There are so many things wrong with this article I don't know where to start.
Chiming in with the choir on this one. Somebody has smoked one too many and let their imagination run wild. We can all see how cool this would be but equally we can see the multitude of reasons why this will not happen.
Quote:
I will readily admit that there's a lot of room to consolidate the functions of a TV, but Apple should strive to the hub into which it all integrates with iTunes connectivity, and DVR functionality. There's no need to reinvent the wheel.
This device makes no sense.
Indeed! Adding all this functionality to a fixed size monitor is a REALLY BAD idea. It works for the iMac but for television sets, no way. This device makes no sense and neither does the thinking behind this report. It seems positively juvenile.
you want cheap satalite? Just buy the equipment outright and add it to a friends account. No extra charge/mo for them and free tv for you (besides the cost of equipment).
I think you should check your info. Dish charges you monthly for each additional box beyond the 1st one. And it varies from $7 to as much as $21/month for each HD DuoDVR with TV everywhere. On top of that, Dish usually limits you to 4 boxes. Check the terms and conditions on the Dish website if you don't believe me https://csa.dishnetwork.com/DHA/DHA.pdf. Truth is, if I was that friend, I'd make you share the cost of the monthly subscription. BTW, DirecTV is pretty much the same. They'll charge you $5.99 for each additional box beyond the 1st, they just call it a monthly lease fee.
they need the content people to go along with it, and the content people are afraid of alienating the cable companies. It's just hard to see how to get from here to there.
Couldn't have said it any better myself... Now I don't know how much is 'crap-talk' and how much is true but the movie and tv industries just don't seem to wanna play in Apples sandbox.
I'm not sure why? While some say, 'just look at what Apple did to the music industry' ... other than SAVE IT FROM ITS OWN DESTRUCTION .... I'm not so sure what offensive act they performed. \
you want cheap satalite? Just buy the equipment outright and add it to a friends account. No extra charge/mo for them and free tv for you (besides the cost of equipment).
Well the same could be said for cable TV (just jack into the next-door neighbors feed) or water or natural gas or electricity, gasoline, lawn gnomes...... however, I'm not sure what the point? A rose by any other name...
Here in Germany you can buy a great HDTV for under 1000 Euros ..
And the Apple TV ain't selling much at all already ..
On top they think people will pay what ? 60-90 a Month for a TV Service ? Where do they live ?
Not here thats for sure ..
Here Customers expect DSL / Landline Fone Service with a Landline to Landline Flatrate and TV for something that costs 60 or more ..
I Pay 60 EUROS for a 50MB Down 10Up stream DSL Line with a Landline and flat with a Tivo like Tv Receiver 60 Channels and Free Films / TV Shows plus Rental Film and Films ..
(T-Home Entertain)
You think i Pay another for a TV and subscription on top of this ? NEVER ..
BTW .. i am NO Apple Hater far from it i looooveee Apple .. ]
I don't think you've read the article. Apple TV we're talking about is not even made yet, so how can you compare it to European price points?
the general idea of this article is spot on, although i'm not sure i agree with the specifics.
it has to be a lot more than an apple tv unit built into an lcd tv. you are starting to see some TVs now with facebook connectivity, youtube connectivity, etc, but their features are hit and miss and their ease of use is poor to average.
this apple tv unit will probably be based on the iphone os, and i would think that the app store model would be available. i would expect innovation in the area of the remote. TV remotes have gotten incredibly confusing to change the simplest of settings. i would guess that there would be a possibility of multiple remotes for casual gaming (through the app store).
i see a challenge in making the experience less personal and more communal. after all, you don't want your facebook notifications coming up in your family's tv all the time, things like that.
without including live cable programming, $50-90 a month is not what even apple would charge for a subscription to content. i am more inclined to believe that internet features and apps would be the main focus, i.e. i think it will be mostly free. if apple ever offers a subscription plan to the (current) apple tv, that same thing would carry over as an option on an apple lcd unit.
plus, netflix starts at only $8 with instant streaming, even if apple gave you unlimited access to all their content on apple tv it couldn't be more than $30/month
so in summary i expect:
high quality TV with integrated:
- apple tv functionality
- app store
- iphone os based, with new interface
- a more innovative take on the remote (as well as remote apps for iphone/ipad/ipod touch)
- of course standard cable and a/v inputs
- no monthly fee unless you subscribe to a content pack
- more interactivity than even current internet enabled TVs
In a note to investors issued Tuesday afternoon, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray said the move makes strategic sense for Apple, as the Cupertino, Calif., company has a history of success in redefining mature markets.
