mac_128

indieshack said:

This is great news for Roku, which owns this segment. For me, licensing AirPlay has been one of the more surprising and welcome developments from Apple, and i believe essentially means they've given up pushing their own niche streamer (reports of Apple TV being sold at or below cost are garbage unless you include R&D, in which case name your price).

Roku has a close relationship with Netflix, which bailed on getting into the hardware business at the 11th hour. As a service provider who needs the Apple TV platform now more than ever, they walk a fine line between upsetting Apple, and competing with them. 

I suggested after the 6s/SE came out that a larger format iPod would make sense, from a use perspective, as a gaming and movie device for kids who don't need cellular. However, while I agree the Xr would fulfill that function perfectly, I don't see how they offer the Xr for the same price point they currently offer the iPod Touch, just by eliminating cellular (which I'm not sure is a very good idea). Moreover, that idea was several years ago before the hand me down iPhone become a common option for parents, of which there is no shortage of large screens in circulation. And considering the safety concerns a mobile phone mitigates, it seems like the age which children are given an active cell phone is constantly dropping year after year.

Then there's the size issue. Small children would likely prefer a smaller device like the Touch or SE. Add to that the idea of using it as a dedicated iPod for adults -- it doesn't really make sense for that to be as large as their primary iPhone.

So unless Apple plans both an iPod and an iPod Plus, it would seem a smaller model makes sense, while letting the rumored iPad mini serve the larger screen variation.

I would think an Xr format shrunk down to the size of the SE, which could perform double duty as an SE2, and a new  iPod Touch would be a far better goal for Apple than one as theoretically limited as the iPod Touch, which competes both with the Xr and iPad mini. That way, a cellular connection would be possible if needed, via a software sim only (and perhaps another model with dual sims), and Apple produces one device for all the fringe use needs, at a much lower price point than the Xr, or other larger screen devices.

Odd. When I checked AI, after all models sold out around 5:30 PM PST, this story wasn’t posted yet. Did they restock and sell out again?

avon b7 said:

hammeroftruth said:

rogifan_new said:

asdasd said:

rogifan_new said:

Anyone who thinks this isn’t a significant shift in strategy is blind. And stop bringing up iPod. The Mac in the early 2000s was nothing like iOS is today. The only way Apple was going to grow iPod (and iTunes) sales was via Windows. That is absolutely not the case today. Of course if Apple is building something to compete with Netflix/Amazon/HBO then yeah that services needs to be everywhere. But that is a strategy shift.

The latest episode of Ben Thompson’s excellent podcast explains it well.

https://exponent.fm/episode-158-a-significant-shift/

If DED thinks this is the right strategy then that’s what he should be arguing and providing reasons why he thinks it’s the right business move.

Personally I think it’s a good move by Apple, although am unsure of the benefits to me - can I cast games to the TV? There’s a lot of app specific support like Netflix or YouTube that casts to my LG TV already. 

I have a feelimg though though that if the analysts and WSJ were demanding that Apple open up then DED would be penning a polemic about why Apple would never do that, if he hasn’t already. 

Ben Thompson maxes good point on his podcast that it makes sense for Apple to push content as wide as possible, especially content that is not exclusive to Apple. I agree. But I still think it’s an open question as to whether Apple should become a media company in the first place. I see a lot of discussion around distribution strategy but very little on if this is the right overall strategy. I think of Apple as a product company and to me original content seems less like an Apple product and more like Apple has a shit ton of money and this is something they decided to throw it at.

Apple IS a media company. One of the biggest. 
Movies, TV shows, music, podcasts and books. Remember?

Apple isn't a media company just yet IMO. At present it is simply a reseller of licenced content. That will change when Apple begins selling its own home grown content or signing contracts with creatives for inclusion of original content in its services (which should be platform agnostic in my view).

That is correct. Nobody who understands the business defines a media company as a reseller of third party content.

A media company has to produce its own content, as well as market and distribute it. Disney is perhaps the largest media company with several networks of exclusive Disney content. But all the major networks produce their own content as well as buy content from others. ABC/Disney (and now Fox), CBS/AllAccess, NBC/Universal, Warner Bros./CBS/CW, WB/DC, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, AMC, etc. This has actually been going on for a while, as media companies slowly expand their reach. All have invested heavily in distribution networks, both traditional and digital, and the push to digital is on currently thanks to the inroads both Netflix and Amazon have made in such a short time. Almost none of the media companies offer only exclusively creative content; they all offer a mix of their own and third party content. But with both Disney and AT&T launching major streaming platforms this fall, that’s going to start changing.

Apple is going the Amazon, Netflix route, and they almost have to due to the lack of originally created and owned content. Disney on the other hand now has their catalogue, Marvel, Lucas, and now Fox, they may be the first to offer exclusively owned original content without licensing any third party “filler” content. ATT won’t be far behind with the Warner/DC/HBO/Turner family of content. CBS has also recently invested heavily in All Access as an exclusive original content platform. No media company is sitting back resting on their laurels just looking to get paid by someone else to distribute their content, and that hasn’t been true for a very long time. Ironically, in that context Apple is the company who most resembles that allegation, as they take a percentage of everything sold on their platform, without creating any of it. In other words, bearing very little of the risk, while reaping many of the rewards. Now that’s changing.

Given Steve Job’s claim in his book that he’d cracked the TV interface, I’m looking forward to see how Apple enters the original content field, whether they revolutionize how the content is consumed, or whether it’s just a clone of Amazon, Netflix and Hulu. One thing is for sure iTunes has never been the answer.

This is a horrible company, with defective products, and horrible customer service -- in my experience with them. I ordered all three of their original products -- the indoor/outdoor thermostat, the rain gauge, and the wind speed monitor.  The thermostat worked fine for a year, then the waterproof outdoor sensor leaked. The rain gauge never worked after hours spent on the phone with Netatmo, and the wind gauge never worked out of the box. Netatmo refused to replace any of them, or acknowledge they had any fault. The continually blamed the malfunctioning products on user error. 

Maybe your milage varies, but I will never buy another Netatmo product.