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Rogers and BCE Already Have the Apple iTV in Their Labs, Controlled with Voice and Hand Gestures
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Actually that's not true on multiple levels. That's why carriage agreements fail, not all MSOs carry the same channels, why cable companies can only offer some programming on demand and why some shows are not even available to watch online. There are plenty of networks that don't give a damn if cable isn't carrying them if it doesn't agree with their terms. That's why the NFL Network isn't available on any Time Warner Cable systems, despite the customer base wanting that channel.
Content providers have the final say in what happens to their content. If they don't get a deal they want, cable companies don't get to use their content. Major networks hold the cards not the individual cable companies. Having a channel is an advantage for them. There are plenty of other MSOs that content providers can deal with.
It's also why the network DVR has been a failure for over ten years and why networks are reluctant to use any services which allow MSOs to store their content on systems which do not belong to them.
Cable companies don't own anything they don't create and broadcast themselves. They distribute the content. That is all.
Gesture recognition on consumer level hardware is not yet advanced enough to allow an "air" keyboard.
This makes this whole rumor hard to believe.
This makes this whole rumor hard to believe.
Sounds Stupid
This sounds stupid. Like they are junking up the TV with a bunch of lame gimmicks and claiming it's "innovation." What's wrong with TV as it is? You turn it on with a remote and change the channels how freaking difficult is that?
I don't want "social interaction" when I watch TV. I don't want a million different apps junking up my picture.
This sounds stupid. Like they are junking up the TV with a bunch of lame gimmicks and claiming it's "innovation." What's wrong with TV as it is? You turn it on with a remote and change the channels how freaking difficult is that?
I don't want "social interaction" when I watch TV. I don't want a million different apps junking up my picture.
I bought a TV last year which I love. I have no need or desire (no matter how amazing) to get a new TV for at least a few years. I also don't plan on beta testing Apple's new TV.
That's just me. I am sure there are plenty of people who will rush right out/wait in line/have their finger on "order" at midnight to do so.
That's just me. I am sure there are plenty of people who will rush right out/wait in line/have their finger on "order" at midnight to do so.
I disagree. For years, families and friends have congregated in front of television screens together to watch shows.. as a place where so many have social interactions already, I would love to see further integration.
What if, before the Super Bowl, everyone in the room turned on their phones and placed bets on the coin toss or how many touch-downs would be scored, and your television was tallying how much everyone owes/won?
What if, during the commercial break, you could choose from a variety of ads targeted to your specific likes and dislikes (benefiting both you in reduced frustration, and television show producers who could ensure you get the ads that are most effective on you)?
First off, don't fool yourself into believing you don't already participate in 'social interaction' when you turn on the television - the second a friend walks into the room to join you, you are socially interacting.
Second, thanks to smartphones, I don't believe that apps would 'junk up your picture'; rather the integration between smartphones/tablets and television could allow your phone to be the ultimate television accessory.
This is great news for consumers who want the best a TV can be. Apple will revolutionize the television. It's definitely time to sell your current TV's before Apple renders them all worthless.
What if you and your friends just enjoyed the game together talking, laughing, etc instead of switching between devices and such.
Oh the HORROR!!!!
That is if you can find where your kids left the remote
The gestures idea will be interesting.
I can see how sportsfans put their arms in the air to celebrate a score and the TV switches the channel or is confused by too many gestures.
Will we all have to sit still and be totally quiet?
Soooo many questions............
You've got a pretty myopic perspective. And I don't believe Apple would actually have apps block the picture when you're watching TV. Common sense. And here's another suggestion, if you don't want to move forward with the innovation then you can stick with what you already have?
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Again, what if you didn't buy this TV because nobody's forcing you to?
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I guess complaining for the sake of complaining will always be the MO, especially on the internet.
YouTube proves you wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn_qCP5FeTE
Keep in mind the Kinect is actually a fairly low resolution affair and if the cameras and senors were bumped up in quality (and price increased) it would work far better then it does. Even still the software is quickly catching up to even the low-end hardware.
Never said I was going to. I was responding to someone else's post. That IS the point of a discussion board, you know.
Yep! At one point, people probably said phones should be just for phone calls. Then came text, picture, and video messaging, VoIP for cheap international calling, etc.
Apple is a company that prides themselves on not being content with where things are, but where they could be if someone worked on it.
what about simplicity?
I think people might be looking at this in the wrong light. Instead of focusing on what content apple will provide, think about apple's history in trying to simplify and clean up an environment. They have been notorious over the years for wanting to remove clutter from our desks by combining cables/power etc to make for a clean set up. What this leads me to believe is that they want to do exactly this to tv. Currently, if you don't want to use a cable box, you can use a cablecard in a supported tv. However, when doing this, you lose the cable providers guide info and the ability to use their on demand services.
My best guess as to what apple is doing is that they are working with the cable companies to make their tv/atv device not only accept the cablecards, but provide the guide data and on-demand content that the cable providers currently serve up via their set top boxes. This would mean that you could finally have a full cable tv experience in your living room without the need for separate cable boxes and the resulting cable mess etc.