I would argue that Apple has a proven trackrecord, not of redefining mature markets, but immature markets.
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple and took over the reins in 1997 he immediately got the company working on the iMac, which turned out to be a huge succes at its debut in 1998. And ever since Apple has been doing everything right with their computer product lines (save for a G4 Cube and possibly the Air), and yet Apple's computers haven't redefined the PC market in any meaningful sense of the word. In a decade they've gained a 5% increase in marketshare, yes, but redefined the market? No. The PC market was a mature market in 1997.
Where Apple has excelled is in the immature markets. MP3 players were on the market in 2001, but they were not a big item consumer electronics. They weren't a mainstream market article. The iPod changed that. Apple did redefine the market for MP3 players.
Same with smartphones in 2007. Yes, they had been around for a long time, but they were a niche product for tech geeks, and travelling business people. The iPhone changed that, and set off a landslide of consumer smartphones "for the rest of us" in the following years. Apple did redefine the smartphone market.
And now Apple is about to do it all over again. This time with another product category that has been around for almost a decade but still hasn't matured into a mass market consumer product: the tablet computer. The iPad. And this is where Apple shines. Take an immature market with a product category that has so far been halfassed and badly done, and make it right!
When they do that, they have proven that they can indeed redefine markets. But not in mature markets, only in immature markets.
Given how much of a success those were, I think that makes it more remote than otherwise. Apple hasn't tooting their horn on video sales & rental volumes, so I'm skeptical that those numbers are impressive. The thing that might make it worthwhile is if Apple managed to convince the content providers to offer lower prices and offer a much deeper catalog.
If Apple wants living room dominance they had better try improving their lackluster offerings out now.
Apple could build the most elegant box doing 1080p without a sweat outputting 1080p + user selectable audio over HDMI with auto-detection hand-free recalibration of poorly calibrated TVs but what would the point of it be?!?! The movie industry (movie/tv/etc) refuses to offer Apple anything even remotely close to their full catalog (even 1/2 their catalog) and the crumbs they do offer is dumbed down to 720p...
The STUDIOS do not YET want DIGITAL DELIVERY to become the NORM...
The politically sad fact is this...
Some studios backed HD-DVD and lost BIG
Other studios backed BR
Either way the entire industry is 100% behind BR and have EXPENDED vast sums of money getting a HD DISC format to the public.
- Some wasted A LOT of $$ backing the WRONG format
- All wasted A LOT of $$ fighting the WAR (wars always cost money and everyone in the fight helped fund it)
- Some wasted A LOT of money buying the required in studio hardware to support BOTH.
I could continue but lets face it ... lots of money and pride was put on the line with this last fight! Now the winner is crowned. Everyone kissed and made-up but __NOW__ we have that guy Steve guy from Apple banging on our door. The ideas are good with some really interesting HOWEVER ... do we actually consider supporting the ideas with our full catalogs AND at full resolutions?!?! Now, if were do, does ANYONE know what would happen to the 'still battered & bruised' BR format that we've all sunk boat loads of cash into?
Yea... I'm gonna side with 'hold the guy off for as LONG as humanly possible so BR can pay us back" strategy ... We had to waste far to much $$$ making BR a success to let if fair by other markets...
I really think THAT (above) is the MAIN sticking point preventing studios from doing any REAL business with Apple.
Comments
There are so many things wrong with this article I don't know where to start.
Chiming in with the choir on this one. Somebody has smoked one too many and let their imagination run wild. We can all see how cool this would be but equally we can see the multitude of reasons why this will not happen.
I will readily admit that there's a lot of room to consolidate the functions of a TV, but Apple should strive to the hub into which it all integrates with iTunes connectivity, and DVR functionality. There's no need to reinvent the wheel.
This device makes no sense.
Indeed! Adding all this functionality to a fixed size monitor is a REALLY BAD idea. It works for the iMac but for television sets, no way. This device makes no sense and neither does the thinking behind this report. It seems positively juvenile.
you want cheap satalite? Just buy the equipment outright and add it to a friends account. No extra charge/mo for them and free tv for you (besides the cost of equipment).
