Will the next Apple TV be an HDMI stick?

[kristoffer4]

Do you think the next Apple TV will be a HDMI stick like the Chromecast?

 

[matrix07]

Very unlikely.

 

[MagicBoy]

No.

 

[Abazigal]

Do you think the next Apple TV will be a HDMI stick like the Chromecast?

If they can do so without compromising the user experience.

Right now, I use an Apple TV in my classroom, and one advantage I realise it has over competing alternatives like the Chromecast and EZ-cast dongles is its stability. The connection never drops, the airplay compression is rock-solid and the Apple TV is very stable with regards to airplay mirroring.

I am not sure if the Apple TV can be made smaller without compromising the quality of the hardware inside. I am also not sure if USB alone can supply enough power to make this feasible. I would welcome such a device though. It would allow me to plug the dongle into the projector. Currently. I have a 30-m long HDMI cable running from the ceiling-mounted projector, all the way to the edge of the classroom, and down to the table to the Apple TV. 😱

 

[Lord Hamsa]

Do you think the next Apple TV will be a HDMI stick like the Chromecast?

I doubt it. The expectation is that it's actually beefed up a little, not made more lightweight, and you're not going to cram all of that into a "stick", although I have little doubt they can still beef it up and make the form factor smaller.

Personally, I'm hoping for a similar form factor, although I would love if they added an HDMI pass-through port so that another device can use the connection when the ATV is idle.

My prioritized wishlist for a new ATV:

1. Ala carte programming purchase for all channels (a pipe dream outside of Apple's control for now, but it's still my #1).
2. In lieu of #1, single sign-on for cable/satellite authentication so all available channels can be activated from one place.
3. Built in iTunes client and ability to connect it directly to a USB or network drive/share.
4. Improved UI to make navigating my media library easier, especially TV shows and movies that belong to a series.
5. An ATV "app store" to pick and choose which channels and other apps go on my device(s).
6. Unified search to find matching titles, keywords, etc., across all channels (including local library)
7. HDMI pass-through

Now, several of these assume beefier processor and/or more internal storage for channels/apps and streaming buffer. But they're not a wishlist items for me per se, but rather included as implementation of the features that need them.

 

[betman]

It's definitely not coming out as a stick. It's already choking as it and needs to be beefed up, not scaled down in power and size when Amazon already has more powerful hardware out there and other players like Sony are stepping in.

The new iPhone is supposed to be presented next month - any thoughts on whether Apple TV will follow soon?

 

[Sol]

For what it does today, a stick would suffice, although it would mean no wired connection, nor Apple Remote compatibility.

 

[APlotdevice]

For what it does today, a stick would suffice, although it would mean no wired connection, nor Apple Remote compatibility.

It wouldn't be so bad if Apple came out with a Bluetooth remote. (Especially if said remote was also compatible with Macs and iOS devices)