Why doesn't Apple combine the capabilities of the AE, ATV, and Time Capsule?

[johnbro23]

Hardware-wise, all three products seem very similar to me. All have "N" wireless capability. Two of them (ATV and TC) have storage. ATV has the video and audio out connections, while TC and AE have extra ethernet ports.

It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult for Apple to just bundle all of this and sell it for $400 - or maybe even less. I was thinking about buying an ATV, but I'm hesitating because I see a device like this coming the near future.

And two other questions if anyone wants to take a stab at these: what does AE have that TC doesn't? Can you use ATV as an AE?

 

[rkdiddy]

They do - it's called the Mini.

 

[johnbro23]

They do - it's called the Mini.

Yeah, I mean more like a living room unit with ATV software rather than Mac OSX. To me, there's just no reason why the features of these three products do not come in one box already. It should cost $350 - you take TC, add ATV software and a few extra ports.

 

[tbayrgs]

Yeah, I mean more like a living room unit with ATV software rather than Mac OSX. To me, there's just no reason why the features of these three products do not come in one box already. It should cost $350 - you take TC, add ATV software and a few extra ports.

For me, it's about practical use. As it is serving as my wireless network router, I need the TC near my Cable Modem, which is in neither my living room or bedroom where I would use an TV, but rather my office, where I have no need for an TV. I suspect many people also don't have their router set up right next to or nearby their home theaters/media centers so putting all 3 in one package is overkill. Such a product would only appeal to those people who have everything centralized in one location--too small of a niche.

Why pay extra for something you can't/wouldn't use?