HDTV, and along with my eyeTV get an additional tuner to my 2 in my Tivo. Great. No use for a Mini for me.

 

[danny_w]

Actually that's one of my favourite quotes...I have my kids convinced that black cars are just that little bit faster than other colours

I think the main point of the horse quote was not that people should ignore their customers, but that sometimes customers can't see past minor evolution of current technology, and that leaps of innovation sometimes have to come at the expense of the customer always being right.

The greatest innovations in history didn't come from iterative product enhancements and 'faster horses', they came through re-invention and a new way of looking at things.

Now, I don't think Apple has often been the source of true innovation themselves (sorry for stepping out of the reality distortion field for a minute), but what they do tend to be really good at is sniffing out the next big wave, and figuring out how to simplify it, market it, and build a viable ecosystem around it. The mouse, GUI, iPod/iTunes, iPhone/App store are all good examples where Apple didn't invent something, but they did recognize it early, figured out how to make it work better, and brought it to the masses.

Of course in this case there are presumably additional motives for not including optical drives or DVR features - it might slow the adoption of their version of digital content delivery with consumers, could weaken their arm-twisting with the major studios to get new content online, and take revenue away from the iTunes store. All good reasons (from Apple's perspective) to stall as long as possible and hope for traction. Tactical vs. strategic.

Henry Ford also stuck with mechanical brakes until 1941, even though everybody else had log ago changed over to hydraulic brakes. So much for being ahead of the times.

 

[severe]

The Apple TV is the only Apple product that has an HDMI output. When will we see this on their other products...like, erm...Macs for example?

 

[locust76]

This press release must be a hoax.

If you look at the Apple TV site on apple.com (click thru "iPod + iTunes), you can see a screenshot of a new menu and movie extras + iTunes LP

Edit: didn't see the bolded part... ah well, at least the webpage still lends credibility to the whole thing

 

[pmjoe]

If you look at the Apple TV site on apple.com (click thru "iPod + iTunes), you can see a screenshot of a new menu and movie extras + iTunes LP

Anything in 2009 that mentions "great new movie" and "Star Trek" in the same sentence is a hoax.

 

[pmjoe]

I haven't touched an Apple TV in a while. Is the Internet radio support new? What stations does it include? Can you add your own?

Outside of Internet radio and better photo support, this sounds like a real yawner for 3.0.

 

[danny_w]

Internet radio. Finally!

 

[Peace]

Internet radio. Finally!

That is a great addition imho.

Now whens the update coming out? The store shows the new menu.

 

[colinmack]

Henry Ford also stuck with mechanical brakes until 1941, even though everybody else had log ago changed over to hydraulic brakes. So much for being ahead of the times.

True enough - Apple did make the puck mouse, the Newton, and the Pippin game console. Nobody can get it right all the time ;-)

 

[musicman0725]

This press release must be a hoax.

No, it's there...just not listed under recent press releases yet. You can find it here:

http://www.apple.com/pr/

 

[Felix01]

Another highly satisfied ATV user checking in. I use it every day...70GB of stored music streaming through my surround sound, another 60GB of home videos and family/vacation stills, Podcasts, weekly 99¢ Apple movie specials, etc. And best of all, like everything else Apple, it just works...plug & play. Sure, I could do everything I use it for by employing other workarounds, but why? Agreed, I pay a premium for Apple equipment but my free time is valuable to me and I'd rather spend it watching (or listening) to ATV products than figuring out ways to work around saving 200 bucks.

 

[jettredmont]

I would love to have an external Blu Ray (like the 360's HD DVD) that would plug into the back of the ATV. I do not know if USB has the bandwidth to carry picture and sound from a BR, but I would like it.

Dude. I was at Best Buy the other day, and they have Bluray players there that plug directly into the back of your TV or home theater setup! No AppleTV needed!

Seriously: what would be gained by piping Bluray content through the ATV's motherboard, other than potentially introducing issues (real or imagined) that Apple has to deal with?

 

[steve77uk]

I have just installed it...

and the new interface does look pretty neat and it is a lot faster I must admit..

I am still gutted there is no safari function on there, but wonder if there is room for it under internet one day.

I was also hoping they would redesign the intro movie which I preferred v1!

They have changed the default font in the menus, look a bit more modern...

 

[jettredmont]

For those of you with AppleTVs, and I'm just curious here, have you ever used Plex?

Maybe I'm just not thinking clearly, but is there anything the AppleTV does that Plex can't do?

While it's not the most convenient thing in the world (and if I purchased a Mac Mini it would just always be connected to my TV), I hook up my MBP to my TV and watch Hulu, anything in my iTunes, all of my MKV files, etc.

Thoughts?

Things the ATV does that Plex can not:

1. Run on a small, thin, energy-miser box which costs less than half what a Mac Mini to run Plex would.

That's about it. So, no, nothin much.

Again, though, if you're happy with the Mini connected to your TV, all the more power to ya. The ATV has a place as a lower-cost, but more importantly less obtrusive, means to the same end.

 

[fpnc]

If 3.0 brings 720p at 30 FPS support like 2.0 brought 720p at 24 FPS support, I might even buy a second one...

Yes, 30fps 720P would be a very useful update and I'm hoping that Apple can do this with just a software update to the current hardware. Transcoding from 30fps to 24fps is a real killer in terms of playback quality (because you lose frames). This means that currently if you have 30fps HD content you pretty much have to encode at 960x540 which is the highest resolution that the Apple TV supports at 30fps. However, that resolution has only about 56% of the pixel content of 720P (1280x720).

