Could that perhaps have more to do with DRM than trying to obsolete a widely available optical port that almost every sound bar offers? Very few of those have an HDMI connection and requiring users to go spend another $40 to get an adapter for "no particular reason" doesn't sound right.
If it's a DRM thing then why did they support it before? In any case, what's the value of "pirating" surround sound audio from a movie? I think the more plausible explanation is that Apple decided optical links have no future and doubled down on HDMI - or at least the notion that any optical audio support should be handled between the TV and receiver and not the AV source device.
Remember, I didn't say that removing the port and adding a USB-C that does nothing till it breaks was stupid, the guy at the Genius Bar said it - an actual apple employee! In fact he added "it's like telling the public it's going to break so much we need access - quite the wrong message", and I quote. So apple's own people roll their eyes on that decision.
You ask people to see things from the point of view of a professional filmmaker, but yet are completely myopic yourself about the purpose of the USB-C port (as well as the Genius Bar employee you speak about). The primary purpose is so that developers can hook the ?tv up to their Mac and upload/test apps on it.
As for removing the digital audio output port, the vast majority of home theatre systems created in the last 5 years do both audio and video over HDMI. I personally have a 10 year old home theatre system which requires separate audio and video cabling, so I had to cough up for an HDMI audio/video splitter from Monoprice. But I'm fully aware of the fact that it's just the cost of trying to keep older equipment going a bit longer.
Is there anything in Eddy Cue's org that would be considered best in class? Maybe Apple Pay but that's about it. Check out the latest App Store snafu. http://www.allenpike.com/2015/the-worst-app/ Makes you wonder if humans are reviewing what gets on the App Store.
Thanks for the link. That was an interesting read. Sometimes I feel there is still some RDF alive at Apple. Otherwise, it's hard for me to explain how they can spend so much time designing a trash can (Craig Federighi), or as mentioned before focus on 3D effects on icons instead of easy logon and text input and probably many other examples. How can a company that is so much into detail and user experience sometimes miss the bloody obvious?
It's not about the remote input. It's about the omission of alternative input.
Right. I'm not talking about that. There are people that hate the remote. I don't know why. For what it does it works great, IMO. But yes I agree there should be other input methods.
Thanks for the link. That was an interesting read. Sometimes I feel there is still some RDF alive at Apple. Otherwise, it's hard for me to explain how they can spend so much time designing a trash can (Craig Federighi), or as mentioned before focus on 3D effects on icons instead of easy logon and text input and probably many other examples. How can a company that is so much into detail and user experience sometimes miss the bloody obvious?
I think we're seeing the effects of a resource constrained Apple. Steve Jobs designed Apple 2.0 to work a lot like a start-up. But Apple's way to big to work like that now. Go back to that New Yorker profile of Jony Ive. The interviewer mentions Ive sometimes nodding off as they were speaking because he was so tired. Ive mentions that towards the end of 2014 he caught pneumonia because he said he worked himself into not being well. Look at everything Eddy Cue oversees. It's ridiculous. That's why I've argued that Tim Cook needs to hire an SVP to oversee Apple's cloud business. Imagine how things might be different if the only thing Eddy Cue had to focus on was iTunes/App Store, Apple Music and Apple TV. I would also argue that Tim Cook needs to do a better job being the final arbiter. Everybody else is so busy trying to getting shit done, Cook needs to be the who says "yes this is ready" or "no this needs more work".
This isn't really an issue. You authenticate each app once and you're done. It's not like you have to keep logging in or anything. Also, things will evolve over time. As more services go a la cart, there won't be a need to authenticate from your provider. The future should be full access from your Apple ID. I don't authenticate Clash of Clans, it's linked to my Apple account and loads on all my devices. A solution to a problem that isn't really a problem.
I find the fact that Apple refuses to add their Remote program for iOS and BT Keyboard support to be particularly disturbing!! I really want to buy the ATV4 but not until it works at least as well as the previous ATV's. Like someone said they could have already fixed these short comings since t's release but they continue to treat Customers as Beta Testers!!! I really don't think that SJ would have let the ATV4 be released so unpolished!!! You know....from the richest tech company on the planet!!!
