Updated Apple TV hardware not coming to WWDC 2015, report says
Despite widespread rumors pointing to the contrary, a new Apple TV set-top will not premiere at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, a report said on Wednesday.
Apple had been planning to make a splash at WWDC as recently as mid-May, two sources told the New York Times. The decision to postpone was allegedly made after it was judged the product wasn't ready to be shown publicly. No information regarding an alternative announcement date was offered.
A core obstacle is reportedly Apple's plans for a streaming TV service, featuring a "skinny" bundle of channels. Various sources told the Times that content providers are still nowhere near signing deals with Apple, owing to disagreements over pricing, rights, and technology.
Similar claims about the TV service were made by Re/code on Monday. That site did not, however, suggest that the absence of subscription options would interfere with the launch of new hardware.
Previous reports have indicated that the next Apple TV will have an A8 processor, more storage, and a touch-based remote. More importantly, Apple is expected to add Siri voice commands and an App Store, radically improving the usefulness of the device.
Apple had been planning to make a splash at WWDC as recently as mid-May, two sources told the New York Times. The decision to postpone was allegedly made after it was judged the product wasn't ready to be shown publicly. No information regarding an alternative announcement date was offered.
A core obstacle is reportedly Apple's plans for a streaming TV service, featuring a "skinny" bundle of channels. Various sources told the Times that content providers are still nowhere near signing deals with Apple, owing to disagreements over pricing, rights, and technology.
Similar claims about the TV service were made by Re/code on Monday. That site did not, however, suggest that the absence of subscription options would interfere with the launch of new hardware.
Previous reports have indicated that the next Apple TV will have an A8 processor, more storage, and a touch-based remote. More importantly, Apple is expected to add Siri voice commands and an App Store, radically improving the usefulness of the device.
Comments
Despite widespread rumors pointing to the contrary, a new Apple TV set-top will not premiere at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, a report said on Wednesday.
Well, yes and no.
It will not be for sale, but I believe new Apple TV will be announced, both hardware and software.
Pity if true.
And if the NYT is reporting it, it's probably true.
What have they been doing since the last Apple TV revisions which was YEARS ago.
I know the purse strings around Cupertino are a bit tight but damn.
But apparently the new HomeKit stuff requires Apple TV.
I guess they can just shill the current 3 year old plus Apple TV?
Damn you, Apple, for waiting until a product works before releasing it! I hate you for not working around my personal preferences!
Not ready to be shown.
What have they been doing since the last Apple TV revisions which was YEARS ago.
I know the purse strings around Cupertino are a bit tight but damn.
Dealing with content producers who, like music producers, are not the fastest in negotiations into new areas.
Apple clearly has a vision of what is wants (which I hope is aligned with mine), and I'm fine if they must wait a bit until it is fully baked. Better to have something that is "wow" when it comes out, rather an an incremental "meah".
Content is a tough nut to crack. A whole lot of high margin dollar content has many fingers clutched around it. Apple should continue to pick off high value content providers (HBO and now Showtime). Ted Turner was smart enough to recognize the value of old movies, when he scooped them up, colorized some of them, and created TCM - it made him a billionaire back when a billion dollars was really worth something. Apple would do well to spend some resources to find the next Ted Turner, and support him/her.
Their announcement logo for WWDC will look pretty stupid if there's no upgrade to Apple TV box.
Ditto; this was the main reason for me tuning in next week - couldn't care less about the "skinny bundle", very interested in the TVKit SDK.
Why not? Does Roku or Chromecast have more specs? More IGZO? More Skylake? More gigahertzes?
If they don't release at least the developer kit they are going to have to wait until next year.
Not necessarily, they occasionally sneak new stuff into scheduled presentations other than WWDC, but I agree it would be incomprehensible for them not to release native BOTH WatchKit and TVKit, which was spoken about as recently as a few weeks ago by 9to5 sources. The seemingly daily news about new ATV channels we're seeing is almost certainly being fed by a beta of XCode 7 plus SDK which is made available to a bunch of content providers.
Hardly. That rounded rec could be anything. Could be iOS app icon. This rumor coming out a few days before WWDC means one thing to me: Apple managing expectations. The bigger question is why it's taking so long to get something out the door. IMO it's silly for Apple to wait until all the content deals are in place.
More importantly, Apple is expected to add Siri voice commands and an App Store, radically improving the usefulness of the device.
We'll (probably) know on Monday whether there will be an ?TV App Store or not.
If iOS 9 has some kind of public TVKit API, then the sooner Apple releases it, the better.
On the other hand, Apple might just keep ?TV "apps" the way they are right now.
Not typical iOS apps at all. Bundled into the ?TV app (which itself runs as an app on iOS.)
I'd prefer that Apple only allow a few premiere networks / studios / game developers on ?TV.
No Flappy Bird. Please.
And if the NYT is reporting it, it's probably true.
Since when?
But apparently the new HomeKit stuff requires Apple TV.
I guess they can just shill the current 3 year old plus Apple TV?
Especially if HomeKit works just fine on the $69 ?TV model.
I wouldn't be surprised if they keep the old 3rd gen model around indefinitely for 1080 HD.
And also ship a next-gen ?TV Plus with Siri, gesture recognition, and 4K output.
For, oh, I dunno, $199. Two very different models at very different prices.