Equipment cost: Dish Network DVR $300 (ebay)____Dish Network Dish 1000 $65 (Ebay)
All you need is a good friend
I think you should check your info. Dish charges you monthly for each additional box beyond the 1st one. And it varies from $7 to as much as $21/month for each HD DuoDVR with TV everywhere. On top of that, Dish usually limits you to 4 boxes. Check the terms and conditions on the Dish website if you don't believe me https://csa.dishnetwork.com/DHA/DHA.pdf. Truth is, if I was that friend, I'd make you share the cost of the monthly subscription. BTW, DirecTV is pretty much the same. They'll charge you $5.99 for each additional box beyond the 1st, they just call it a monthly lease fee.
they need the content people to go along with it, and the content people are afraid of alienating the cable companies. It's just hard to see how to get from here to there.
Couldn't have said it any better myself... Now I don't know how much is 'crap-talk' and how much is true but the movie and tv industries just don't seem to wanna play in Apples sandbox.
I'm not sure why? While some say, 'just look at what Apple did to the music industry' ... other than SAVE IT FROM ITS OWN DESTRUCTION .... I'm not so sure what offensive act they performed.
you want cheap satalite? Just buy the equipment outright and add it to a friends account. No extra charge/mo for them and free tv for you (besides the cost of equipment).
Equipment cost: Dish Network DVR $300 (ebay)____Dish Network Dish 1000 $65 (Ebay)
All you need is a good friend
Well the same could be said for cable TV (just jack into the next-door neighbors feed) or water or natural gas or electricity, gasoline, lawn gnomes...... however, I'm not sure what the point? A rose by any other name...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_I...Television_Box
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Bandai_Pippin
It's not that remote.
You're a ridicules human being. Not to mention a moaner.
TECHSTUD is a moaner. You're a moaner. You're a moaner TECHSTUD. TECHSTUD is a maner. Moaner.
Moaner.
He sounds like my ex-wife. But in that horrible case, some of the moans were actually welcome.
Where's Ireland?
It's a bit west of England.
You're welcome
Am sorry but they must be smoking something ..
Here in Germany you can buy a great HDTV for under 1000 Euros ..
And the Apple TV ain't selling much at all already ..
On top they think people will pay what ? 60-90 a Month for a TV Service ? Where do they live ?
Not here thats for sure ..
Here Customers expect DSL / Landline Fone Service with a Landline to Landline Flatrate and TV for something that costs 60 or more ..
I Pay 60 EUROS for a 50MB Down 10Up stream DSL Line with a Landline and flat with a Tivo like Tv Receiver 60 Channels and Free Films / TV Shows plus Rental Film and Films ..
(T-Home Entertain)
You think i Pay another for a TV and subscription on top of this ? NEVER ..
BTW .. i am NO Apple Hater far from it i looooveee Apple ..
I don't think you've read the article. Apple TV we're talking about is not even made yet, so how can you compare it to European price points?
It's a bit west of England.
You're welcome
Too late!
It's that country near Great Britain. (Sorry, hard to resist.)
it has to be a lot more than an apple tv unit built into an lcd tv. you are starting to see some TVs now with facebook connectivity, youtube connectivity, etc, but their features are hit and miss and their ease of use is poor to average.
this apple tv unit will probably be based on the iphone os, and i would think that the app store model would be available. i would expect innovation in the area of the remote. TV remotes have gotten incredibly confusing to change the simplest of settings. i would guess that there would be a possibility of multiple remotes for casual gaming (through the app store).
i see a challenge in making the experience less personal and more communal. after all, you don't want your facebook notifications coming up in your family's tv all the time, things like that.
without including live cable programming, $50-90 a month is not what even apple would charge for a subscription to content. i am more inclined to believe that internet features and apps would be the main focus, i.e. i think it will be mostly free. if apple ever offers a subscription plan to the (current) apple tv, that same thing would carry over as an option on an apple lcd unit.
plus, netflix starts at only $8 with instant streaming, even if apple gave you unlimited access to all their content on apple tv it couldn't be more than $30/month
so in summary i expect:
high quality TV with integrated:
- apple tv functionality
- app store
- iphone os based, with new interface
- a more innovative take on the remote (as well as remote apps for iphone/ipad/ipod touch)
- of course standard cable and a/v inputs
- no monthly fee unless you subscribe to a content pack
- more interactivity than even current internet enabled TVs
In a note to investors issued Tuesday afternoon, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray said the move makes strategic sense for Apple, as the Cupertino, Calif., company has a history of success in redefining mature markets.
