Rumor: Apple will not debut 'new-style' Apple TV at Tuesday event
After sparking rumors of an all-new Apple TV last month, TechCrunch columnist and Google Ventures partner MG Siegler on Sunday said setbacks will see the device's launch pushed back beyond next week's planned special event.
Siegler is "pouring a small amount of water" on his own Apple TV rumor, saying the new hardware will likely be a no-show at Apple's media event planned for Tuesday.
"Well, now I feel the need to pour a little -- just a little, mind you -- cold water on the rumor fire," Siegler writes on his blog ParisLemon. "While I still haven't heard anything concrete, the most recent whispers I have heard is that the Apple TV project has been delayed a bit."
In August, Siegler set the rumor mill churning when he hinted that Apple was planning to reveal updated Apple TV hardware in November, noting users would interact with the device via a new type of control scheme. It should be noted that the device in question is not expected to be a full-fledged television set, as some analysts expect, but instead a "new-style" version of Apple's existing set-top streamer.
Following the iPhone event in September, Siegler tweeted a follow-up comment reinforcing his claims.
"I guess those excited about a software refresh in a week are gonna be *really* excited when new Apple TV hardware is unveiled next month," Siegler said.
Apple ultimately released Apple TV Software 6.0 at the end of September with support for new features like iTunes Radio.
As for the "new-style" Apple TV's delay, Siegler noted that the timing may not be right for Apple to launch the device anytime soon.
"It's hard to imagine Apple holding a third event following the iPhone one in September and the iPad event next week," he said. "But who knows? Not me, this time."
While a completely new Apple set-top streamer is looking less likely for debut in the coming weeks, Siegler is quick to point out that a refreshed unit could still see release on Tuesday with minor spec bumps.
It was reported last week that Amazon's German and French websites showed unavailability for the current third generation Apple TV until Oct. 23, the day after Apple's upcoming special event, suggesting a refresh may be in the works.
Siegler is "pouring a small amount of water" on his own Apple TV rumor, saying the new hardware will likely be a no-show at Apple's media event planned for Tuesday.
"Well, now I feel the need to pour a little -- just a little, mind you -- cold water on the rumor fire," Siegler writes on his blog ParisLemon. "While I still haven't heard anything concrete, the most recent whispers I have heard is that the Apple TV project has been delayed a bit."
In August, Siegler set the rumor mill churning when he hinted that Apple was planning to reveal updated Apple TV hardware in November, noting users would interact with the device via a new type of control scheme. It should be noted that the device in question is not expected to be a full-fledged television set, as some analysts expect, but instead a "new-style" version of Apple's existing set-top streamer.
Following the iPhone event in September, Siegler tweeted a follow-up comment reinforcing his claims.
"I guess those excited about a software refresh in a week are gonna be *really* excited when new Apple TV hardware is unveiled next month," Siegler said.
Apple ultimately released Apple TV Software 6.0 at the end of September with support for new features like iTunes Radio.
As for the "new-style" Apple TV's delay, Siegler noted that the timing may not be right for Apple to launch the device anytime soon.
"It's hard to imagine Apple holding a third event following the iPhone one in September and the iPad event next week," he said. "But who knows? Not me, this time."
While a completely new Apple set-top streamer is looking less likely for debut in the coming weeks, Siegler is quick to point out that a refreshed unit could still see release on Tuesday with minor spec bumps.
It was reported last week that Amazon's German and French websites showed unavailability for the current third generation Apple TV until Oct. 23, the day after Apple's upcoming special event, suggesting a refresh may be in the works.
Comments
As to a re-designed ATV, who knows?
But when it comes to a "spec-bumbed" version of the one we already have, what's really the point? I mean, I use mine a good deal of the time, and I'm sort of mystified as to what could be improved that would be a Real Difference to the end-user. What am I missing here, if anything?
Seriously, it gets boring. I'm really not one who complains about analysts, I just let them do their (often poor) job. But what really bugs me is that they come up with "information" and as their release date gets closer it is NEVER their fault, but instead they argue that the project got delayed on Apple's side.
It is always production problems or supply problems that causes their predictions to come out false.
Really!!????
At least admit that you have been wrong.
Well in terms of spec-bump of the current atv?
Definitely 802.11ac support...
Beside of that in regards of the current model, i still hope more of a software than a hardware refresh... like bringing a app store to atv - dear apple, it's about time... ;-)
But to be honest, i have the feeling that nothing is going to happen to ATV at the event and we see bumped ipads & nothing more along some silent refreshes...
(mbp, mac mini, etc.)
Apple may not even be aware of it, but the last ever Nokia World event had already been arranged for the same day before the Apple event was announced. Conspiracy theorists would have it that Apple deliberately fixed this event to 'steal the media focus' form Nokia.
Let's face it, even if it's just the announcement of a slightly longer standard charging cable for the iPad range and Nokia announce a 4K 10" tablet with full Windows, 16mb RAM, 2tb flash storage and brainwave reading technology for $99 - the media will be all over the charging cable and ignore the tablet!
Well in terms of spec-bump of the current atv?
Definitely 802.11ac support...
Beside of that in regards of the current model, i still hope more of a software than a hardware refresh... like bringing a app store to atv - dear apple, it's about time... ;-)
But to be honest, i have the feeling that nothing is going to happen to ATV at the event and we see bumped ipads & nothing more along some silent refreshes...
(mbp, mac mini, etc.)
