Steve Jobs on an Apple Television Set: 'I Finally Cracked It'
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I don't think it's the quality of display that the main problem with many people (there's lots of nice TV's out there).
It's also the current poor experience with:
1) the remote control (too many buttons, too many remotes)
2) the setup experience and the many connectors on the back of the TV and periferal devices
3) the service offering (people are unhappy with bundling packages, on-demand services/playback, available to many devices, inconsistent format/aspect etc)
.
.
But that doesn't address a single user interface for all your devices. This sounds like more than the current model.
Except that it's on the first page. And the "spoiler" is in the headline. And there have been four articles in the past two days. By the time you've read enough to know that it's something you wanted to avoid it's too late. Yes, I can stop reading Macrumors until after the book comes out and I've had a chance to read it, but I don't particularly want to because then how will I kill all those hours in my day? I'm partially playing devil's advocate here because I can understand the posting of excerpts that have to do with actual rumored products and ongoing development of current products. I just find having to skim over articles to also be "getting really old really fast."
JudgeKenny
macrumors member
Considering his user name, one would think he's all for an Apple TV.
But, in all seriousness, I just don't see how an Apple TV would become a common household item. Let's be real for a minute, right now with the way the economy is, there's no way in hell a ton of people will be lining up for an Apple TV. I can't even begin to imagine the kind of price tag it would have and I know that a product that expensive is going to cater to a smaller segment. This is basically going to be bought by the same few guys who buy Mac Pros. But, you never know. As Mactvman said, people are obsessed with all things Apple these days (myself included!) so there's no telling how we'll react once we see a finished product and what it has to offer.
And although this is probably VERY far-fetched, I'd be more impressed if AppleTV becomes a licensed feature inside other manufacturers' TVs, giving the consumer a wider range of choice. I know that if my current Apple TV were integrated to my TV I'd be thrilled. If they were able to put iTunes on PCs, I can't see why AirPlay (and any other unique Apple features that may come along) can't be put on regular TVs.
I agree with you. I think an Apple tv would undoubtedly look awesome but it would probably be priced well above most people's budgets. Having it built into other company's tv's would be cheaper and enjoy a larger market share. Had Apple not given iTunes to Windows users the iPod would've never taken off the way it did and opened so many other doors.
Schmitty11
macrumors 6502
With all these little bits and pieces, come release day, there will be no book to read! 
Surf Monkey
Suspended
Depends on what his solution is. TV content distribution doesn't necessarily have to be handled by Apple. It could be handled exactly as it is by Apple and others already: via apps. Let Hulu and Netflix handle the content distribution deals and then offer them a simple, clean interface to host their front end. Think Roku/AppleTV/Boxee and whatnot only with a vastly simpler and more intuitive interface that's built right into the TV.
aristotle
macrumors 68000
Uh, they already have sports channels in the current AppleTV if you upgraded to the latest version. Are you saying that the NFL would be that much harder to crack?
Surf Monkey
Suspended
Disagree. It hasn't been more than five years since 52 inch LCDs cost over 2k and they sold like hotcakes. That kind of price point is absolutely realistic if an Apple TV set actually offers a better user experience than what's out there right now (not hard to do IMO.)
That's it exactly. This is not about a "TV." That's just a bigger screen. The whole point is content. Jobs has tried on many occasions to do to TV and Movies what he has done for Music. Unfortunately, the TV and Movie studios won't make the mistake that the Music studios made, give up their content to Apple.
If Apple can figure out a way to negotiate to deliver most cable content, sports, and live broadcasts through the current Apple TV for a monthly charge lower than what Cable/Sat charges, he'd have a winner.
If Apple can figure out a way to negotiate to deliver most cable content, sports, and live broadcasts through the current Apple TV for a monthly charge lower than what Cable/Sat charges, he'd have a winner.
I am curious, what are the differences in HD display between the low end and high end?
Surf Monkey
Suspended
Mistake? Are you kidding? iTunes came along and provided a reliable revenue stream to an industry that was being gutted by peer to peer file sharing. iTunes has been a wild success for the studios.
pittpanthersfan
macrumors 6502
You've gotta believe that it will be a Siri-fied version of what Microsoft and Xbox currently have going: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFRzAH3sHy0
Surf Monkey
Suspended
Indeed. People need to remember: Apple doesn't really invent anything. They take mature markets and make them work. The MP3 player market existed long before Apple came along with iPod and made it work. The compact computer market existed long before Apple came along with iMac and made it work. The smart phone market existed long before Apple came along with iPhone and made it work. The portable computer market existed long before Apple came along with iPad and made it work.
The "smart TV" market is emerging right now. It's only a matter of time before Apple comes along with something that makes it work too.
MovieCutter
macrumors 68040
I've never had an issue with a first gen model.
vitzr
macrumors 68030
Amazing, it only took 11 responses to the original post, before this post above began the bashing.
I have never witnessed such an insecure crowd as the Apple Worshippers.
It's impossible to have an open, intelligent, unemotional discussion.
The fearful worshipers, just have to drag another company or product in and roundly criticize and thoroughly thrash it, in order to feel good about Apple or themselves.
It never fails.
Some people are unable to resist a chance to bring in negative, angry, judgmental vibes...
ksgant
macrumors 6502a
Indeed. At Job's house he had a big TV, and on the bevel next to the screen he wrote: "I have finally cracked the Television and have proof, which this margin is too narrow to contain."
So I guess it will now take 350 years for someone to figure out what he meant.
It does if all of your "devices" are iOS devices. Or, to look at it another way, it can "integrate" all of your other devices by making those other devices unnecessary. In theory, the Apple TV already makes a Blu-ray player and Cable TV set-top box largely unnecessary. No, it's not perfect yet. The pricing for purchasing all your favorite shows may still not seem appealing compared to a cable subscription, and DVD/Blu-ray discs can be cheaper to rent. But, again, most of those issues are pricing-related.
ksgant
macrumors 6502a
The music industry doesn't see it like that. They're under the assumption that it should be more like it was in the 80's...where the fat-cat executives at the record companies were making millions and millions off the backs of the artists who were nickel-and-dimed to death.
They don't understand that iTunes and other services actually helped save their skins. They thought they could control everything, still make heaps of money, snort mountains of cocaine and just sue these piddly file sharing nerds out of existence. Delusion is a major part of the music industry.