I would argue that Apple has a proven trackrecord, not of redefining mature markets, but immature markets.
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple and took over the reins in 1997 he immediately got the company working on the iMac, which turned out to be a huge succes at its debut in 1998. And ever since Apple has been doing everything right with their computer product lines (save for a G4 Cube and possibly the Air), and yet Apple's computers haven't redefined the PC market in any meaningful sense of the word. In a decade they've gained a 5% increase in marketshare, yes, but redefined the market? No. The PC market was a mature market in 1997.
Where Apple has excelled is in the immature markets. MP3 players were on the market in 2001, but they were not a big item consumer electronics. They weren't a mainstream market article. The iPod changed that. Apple did redefine the market for MP3 players.
Same with smartphones in 2007. Yes, they had been around for a long time, but they were a niche product for tech geeks, and travelling business people. The iPhone changed that, and set off a landslide of consumer smartphones "for the rest of us" in the following years. Apple did redefine the smartphone market.
And now Apple is about to do it all over again. This time with another product category that has been around for almost a decade but still hasn't matured into a mass market consumer product: the tablet computer. The iPad. And this is where Apple shines. Take an immature market with a product category that has so far been halfassed and badly done, and make it right!
When they do that, they have proven that they can indeed redefine markets. But not in mature markets, only in immature markets.
If Apple wants living room dominance they had better try improving their lackluster offerings out now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_TV
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_I...Television_Box
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Bandai_Pippin
It's not that remote.
Given how much of a success those were, I think that makes it more remote than otherwise. Apple hasn't tooting their horn on video sales & rental volumes, so I'm skeptical that those numbers are impressive. The thing that might make it worthwhile is if Apple managed to convince the content providers to offer lower prices and offer a much deeper catalog.
Ya, Apple never thinks things through.
A physical apple TV is instant fail.
If Apple wants living room dominance they had better try improving their lackluster offerings out now.
Apple could build the most elegant box doing 1080p without a sweat outputting 1080p + user selectable audio over HDMI with auto-detection hand-free recalibration of poorly calibrated TVs but what would the point of it be?!?! The movie industry (movie/tv/etc) refuses to offer Apple anything even remotely close to their full catalog (even 1/2 their catalog) and the crumbs they do offer is dumbed down to 720p...
The STUDIOS do not YET want DIGITAL DELIVERY to become the NORM...
The politically sad fact is this...
Some studios backed HD-DVD and lost BIG
Other studios backed BR
Either way the entire industry is 100% behind BR and have EXPENDED vast sums of money getting a HD DISC format to the public.
- Some wasted A LOT of $$ backing the WRONG format
- All wasted A LOT of $$ fighting the WAR (wars always cost money and everyone in the fight helped fund it)
- Some wasted A LOT of money buying the required in studio hardware to support BOTH.
I could continue but lets face it ... lots of money and pride was put on the line with this last fight! Now the winner is crowned. Everyone kissed and made-up but __NOW__ we have that guy Steve guy from Apple banging on our door. The ideas are good with some really interesting HOWEVER ... do we actually consider supporting the ideas with our full catalogs AND at full resolutions?!?! Now, if were do, does ANYONE know what would happen to the 'still battered & bruised' BR format that we've all sunk boat loads of cash into?
Yea... I'm gonna side with 'hold the guy off for as LONG as humanly possible so BR can pay us back" strategy ... We had to waste far to much $$$ making BR a success to let if fair by other markets...
I really think THAT (above) is the MAIN sticking point preventing studios from doing any REAL business with Apple.
He sounds like my ex-wife. But in that horrible case, some of the moans were actually welcome.
That horrible case when she was moaning?
A physical apple TV is instant fail.
If Apple wants living room dominance they had better try improving their lackluster offerings out now.
Jobs hates Blu-ray, 16:9, HDMI, web browsing in the living room, Flash, only wants you to rent or buy from iTunes, and this is to be taken seriously?
Jobs hates Blu-ray, 16:9, HDMI, web browsing in the living room, Flash, only wants you to rent or buy from iTunes, and this is to be taken seriously?
Are you to be taken seriously?
A physical apple TV is instant fail.
No. ifail = instant fail.
Are you to be taken seriously?
Ignore him. He's just a low self-esteem-driven loser that seemingly has nothing better to do with his pathetic life.