Is 802.11ac even necessary on ATV? I mean, I can easily AirPlay a movie from my iMac through my ATV with no problems with the present set-up?
802.11ac seems like overkill, unless I'm missing something.
Is 802.11ac even necessary on ATV? I mean, I can easily AirPlay a movie from my iMac through my ATV with no problems with the present set-up?
802.11ac seems like overkill, unless I'm missing something.
4k streaming compatibility will be needed pretty soon. If Apple ever manufacture a TV screen, it would be very un-Apple if it wasn't a 4k one. Although there would have to be some bull-shit name for it similar to 'retina' to differentiate from all the other TV screens with exactly the same pixel count.
edit: Although making 4k streaming available to Apple TV screens only would be in line with historic market strategy. Why make an Apple TV box that'll stream 4k to anyone else's TV screen? Or perhaps build in some 4k streaming method that only plays nice with an Apple TV screen?
Is 802.11ac even necessary on ATV? I mean, I can easily AirPlay a movie from my iMac through my ATV with no problems with the present set-up?
802.11ac seems like overkill, unless I'm missing something.
Well for airPlay it's ok with the current model, but if you're going to stream large FullHD Content (large bitrates...) through "plex connect" to your apple tv and your router/base station is not in the same room, your just loosing to much bandwith to stream that content ;-)
Sure, if Apple updates the airport express silently this will also fit my needs...
Because i could use the Airport Express and connect this to the ATV...
The only reason i didn't upgraded my time capsule by now to the new one is the lack of devices connecting to it on the ac standard...
So "if" they release a ATV Hardware Revision, I think it would make sense to update to AC...
Actually much could be done to make AppleTV a far better product. It is a question of how far Apple can take the device at the current price point. Here are some examples:
These are just a few possibilities off the top of my head.
4k streaming compatibility will be needed pretty soon. If Apple ever manufacture a TV screen, it would be very un-Apple if it wasn't a 4k one. Although there would have to be some bull-shit name for it similar to 'retina' to differentiate from all the other TV screens with exactly the same pixel count.
edit: Although making 4k streaming available to Apple TV screens only would be in line with historic market strategy. Why make an Apple TV box that'll stream 4k to anyone else's TV screen? Or perhaps build in some 4k streaming method that only plays nice with an Apple TV screen?
Unless the iTunes Store is going to start streaming at 4K, we aren't going to see 4K support in the ATV. Really, even the trailblazers in the 4K space (Sony) aren't promising a 4K streaming product. Everything needs to be downloaded in entirety to their player. There really is no need at this point for 802.11ac support. The current ATV box only supports 10/100 ethernet, and that's plenty in the current environment.
I cannot understand why Apple has not made an iPad app that mirrors what I see on my ATV, then I could have full keyboard access and touch control. Using the current remote to put words into the search boxes is so last decade.
Either the idea Steve Jobs had when he said "he cracked it" takes a long time to implement, or maybe it was just a very early stage of idea. Because between the time he said he cracked it and the time it seems to take for the idea to become a product I'm getting skeptical it will ever materialize.
Anyway, if Apple has something up its sleeve I'm curious to see it.
Apple TV is fine as it is for me. I'd like to have the app store put in there, but then I'd need some serious HW because I'd love to dump the PS3...
I'd love for the ATV in other countries to be as rich in content as the US Store version and for it to become more and more a consumption hub. (think about Netflix, Hulu, Vevo, and the like worldwide). Of course it doesn't depend entirely on Apple, but...
I cannot understand why Apple has not made an iPad app that mirrors what I see on my ATV, then I could have full keyboard access and touch control. Using the current remote to put words into the search boxes is so last decade.
How would a mirror of the AppleTV interface be better than Remote.app? Touch control over a non-touch (hell, AppleTV isn't even mouse driven) interface doesn't sound like a great idea.
Re. updates, I could definitely get used to a faster AppleTV; it's not slow but it could definitely be faster. And 802.11ac and more on board storage would help with buffering. Don't see that there's any reason to doubt one is coming, even if it's just a spec bump, it's been 18 months since the last significant revision (not including the rev A tweak that happened in January).
Also, assuming the new iPad mini gets an A6 or above, and the iPad 2 gets discontinued, then in two days the iPhone 4S will be the only other device with the A5 processor, and it''ll be the first time that the Apple TV is on the same technical level as the budget iPhone. Maybe that's not important to Apple, but it seems like they'd want to aim a bit higher than that.
I quite like Siegler, he's normally quite an interesting guy with more insight than most into what he's talking about, but he doesn't do himself any favours by repeating whispers that he's heard.
Either the idea Steve Jobs had when he said "he cracked it" takes a long time to implement, or maybe it was just a very early stage of idea. Because between the time he said he cracked it and the time it seems to take for the idea to become a product I'm getting skeptical it will ever materialize.
Maybe he'd thought he cracked it, but on further investigation it turned out to be a dud idea? Not everything Steve touched turned to gold, and he was rather predisposed to claim things as insanely great. Even those with an exceptionally good hit ratio will sometimes miss.
I cannot understand why Apple has not made an iPad app that mirrors what I see on my ATV, then I could have full keyboard access and touch control. Using the current remote to put words into the search boxes is so last decade.
Why not use the remote app? Large trackpad for the ATV and keyboards pop up when you need to input text. (The "add next" feature for music is pretty nice too.)
In other words, announce it at the event, and release it when it's actually built.