Brand new Apple TV
Apple announced it's first major refresh of Apple TV on Wednesday 1st September four years after it's original launch.
So on Wednesday Apple announce the new Apple TV. I think it is an interesting product with a compelling price point. However I am not sure if it will capture the imagination of consumers. Steve Jobs rebutted the consensus of geeks that Apple TV should be a living room computers. Instead Apple has worked to satisfy consumers removing issues concerning syncing and storage management.
In my last blog post titled, iMac touch I deviated from the main topic and wrote about my preferred functionality for a future Apple TV.
I feel that Apple will replicate the App Store for the iTV or Apple TV when it is launched. I will however be extremely dissappointed if the devices are shipped without storage. I believe that any set top box should and must have storage so that it may run as a DVR. Not in the sense of TiVo or Sky Plus but the what I feel a DVR should be for Internet television. The devices would download my video syndicated through RSS over night or during the working day ready for my return. That way the latest episode of Mad Men or TWiT is sitting on my device ready for me.
Quote 1: My aspirations for Apple TV, Credit Matthew Wittering.
The biggest mistake I find with the Apple TV is the complete lack of iOS. A device running iOS would be such a fantastic move by Apple. Doing so would have allowed a radical rethinking of the Media Centre computers for the living room. This could then allow Apple TV owners to add content and service in the same manner they add applications to their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.
I feel what has ultimately stifled this innovation is the Apple executive. I believe that a decision has been taken to only allow video accessed through the iTunes gateway, except Netflix. As video content on Apple TV will flow through the iTunes payment gateway Apple will then take their slice of either $3.99 or 99ยข depending upon whether the user is rent a film or television programme.
I think the new Apple TV has been designed to improve the balance sheets of Apple and Hollywood studios rather than igniting the next television. Apple has considerably under delivered in this iteration of their hobby.
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