Steve Jobs: iTunes LP, Extra coming to iOS Apple TV

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
After its transition into an iOS device, Apple TV lost the ability to display iTunes LP and Extras, but support is on the way according to an email attributed to Apple's chief executive.



An email reply ostensibly from Steve Jobs, saying that support for iTunes LP and Extras were, in a word, "Coming."



The original Apple TV appliance ran a custom version of Mac OS X on an Intel processor, while the latest $99 version is now an iOS device built around Apple's ARM-based A4 chip.



This necessitates adapted support for playback of iTunes LPs, which add liner notes, lyrics, photos and other graphics to digital music albums, and iTunes Extras, which augment digital movie downloads with DVD-style special features such as behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, and other bonus content.



Both products are based upon the HTML5 platform, using a special JavaScript framework called TuneKit, developed by Apple to support animated, interactive menus.



While the new content first appeared in iTunes for desktop playback only, it contained code references to "HDTV" features that suggested it was targeted at Apple TV playback. Within a few weeks, Apple released Apple TV 3.0 software with support for iTunes LP and Extras.



The work required to add support for iTunes LPs and Extras to the new iOS-based Apple TV will likely also be reused to bring it to iPad, which uses the same 1024x768 native resolution as iTunes LP and Extra content. iPhone and iPod touch users may also see content playback support added for iTunes LPs and Extras.



Apple is currently in the final stages of preparing iOS 4.2, which brings AirPlay wireless audio, video, and photo streaming to its entire range of mobile devices. An update for Apple TV is also expected, along with an updated release of iTunes 10 and Mac OS X on the desktop.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    I find this a lot more credible than the rumored Stevemail denial of any future USB 3.0 support.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by donnst View Post


    I find this a lot more credible than the rumored Stevemail denial of any future USB 3.0 support.



    I don't know. Looking at history that sounds like something Jobs would say and do.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    I would love to see iTunes Extra and LP on the iPhone and iPad.. Most especially the iPad.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wurm5150 View Post


    I don't know. Looking at history that sounds like something Jobs would say and do.



    It does sound like Jobs, but Light Peak is little more than a technology demonstration at this point. Intel will have USB 3.0 integrated into their next chipsets so there will be no significant cost to Apple. I expect the early 2011 iMac and MBP to ship with USB 3.0 ports.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    ahmlcoahmlco Posts: 432member
    Forget that. What I want to know is why the Apple TV rather conveniently lost the ability to rent standard-definition movies?



    Currently, you can NOT rent a standard definition movie that costs $2.99. It only shows $3.99 HD movies. Same for new flicks. No $3.99 rentals, only $4.99 ones.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ahmlco View Post


    Forget that. What I want to know is why the Apple TV rather conveniently lost the ability to rent standard-definition movies?



    Currently, you can NOT rent a standard definition movie that costs $2.99. It only shows $3.99 HD movies. Same for new flicks. No $3.99 rentals, only $4.99 ones.



    Yes, you can. To do so, go into settings, and turn off "HD". Then everything you rent is offered in SD. Not convenient if you switch back and forth, but does clean up the interface a bit.
  • Reply 7 of 14
    rptrpt Posts: 175member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ahmlco View Post


    Forget that. What I want to know is why the Apple TV rather conveniently lost the ability to rent standard-definition movies?



    Currently, you can NOT rent a standard definition movie that costs $2.99. It only shows $3.99 HD movies. Same for new flicks. No $3.99 rentals, only $4.99 ones.



    My experience is that you can hardly rent an HD movie from ITunes. On my doing so the ATV told me it would take 6000 minutes to download it, in real life it took almost 2 hrs before the movie was ready to play. No movie for me that night! I tested my IPS to provide 25 MBit/s at the same time, so that should not be the problem. It would be nice to have the 6000 minutes bug fixed, but 2 hours would still be outrageous. Checking at the Apple support pages, I found similar complaints in abundance. Fortunately I still have the first generation ATV ...
  • Reply 8 of 14
    We just ordered a Roku XDS to replace our new AppleTV, which has so many problems - starting with the inability to work with anything but HDMI+720p... it can't even step down, and they botched the HDMI/DVI compatibility. It's *really* bad at finding iTunes libraries; and the interface is slooooow, not the least because of the awful "keyboard", which doesn't even wrap around, so alternating letters at opposite ends are twice as difficult to select. And that whole HD or SD, rather than a choice at viewing time... that's just a crock. You have to go into and out of the settings over and over again just to be able to pick what you want to watch. And for an IOS device, it's notably lacking in any cool IOS apps, which is simply disappointing. You don't even get any decent visualizations for the audio streams, like Internet radio.



