Teardown of New Apple TV Reveals Same 8 GB Flash Storage, Bump to 512 MB RAM

[pinchez]

I bought one along with my 64GB Wifi iPad but having so much fun on the new iPad I've not tried Apple TV out yet!

I have to say though, Apple have really missed a trick and extra revenue by not having Apps for the ATV3, all it would have taken was a dual core cpu and some extra storage to keep it in line with say a iPad 2 and they would have had a formidable gaming/media presence in the lounge.

 

[rikscha]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

Does it connect faster over wifi now? Atv2 could connect with max 65mbit

 

[rikscha]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

I bought one this afternoon, and it is worth noting that this generation DOES support 5GHz 802.11n. (The 2nd gen supported N, but only 2.4GHz.)

Full 300mbit/450?

 

[Moccasin]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

I bought one along with my 64GB Wifi iPad but having so much fun on the new iPad I've not tried Apple TV out yet!

I have to say though, Apple have really missed a trick and extra revenue by not having Apps for the ATV3, all it would have taken was a dual core cpu and some extra storage to keep it in line with say a iPad 2 and they would have had a formidable gaming/media presence in the lounge.

I think the fact that Apple haven't developed ATV in a way that is obvious it could be developed suggests that they don't want to cannibalise an existing or future market.

After all, if you could use the ATV for apps and games etc, would sales of the iPad be so high?

That said, the new interface clearly suggests that new apps of some sort are coming. I can't believe that they would release something that looks unfinished (in terms of the layout of the current icons) if they didn't have plans for more development.

Whether ATV is being artificially constrained to protect a future market of some sort is unclear, but with all the rumours it does seem that an actual tv set is coming. I just hope they get it right. Times like this may be when they miss Steve Jobs, but hopefully he drilled enough of his attention to detail into others that they won't release something sub standard.

 

[DEXTERITY]

Hoping the additional antenna improves streaming speeds, and especially AirPlay mirroring.

I'm hoping it actually makes the thing work correctly.I bought the second generation and had to return it. Every movie took forever to stream and most wouldn't play properly. No, I dont have any internet issues, just wouldn't work for some reason. First time I had a problem with an Apple product.. Here's to hoping it works much better as I will get the new one on Monday. Amazon - tax free

 

[MythicFrost]

I'm hoping it actually makes the thing work correctly.I bought the second generation and had to return it. Every movie took forever to stream and most wouldn't play properly. No, I dont have any internet issues, just wouldn't work for some reason. First time I had a problem with an Apple product.. Here's to hoping it works much better as I will get the new one on Monday. Amazon - tax free

Ah I see. We've noticed some slow speeds on the ATV2 before, but overall it seems to work fine. Can rent or stream without it having to pause to buffer -- although streaming 1080p video from my 4S to it takes forever... that's with our router down the other side of the house too.

I'm hoping we notice some improvement in that area, and in AirPlay mirroring too.

 

[EvilEvil]

I for one am amazed Apple can pack this much technology inside a box and still sell it for under 100 bucks.

Each Apple TV probably costs 5 dollars to make. Massive profits for Apple once again.

 

[burne]

Each Apple TV probably costs 5 dollars to make. Massive profits for Apple once again.

Businessweek reports on new data from research firm iSuppli estimating the component costs for the new Apple TV at under $64, representing a 35% margin on the new device before accounting for such expenses as research and development, software, patent royalties, marketing, and distribution.

So...

 

[JUiCEJamie]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

I saw a menu tab that said Games during the presentation, what does that mean?

Really?! I'm gonna go take a look now. - Are you sure it wasn't "Genius"?

----------

Each Apple TV probably costs 5 dollars to make. Massive profits for Apple once again.

Hardly true. Apple runs at (according to elsewhere) around 37-52% for the new iPad. That's a pretty healthy margin, so the ATV3 will probably be running at a similar (or IMO, a higher margin).

 

[morgajx]

I noticed with the new AppleTV that it now pics up both my SSIDS on my dual band router whereas before I could only pick up one. Can this be the reason why there are two antennas

 

[xinu]

People here think that AppleTV hardware should be profitable?

No.. They can sell AppleTV with zero profit because the real profits come from monthly subscribers who pay that little AppleTV 100x in its life time.

And apps on AppleTV would cannibalize iPad? iPad 7" would cannibalize iPad? MacBookPro without obsolete DVD drives will cannibalize whole world?

Come on. Take that 60" plasma screen on your lap and tell me that it will cannibalize iPads

 

[DaveMcM76]

I bought one to go with my new iPad (3rd Gen) and so now I have 1080p support on my living room TV while my old ATV2 is now providing sterling service on the bedroom TV which only supports 720p anyway....

Just waiting for the jailbreak now so I can get XMBC back on them both and access my UPNP library on my NAS as well as my shared iTunes stuff...

 

[godrifle]

Each Apple TV probably costs 5 dollars to make. Massive profits for Apple once again.

iSupply estimates Apple TV 2 BOM +manufacturing to be ~$64 (http://www.isuppli.com/Teardowns/News/Pages/iSuppli-Teardown-Reveals-Apple-TV-Inner-iPad.aspx). I would expect Apple TV 3 to cost roughly the same.

 

[1goodidea]

Thumbs up for GigE. Wireless is great and all, but I'll take the reliability, minimal lag, and pure blazing speed of a gigE hardwire any day.

+1. Definately worth running cat6 all through the house.

 

[xlii]

People here think that AppleTV hardware should be profitable?

No.. They can sell AppleTV with zero profit because the real profits come from monthly subscribers who pay that little AppleTV 100x in its life time.