Further, those asking for 1080p playback versus support for "only" 1080i need to recognize that the differences between 1080p and 1080i are mostly in the capture side of the equation. You can view (or transcode) 1080p as 1080i with very little if any difference in playback quality. Interlacing only becomes a significant problem on playback when the alternate fields in the interlaced source show motion (so called interlacing artifacts). However, if you view (or transcode) a 1080p source at 1080i you'll never see any interlacing artifacts because the initial capture was done in a progressive format.

In addition, full 1080 resolution is so high to begin with that unless you have a very large TV or sit very close to your TV you're not going to see much difference in the quality of the image. It's been calculated that if you sit at "normal" viewing distances (about 9 feet) you'd need somewhere between a 70 and 96 inch TV in order to take full advantage of 1080 resolution. Furthermore, unless your TV is larger than 42" you won't be able to tell the difference in resolution between an SD and HD source (again, when viewing from about 9 feet). Note that I'm talking only about resolution, not the color, contrast, and encoding differences that might exist between HD and SD content. Thus, when taking all factors into consideration HD content may under some conditions look "better" even when you are limited to smaller TV sizes.

Thus, given the above, frame rate changes (going from 30fps to 24fps or even 24fps to 30fps) are a much bigger issue and that's why I'm really hoping that the next version of Apple TV supports both 24fps and 30fps 720p.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Funny, I always wondered what all the hype was really about involving the ATV. I guess not much?

I sold three in two years. One was returned. Tivos we could never keep in stock. Maybe customers knew something.

 

[jettredmont]

i would be very happy if apple introduced apple tv apps..

so for example, Revision3 can create an app that simply lets its videos play on your TV through apple tv. I can stop using the buggy and poor UI of boxee.

espn.com..same thing
cnn.com

i know the whole hulu vs cable industry fight might complicate this...but if espn.com has game summary videos available on its website, I dont see why there would be a huge battle just streaming that to your TV through the app.

Agree 100%. This would be THE killer "app" for ATV 3.0. Question is: would Apple let it happen? I don't mean that in a nefarious way, necessarily; Apple has contracts with the big studios to get their content into the iTunes Store and onto the ATV on a pay-per-download basis; will those contracts allow Apple to sidestep pay-per-download to allow advertising-based content in?

In the end, though, I strongly suspect that this is where ATV is heading. I absolutely love buying high quality copies of my favorite shows, especially if the whole family is enjoying them, but also end up streaming quite a bit from Hulu et al for less-important shows or when just one or two of us want to watch something (I hate subjecting the entire family to ads).

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I think the main point of the horse quote was not that people should ignore their customers, but that sometimes customers can't see past minor evolution of current technology, and that leaps of innovation sometimes have to come at the expense of the customer always being right.

While words like "sometimes" certainly soften the stance, there is nothing wrong in the fast-moving tech world of delivering what the broader market wants, and then having a greater vision come to pass that might obsolete some of it. That happens all the time with ALL of Apples products. If Apples vision is right (that discs and DVRs are on the way out), it would seem to be much more profitable to sell TVs now with the features people want to buy, then let the disc and dvr functionality fade out as important features when Apple's better way comes to pass.

OR, stick with leaving the car colors black and wait on the market to come around to agreeing with them, and risk that market finding a better alternative from any number of other competitors trying to take a bite of that (massive) pie (even hard drive manufacturers are trying to get in!).

Of course in this case there are presumably additional motives for not including optical drives or DVR features - it might slow the adoption of their version of digital content delivery with consumers, could weaken their arm-twisting with the major studios to get new content online, and take revenue away from the iTunes store. All good reasons (from Apple's perspective) to stall as long as possible and hope for traction. Tactical vs. strategic.

Like Ford slowed the adoption of car colors by sticking with black?

Wouldn't it seem logical that it would be easier to negotiate with the studios if Apple could pitch that the new version would be able to play high-profit BD discs too which would give the Studios an alternative vision of having to bow to Apple like their buddies in the music industry are generally having to do?

Hasn't Apple said again and again that iTunes exists to sell HARDWARE, thus strongly implying that they don't care that much about what they make from iTunes store sales? If it is about selling HARDWARE, then delivering a next-gen TV with the features BUYERS want to buy would support selling a lot more hardware. If that buyer chooses to buy the BD disc instead of the iTunes movie, that still means an TV was bought and holds an important place in the home AV setup. Or, don't give BUYERS what they want, DON'T get into the guys home who chooses a BD player instead of an TV and then NO iTunes store revenues via that BD device is even possible.

Again, I don't really care personally if they put in a BD player or a DVR. I can even support the idea that these are features with a limited lifecycle (but what isn't in tech?), but I do understand that a lot of people would be interested in buying this kind of device if it had features they deem important. Those seem like a few popular features people keep saying they want. Picture this.

AppleTV 1080p
All the user friendly features of AppleTV 3.0, with full 1080p playback, BD playback, cutting-edge DVR so you can record your favorite shows, coveted new feature #4, coveted new feature #5, coveted feature #X- all for just $249. Available today.

And one more thing: AppleTV store, AppleTV apps, AppleTV API.

A few years ago, that would be a $500+ box, but now we see all the pieces in alternative boxes for a lot less than the current incarnation of TV. It is obviously and technically possible for Apple to wow the CE space just like they just did with the new iMacs. They can do it at their price, probably preserving the Apple margin to boot. It is merely the WILL to do it.

If Apples innovative vision of tomorrow is right, then we still get there with this box- we just stop using the DVR function, the BD feature, etc. But between now and then, that would be another Apple "WOW" product.

Who isn't going to buy that Apple TV today (if it rolled out today)? They'd probably get me even at even $599. TODAY!