    The Roku, at the *same* price point, goes up to 1080p on HDMI/DVI, has component out up to 1080i, offers TosLink, analog audio, video, ethernet and wifi. It internally buffers the streams so you can rewind a little bit (10 seconds) without the dreaded "re-buffering" "feature" of streaming video. The remote is better, too, with a dedicated home button and others to help you navigate. I don't know if all that will make it better in practice, but I sure know that our "Apple TV Experience" wasn't up to the usual Mac standards. First time I ever wrote a negative review about an Apple hardware product.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    akf2000akf2000 Posts: 223member
    Starting a new para with "This necessitates..." who the hell writes this stuff.
  • Reply 10 of 14
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RPT View Post


    My experience is that you can hardly rent an HD movie from ITunes. On my doing so the ATV told me it would take 6000 minutes to download it, in real life it took almost 2 hrs before the movie was ready to play.



    I haven't tried to rent a movie yet since I am completely preoccupied with Netflix on my ATV on which movies start almost instantly. I totally love the thing. Might be the best $99 I ever spent.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by fyngyrz View Post


    We just ordered a Roku XDS to replace our new AppleTV, which has so many problems - starting with the inability to work with anything but HDMI+720p... it can't even step down, and they botched the HDMI/DVI compatibility. It's *really* bad at finding iTunes libraries; and the interface is slooooow, not the least because of the awful "keyboard", which doesn't even wrap around, so alternating letters at opposite ends are twice as difficult to select. And that whole HD or SD, rather than a choice at viewing time... that's just a crock. You have to go into and out of the settings over and over again just to be able to pick what you want to watch. And for an IOS device, it's notably lacking in any cool IOS apps, which is simply disappointing. You don't even get any decent visualizations for the audio streams, like Internet radio.



    The Roku, at the *same* price point, goes up to 1080p on HDMI/DVI, has component out up to 1080i, offers TosLink, analog audio, video, ethernet and wifi. It internally buffers the streams so you can rewind a little bit (10 seconds) without the dreaded "re-buffering" "feature" of streaming video. The remote is better, too, with a dedicated home button and others to help you navigate. I don't know if all that will make it better in practice, but I sure know that our "Apple TV Experience" wasn't up to the usual Mac standards. First time I ever wrote a negative review about an Apple hardware product.



    my experience is exactly the opposite, I had a Roku, now it gathers dust. I should unplug it since it's just leaching power. The interface was ok, but the netflix experience absolutely sucks in comparison to the ATV, it seemed to have issues streaming anything better than SD content on Netflix, where the new ATV is a solid stream. The Roku netflix menu is horrible with too big movie 'boxes' or whatever they're called.



    regarding the keyboard onscreen, give the remote another click and it goes to the other side of the list.. anyway, I use my iPad or iPhone with the Remote app to type, it makes more sense. Anyone navigating with that POS remote is in for trouble.



    In any case, I think there are interesting times ahead with the ATV. I'm thinking Roku is in trouble, give them 6 months to a year at most, unfortunately. With Boxee, Google TV and ATV, they're gonna be dust.
  • Reply 12 of 14
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sandau View Post


    regarding the keyboard onscreen, give the remote another click and it goes to the other side of the list.. anyway, I use my iPad or iPhone with the Remote app to type, it makes more sense. Anyone navigating with that POS remote is in for trouble.



    Isn't it a very poor design to force people into purchasing an iPhone etc just to make the interface usable?
  • Reply 13 of 14
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jfanning View Post


    Isn't it a very poor design to force people into purchasing an iPhone etc just to make the interface usable?



    I wouldn't expect to be typing the great american novel on your ATV. Your other extreme is this kind of garbage, and I'd much rather have a simple remote that is functional and works well (which the ATV does). I personally use my iPhone or a Harmony for all devices, 99% of the time it's the Harmony except when typing.



  • Reply 14 of 14
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sandau View Post


    I wouldn't expect to be typing the great american novel on your ATV. Your other extreme is this kind of garbage, and I'd much rather have a simple remote that is functional and works well (which the ATV does). I personally use my iPhone or a Harmony for all devices, 99% of the time it's the Harmony except when typing.




    Yes, that is a horrible looking remote. But the Apple remote only works well when you are choosing pre-defined items (like music or videos) but for typing it doesn't help the terrible interface Apple gives you.
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