I know many people that would pay a premium to apple and a monthly cablecard rental surcharge to avoid having to deal with a Comcast digital cable box and it's flaky menu system.
I could be wrong, but this is what i'm expecting to see released. The rest of the features would be extras so to speak. The real key to this device should be basic integration that until now, no-one has been able to accomplish due to lack of cooperation from the cablecos.
I think people might be looking at this in the wrong light. Instead of focusing on what content apple will provide, think about apple's history in trying to simplify and clean up an environment. They have been notorious over the years for wanting to remove clutter from our desks by combining cables/power etc to make for a clean set up. What this leads me to believe is that they want to do exactly this to tv. Currently, if you don't want to use a cable box, you can use a cablecard in a supported tv. However, when doing this, you lose the cable providers guide info and the ability to use their on demand services.
My best guess as to what apple is doing is that they are working with the cable companies to make their tv/atv device not only accept the cablecards, but provide the guide data and on-demand content that the cable providers currently serve up via their set top boxes. This would mean that you could finally have a full cable tv experience in your living room without the need for separate cable boxes and the resulting cable mess etc.
I know many people that would pay a premium to apple and a monthly cablecard rental surcharge to avoid having to deal with a Comcast digital cable box and it's flaky menu system.
I could be wrong, but this is what i'm expecting to see released. The rest of the features would be extras so to speak. The real key to this device should be basic integration that until now, no-one has been able to accomplish due to lack of cooperation from the cablecos.
I think some of you are failing to realize that this is a RUMOR. There are no official statements about this "TV" so stop saying "omg this will never work! Apple sucks!"
Wait for them to actually show it....
Wait for them to actually show it....
I'd say details are up in the air, but I find it hard to believe at this point that Apple isn't attempting to enter the world of television in a big way.
I remember some of the rumors regarding the iPhone before it was announced. There were crazy things like predicting the return of the rotary dial due to the scroll wheel on the iPod. So I wouldn't get too invested in any of the iTV rumor of the day as they're either completely made up (e.g. BestBuy "survey" reported by Spaghetti on the wall Genius Report) or they're so distorted that they come out sounding very weird (this one might fall in that category).
If only this logic prevailed on other threads about other manufacturers and their products. But it doesn't. So I think that ultimately - you take the good with the bad. People are always going to speculate and judge. Even after the product is released and they haven't even used it. Them's the internet.
If someone doesn't have an internet connection then you are about as far from the target demographic as you could be and Apple isn't worried.
I am curious to see Apples take on a motion controlled keyboard in action. You have to really hand it to Microsoft on this one, they really paved the wave into the consumer space with the Kinect. With any new technology there is this giant hurdle to overcome educating the public how and why these technologies can make your life more enjoyable.
I think the poster meant that internet can go out. Which would render controlling the TV possibly difficult.
I think some cable providers might really like working with Apple - because if people are forced to bundle their cable AND internet together (if the signal isn't just via the cable signal to work everything) then that's added revenue.
Right now - people (although most do bundle) still might have different providers for phone, cable and internet.
Good point.
The last thing I want in my TV however are even more contracts and commitments. I want a giant iPod/TV, where I can select my own programming and stations. If I want to subscribe to just Adventure Time, then thats all I want! Otherwise I am going to use it surf and play games on.
I completely agree with your thoughts. My guess is that Apple is working to make the interface much cleaner and "Apple-like". I absolutely hate my Timewarner cablebox menu and interface/remote. It's clunky, slow and difficult to just get to the channels I want to watch. I see Apple improving this aspect. If I can control all this from my iPhone or iPad from the couch, then even better!
I am not liking the idea of the cableco's having to test these in the labs. That implies some sort of compatibility requirements, which always means more control to the providers. Today, you go and buy the TV set of your choice and it just works. Granted, because of the balkanization of TV content delivery, you need a STB that is certified by the cable/satellite/IPTV provider, but is the idea now to push that balkanization right down to the TV?
I agree with this. And this isn't a comment on Apple - but on mere adoption rate. TVs have a longer (and more expensive) lifecycle. When Apple's TV is released - I honestly think it could be well received. I think that it will sell decently. But I do not expect staggering numbers simply because not everyone is going to buy a new TV if they've bought one recently. It will also depend on price points, screen sizes, etc based on individuals needs and budget. And also (at least in Manhattan, for example) - if the TV is locked into a particular provider - some people might not even be ABLE to use the service. For example - many apartment buildings in NYC are contracted to either RCN or Time Warner. Unless Apple is able to broker a deal with all of the providers and not be exclusive to one - it won't matter if I want one. If I live in a TWC building but Apple only has a deal with RCN - I'm out of luck.
So time will tell. Even if it's the most amazing TV in the world - I don't think we'll see iphone-like rate adoption rates for quite some time.