And apps on AppleTV would cannibalize iPad? iPad 7" would cannibalize iPad? MacBookPro without obsolete DVD drives will cannibalize whole world?

Come on. Take that 60" plasma screen on your lap and tell me that it will cannibalize iPads

So true... movie purchases and rentals would quickly equal profit for a free apple tv.

 

[Sol]

You forgot the third option... people who want a cheap option for streaming and interfacing with their iTunes ecosystem.

Oh no! You fed the troll!

----------

With 2gb RAM and over-clocked A6 Quad chip that ATV could be quite good gaming platform also. More powerful than Nintendo Wii thats for sure.

There is rumoured to be a big screen mode coming to Steam. This is going to be an interface for Steam to be navigated with controllers on a television screen. With the upcoming OS X 10.8 we will be able to mirror the Mac display through the Apple TV so combined with Steam and a wireless gamepad, this will essentially make the Apple TV a platform for games.

 

[MattInOz]

Apps ?

Maybe ....one day ???

That would sure expand the device in non-American markets.

 

[x-evil-x]

I bought one this afternoon, and it is worth noting that this generation DOES support 5GHz 802.11n. (The 2nd gen supported N, but only 2.4GHz.)

my appletv2 was connected to my 5ghz network ... are you sure?

 

[xinu]

Oh no! You fed the troll!

----------



There is rumoured to be a big screen mode coming to Steam. This is going to be an interface for Steam to be navigated with controllers on a television screen. With the upcoming OS X 10.8 we will be able to mirror the Mac display through the Apple TV so combined with Steam and a wireless gamepad, this will essentially make the Apple TV a platform for games.

That will never happen.

That AirPlay is cool but it lags so much that it will NEVER satisfy the hard core games out there who complain about 2ms lag on LCD screens.

So, that scenario is totally out of question, AirPlay mirroring some games? not a chance in 50 years.

 

[MythicFrost]

Oh no! You fed the troll!

I fed the troll a piece of sand

 

[x-evil-x]

i transfered all my movies(300+) into my iTunes account so now i just stream everything I've ever owned from my computer/ipad/iphone. That alone makes this thing worth it to me. Then all the other stuff on it(when its jailbroken) definitely adds up the value to me at only 100 bucks. in the summer when i can wirelessly display my laptop to my tv just made my 20 dollar cables and 80 dollar keyboard and mouse (that people have to buy to connect their computers to their TV's now) obsolete. surround sound and airplay from my phone or iPad to this thing in my living room or surround sound in my bedroom turns places more into a social lounge. All these things are just the little part of this appletv thats awesome.

 

[mazz0]

I have to say though, Apple have really missed a trick and extra revenue by not having Apps for the ATV3, all it would have taken was a dual core cpu and some extra storage to keep it in line with say a iPad 2 and they would have had a formidable gaming/media presence in the lounge.

I agree about apps - not so much for the gaming (I'm not interested in Angry Birds on my TV, I want full console quality (or better yet PC quality) games or nothing) but for getting media on there from other sources, eg in the UK BBC iPlayer, 4OD, like we have on the PS3. It's all very well saying stream them from the iPad, but when they stop p,acing because the iPad's locked itself, or you want to use Safari at the same time that becomes a crap option.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

I think the fact that Apple haven't developed ATV in a way that is obvious it could be developed suggests that they don't want to cannibalise an existing or future market.

After all, if you could use the ATV for apps and games etc, would sales of the iPad be so high?

That said, the new interface clearly suggests that new apps of some sort are coming. I can't believe that they would release something that looks unfinished (in terms of the layout of the current icons) if they didn't have plans for more development.

Whether ATV is being artificially constrained to protect a future market of some sort is unclear, but with all the rumours it does seem that an actual tv set is coming. I just hope they get it right. Times like this may be when they miss Steve Jobs, but hopefully he drilled enough of his attention to detail into others that they won't release something sub standard.

Agree on both points - the new app style interface does sort of suggest apps are acoming, and yeah, let's hope enough Jobs wore off on Cook and Ive (although we know Ive is a perfectionist by nature, and for all we know Cook is too, there must be a reason Jobs left him in charge).

 

[Sol]

That will never happen.

That AirPlay is cool but it lags so much that it will NEVER satisfy the hard core games out there who complain about 2ms lag on LCD screens.

So, that scenario is totally out of question, AirPlay mirroring some games? not a chance in 50 years.

Anyone complaining about 2 ms does not know what they are talking about. Seriously, can anyone even tell the difference in the real world? That is just something people claim to be able to do to make themselves sound clever, like audiophiles who claim to have golden ears than can tell the difference between a standard cable and one weaved by virgins in zero gravity.

My point being 99.99% of people would not care if there is a tiny bit of lag, imperceptible to the bog-standard human.

 

[x-evil-x]

Anyone complaining about 2 ms does not know what they are talking about. Seriously, can anyone even tell the difference in the real world? That is just something people claim to be able to do to make themselves sound clever, like audiophiles who claim to have golden ears than can tell the difference between a standard cable and one weaved by virgins in zero gravity.

My point being 99.99% of people would not care if there is a tiny bit of lag, imperceptible to the bog-standard human.

the lag in video seems not very good. much longer then 2ms. So yes people would care if it wasn't as fast.

 

[gnasher729]

I should have clarified that I was talking about the streaming scenario. If bandwidth was enough for streaming then buffering in RAM would be better than flash. Flash is obviously needed for full movie rental storage and you are right that it will take a lot of movies to wear out the flash. The device would probably be obsolete before the flash wore out under normal usage.

If the flash memory allowed only 10,000 writes, which would be quite low, you would have to spend probably at least $30,000 on movie rentals before your $99 device wears out. So no problem really.