Is it time to give up hope on the current Apple TV as we know it?
It’s been about 4 months, June 24th to be exact, since Apple last updated the Apple TV. The iPod & iPhone got their love about a month ago, and the rest of the Mac line up pretty much got theirs this past Tuesday. So why no Apple TV update you ask? I have no idea. Is Apple ready to drop the ax on its hobby media center? I don’t think so, let me tell you why.
Let me state that I have no insider knowledge of why Apple is ignoring the Apple TV or what its future plans are, this is all purely speculation. The first reason why I think the Apple TV isn’t going anywhere quite yet, Apple TV specific content. And what I mean by Apple TV specific content is the Apple TV HD rentals. Every day Apple, or the studios, are adding new HD rental titles to its list. These are titles which can only be viewed on the Apple TV. Whats the point of adding new content for a doomed product? Second, I don’t think the new iMac is an Apple TV in disguise. It’s bad enough that Apple segregates a large portion of the movie renting population by requiring an HD TV to work with the Apple TV, what portion of the population is going to buy a $2000 computer to hang on their wall to watch movies? My point being is that this would kind of screw the segment of the population who already own a perfectly fine HD TV and just want a box to watch and rent movies. Third, would Apple wait this late in the year to kill their only media center solution without a complete replacement? If Apple would have added HDMI out to the updated Mac mini, yeah then maybe, but not yet.
So what do I think Apple’s future plans are for the Apple TV? I think there are two features which scream to be added to the Apple TV to help bring a little legitimacy to this hobby box of theirs. One, Apple needs to bring subscription TV Shows and Movies to the Apple TV. I think we are well beyond the point of Netflix proving that for TV Shows and Movies, a subscription model would be a hit. Lets face it, Blu-ray is a stop gap until the bandwidth is available to handle high quality HD streaming for everyone. Until then, Netflix is becoming a feature on every last Blu-ray player and media center box on the planet, while Apple sits back and does nothing. The second featured I want to see are iPhone style apps. Maybe a true web browser app, a few social media apps, and of course games. All though I don’t think the addition of apps and games would make the current Apple TV a serious threat to the Wii or Xbox 360, apps and games would go a long way to making the Apple TV a player again in the entertainment/media center space. And, if adding a subscription service or apps to the Apple TV requires a whole new box, so be it. The current Apple TV is 3 years old, it’s about time for an update to the hardware.
Those would be my hopes dreams and predictions for the current or future Apple TV, and I don’t think I’m expecting much. Ultimately whats most important for me as a consumer is that Apple offer the largest selection of content, movies or otherwise, in the highest quality possible, delivered to me in the easiest way possible. If it’s through the Apple TV so be it, if not, rest in piece Apple TV we hardly knew your potential.
Written by Eddie V. on October 22, 2009
Filed Under: Editorial
CommentsView Comments
View Commentsmichaelsquared
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I love my Apple TVs. I do not even have DVD players in my house anymore. I have almost ripped my entire collection of DVDs to .m4v format, and anything new I rent or buy online. However, I would love a hardware upgrade.
michaelsquared
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:38 pm
BTW, 1st
Jashue
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:47 pm
First? What do you mean?
matrix6028
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Something has to be coming down the pipe, I just wish we would get the hint of something from Apple!
Stephan
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:51 am
What if the Tablet Mac is coming and sports a HDMI output and an IR port? It could replace the Apple TV because you could hook up the Tablet Mac to your TV or take the movies along with you. It will have at least 160GB of storage so it should work just fine if it syncs back to your home Mac.
BC
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:45 am
A tablet device won't replace the TV. I doubt many consumers would like the idea of connecting/disconnecting their tablet in order to watch movies & tv shows.
I could see releasing a new TV in conjunction with a tablet device. The tablet would make a *killer* media remote, wouldn't it?
Also I think the current TV is too underpowered to offer a very compelling game experience.
grega
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I agree the AppleTV needs an app store.
I also agree it needs subscription content. But it doesn't necessarily need to be the same content as it rents – for example it could have a virtual Syfy channel, virtual Showtime movies, etc. I mean, there's room for multiple levels of content. Perhaps some TV shows could be rented too.
I think it needs to be as cheap as possible – so making a tablet replace the AppleTV wouldn't work. However, if we could put our iPhone or iPod in the universal dock, and hit the menu button of our Apple remote to see the Frontrow/AppleTV interface, that could serve as another way to have “AppleTV”.
Lastly, I think Apple could redefine the market if it offered ad supported content as an option. Instead of renting an older TV show, why not watch it with ads for free? It doesn't have to be 18 minutes of ads – it could just be 4 minutes if these ads can be efficiently customised to our needs and interests, based on our professed interests and perhaps the things we look at on our computer.
I suggest ads because there's room here for a device which doesn't just replace “cable TV”, but replaces the whole “free (ad-supported) television” field.
Pete
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:49 pm
I agree with everyone else and hope Apple doesn't just abandon the AppleTV. I've had my model for one year just about and I can not express how wonderful -and how much $ I saved on late fees – it has been using the AppleTV to watch movies, home movies, listen to music and view photos. I luv it! C'mon Apple – think outside the box!
Pete
October 24th, 2009 at 4:49 am
I agree with everyone else and hope Apple doesn’t just abandon the AppleTV. I’ve had my model for one year just about and I can not express how wonderful -and how much $ I saved on late fees – it has been using the AppleTV to watch movies, home movies, listen to music and view photos. I luv it! C’mon Apple – think outside the box!
Leave a reply