I think we're seeing the effects of a resource constrained Apple. Steve Jobs designed Apple 2.0 to work a lot like a start-up. But Apple's way to big to work like that now. Go back to that New Yorker profile of Jony Ive. The interviewer mentions Ive sometimes nodding off as they were speaking because he was so tired. Ive mentions that towards the end of 2014 he caught pneumonia because he said he worked himself into not being well. Look at everything Eddy Cue oversees. It's ridiculous. That's why I've argued that Tim Cook needs to hire an SVP to oversee Apple's cloud business. Imagine how things might be different if the only thing Eddy Cue had to focus on was iTunes/App Store, Apple Music and Apple TV. I would also argue that Tim Cook needs to do a better job being the final arbiter. Everybody else is so busy trying to getting shit done, Cook needs to be the who says "yes this is ready" or "no this needs more work".
Very good points. Fully agree on Ive and the need for a dedicated iCloud SVP.
Still, it's funny to consider a company like Apple to be "resource constrained".
Is it because "home growing" such people takes so long? It's hard to imagine they don't see this and there is no one out there that can relieve this constraint.
Between tvOS and Apple Music, a bad year for Apple UI/UX in general.
Stupid thing is, the previous AppleTVs don't have this issue. I don't even know what my Hulu login & password is because it authenticates via iTunes!
A big step backwards Apple & no I don't sign in via non-system services because you don't really know who's written the dialog box capturing your username and password.
Comments
Could that perhaps have more to do with DRM than trying to obsolete a widely available optical port that almost every sound bar offers? Very few of those have an HDMI connection and requiring users to go spend another $40 to get an adapter for "no particular reason" doesn't sound right.
If it's a DRM thing then why did they support it before? In any case, what's the value of "pirating" surround sound audio from a movie? I think the more plausible explanation is that Apple decided optical links have no future and doubled down on HDMI - or at least the notion that any optical audio support should be handled between the TV and receiver and not the AV source device.
Got the new Apple TV the day it came out. It looks great, it does everything I expected it to, the menus are excellent, and I'm very happy with it.
Remember, I didn't say that removing the port and adding a USB-C that does nothing till it breaks was stupid, the guy at the Genius Bar said it - an actual apple employee! In fact he added "it's like telling the public it's going to break so much we need access - quite the wrong message", and I quote. So apple's own people roll their eyes on that decision.
You ask people to see things from the point of view of a professional filmmaker, but yet are completely myopic yourself about the purpose of the USB-C port (as well as the Genius Bar employee you speak about). The primary purpose is so that developers can hook the ?tv up to their Mac and upload/test apps on it.
As for removing the digital audio output port, the vast majority of home theatre systems created in the last 5 years do both audio and video over HDMI. I personally have a 10 year old home theatre system which requires separate audio and video cabling, so I had to cough up for an HDMI audio/video splitter from Monoprice. But I'm fully aware of the fact that it's just the cost of trying to keep older equipment going a bit longer.
Thanks for the link. That was an interesting read. Sometimes I feel there is still some RDF alive at Apple. Otherwise, it's hard for me to explain how they can spend so much time designing a trash can (Craig Federighi), or as mentioned before focus on 3D effects on icons instead of easy logon and text input and probably many other examples. How can a company that is so much into detail and user experience sometimes miss the bloody obvious?
It's not about the remote input. It's about the omission of alternative input.
Right. I'm not talking about that. There are people that hate the remote. I don't know why. For what it does it works great, IMO. But yes I agree there should be other input methods.
I think we're seeing the effects of a resource constrained Apple. Steve Jobs designed Apple 2.0 to work a lot like a start-up. But Apple's way to big to work like that now. Go back to that New Yorker profile of Jony Ive. The interviewer mentions Ive sometimes nodding off as they were speaking because he was so tired. Ive mentions that towards the end of 2014 he caught pneumonia because he said he worked himself into not being well. Look at everything Eddy Cue oversees. It's ridiculous. That's why I've argued that Tim Cook needs to hire an SVP to oversee Apple's cloud business. Imagine how things might be different if the only thing Eddy Cue had to focus on was iTunes/App Store, Apple Music and Apple TV. I would also argue that Tim Cook needs to do a better job being the final arbiter. Everybody else is so busy trying to getting shit done, Cook needs to be the who says "yes this is ready" or "no this needs more work".
Very good points. Fully agree on Ive and the need for a dedicated iCloud SVP.
Still, it's funny to consider a company like Apple to be "resource constrained".
Is it because "home growing" such people takes so long? It's hard to imagine they don't see this and there is no one out there that can relieve this constraint.
Too fast speeding out on too many things?
Stupid thing is, the previous AppleTVs don't have this issue. I don't even know what my Hulu login & password is because it authenticates via iTunes!
A big step backwards Apple & no I don't sign in via non-system services because you don't really know who's written the dialog box capturing your username and password.