“So, Apple’s big plan to talk cable companies into making the iPod of the television industry thus far involves getting Time Warner to let it put HBO Go on its box (if you buy a cable subscription!), something other similar boxes already do,” Rebecca Greenfield writes for The Atlantic Wire.
“How very unexciting. It’s surprising that Apple TV doesn’t already offer HBO Go, since its biggest competitors Roku and Xbox 360 have had it for over a year. And it’s not like Apple has spent that time coming up with some innovative arrangement that would that would excite the cord-cutter (and cord-never) set,” Greenfield writes. “No, per Bloomberg‘s Edmund Lee and Adam Satariano, by mid-2013, Apple TV owners who also subscribe to cable or satellite TV can watch the premium channel through their TVs via Apple’s box. Yes, if you have an Apple TV, you can watch HBO either on it or through your cable box. The choice is yours!”
Greenfield writes, “This too-late move to get Time Warner on its box surfaces a larger problem: Apple TV has very few apps so far, as AllThingsD’s Peter Kafka points out… Many have talked about Apple TV as the gadget that will change everything. Perhaps techies overlooked the deficit because the company has been in secret talks with cable companies to supposedly revolutionize TV for years. It’s coming, the Apple rumors promised, fending off any doubts that Apple would deliver something great. But, nothing exceptional has arrived yet.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Patience is a virtue that many sorely lack nowadays.
Related article:
HBO GO coming to Apple TV by mid-2013, sources say – February 1, 2013
if apple brings out a tv they will have to fight samsung tooth and nail for marketshare
Linking to an article on ValueWalk is like linking to a front page headline in the National Enquirer.
Samsung will win the market share race by offering about six different model sizes at six different price points with 3D capability. Besides, Samsung already sells the most flat screen TVs and has rather large smart TV market share. All they’ll need to do is add a couple of Apple-style features and they’re good to go unless Apple can cut some exclusive media content deals. I’m quite surprised Wall Street hasn’t already mentioned Apple will start out in second place in this TV category.
Going up against Samsung will certainly backfire if Apple expects to gain any respect on Wall Street. It’s unlikely Apple can introduce any product that can’t be nearly duplicated by Samsung at a much lower price. It’s too bad good products have little value nowadays. I supposed cookie-cutter products have always had the widest appeal.
They won’t.
Isn’t it obvious that Apple does not play that game? Think.
The more that analysts and pundits predict a TV, the less I believe it. Samsung would love it if Apple were to merely launch a TV. It’s a highly commoditized, low-margin, low-turnover business in which Samsung us the market leader. That’s not a game Apple will play.
I want to smack that knucklehead Gene Munster every time he says that, and the blogosphere echo chamber stupidly reverberates the meme.
They’re idiots. Jackals.
Anything Apple would do in this space would be unique. But if you’re a TV network, a film studio or cable company, you would be automatically terrified if Apple calls. Plus, these comb-overs will fiercely defend their antiquated business models, customers be damned. And this children, is why TV is still a hobby, not a business.
Anything involving lawyers will take years. But the assclowns who wrote this worthless article expect a game- changing invention from Apple on a weekly basis.
No wonder I want to go totally Moe Howard on every analyst and pundit on the planet.
Please don’t read this crap, much less believe it.
Actually Brian you’re just guessing like the rest of us. I do believe something is coming and like you, I do not believe it will necessarily be a television. Or will it? It won’t be just a television if Apple makes it. And trust me when I tell you for one, Time Warner is not nervous about Apple calling on them. Of that I can assure you. Apple isn’t dealing with the recording industry.
Until and unless I can control what I want to watch when I want to watch it at a reasonable price I want no TV at all.
Are you a communist? Not wanting a TV in every room in the house and having Faux News or some cooking show running 24/7 is totally Un-American.
/sarcasm
“…nothing exceptional has arrived yet.”
Nothing to see here.
Someone iCal this gal…
Snarky.
WTF is The Atlantic Wire?
It’s the weird that goes directly from the author of this article’s brain to the very depths of the cold Atlantic Ocean.
That explains it perfectly.
Patience is a big deal. Look what happened with google and Logitech. No licensed content bragging about being first but was a big failure.
Mean while the Apple TV sales are going up.
So this LIE about being to late is just that. First does not always mean better. Another example was the iPod and iPhone. Apple was not first to these markets and look what happened.
…and iPad.
Its a shame Apple now lacks innovation……
Sorry had to say it! I disagree!
Mere mortals whose only product is opinions cannot be expected to understand Apple. The car, the living room, the kitchen have yet to be Apple-ized. They won’t be until Apple figures out how to dramatically improve life in these three areas where we spend so much time. I can wait until they get it right. Opinionators can’t, they sell opinions.
I blame it on the Train & Bus drivers! always running late and then blaming the traffic or somebody who attempts to jump in justas the doors are closing! Each second of delay adds to a lengthy delay depending on how far down the line you are.
Samsung et al every time you jump on the bandwagon as the train/bus is pullign out, you are delaying the future of technology from existing today!!!
Interesting analogy. Glad I don’t use public transportation. 😉
For flaming fingers sake!? What’s with my spelling today?
There is a new bug with your iPad app. In landscape mode, the list of stories is truncated before the bottom of the screen. It works properly in Portrait mode.
Clearly the writer of this piece doesn’t know the first thing about what Apple TV is or isn’t. HBO go allows a subscriber access to virtually every episode of every season of their original series programming “on demand.” The set top box from your cable operator doesn’t have anywhere near the volume of programming available on demand. Plus, if you have a Mac, an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad you can wirelessly stream audio & video to your Apple TV using AirPlay. Add the iTunes store, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo and a bunch of other content providers and you get a lot of value from the $100 Apple TV. Next time try educating yourself before you trash a great product.
This is really uninteresting. If you’re already an HBO subscriber through cable or satellite? Apple TV needs to be better than just a Roku box with better UI/UX and AirPlay.
But is the Apple TV better than a Roku at this point? That’s the question.
I’m a happy Apple TV owner. That being said, I’m getting annoyed at all the content Roku offers that Apple TV doesn’t. The only reason I don’t own a Roku is that I don’t have anywhere to put it (I have too many things connected to my TVs as it is). Roku has three things I would desperately like to use: HBO Go, Time Warner Cable, and MLS Live soccer.
From my parent’s experience, Apple TV beats Roku in ease of use. They were given a Roku by my brother and had to be on the phone with him for an hour trying to get the thing activated. But content-wise, Roku is kicking Apple TV’s ass. If someone asked me whether to buy a Roku or an Apple TV, I would say it depends on whether you’re an Apple household or not. Get Apple TV if your house is full of Macs and iPhones — otherwise, get a Roku.
C’mon, Apple. Will you just open up the damned Apple TV already and give it an app store? Content providers shouldn’t have to negotiate with Apple to get a channel on the Apple TV. They should be able to design their own channel users can download, similar to how Roku works.
Again, I’m a happy Apple TV owner. I love the thing, I love how it interfaces with my Mac and my iPhone. I just hate having to wait until Apple issues a software upgrade to get new sh*t.
——RM
Well said; I agree with your assessment. Apple does need to add more content to stay relevant. Since we are an Apple household and I don’t have another device that streams Netflix, etc. other, than plugging my MacBook into an hdmi converter the Apple TV is a good solution. I have considered adding a roku to the mix but I don’t want to deal with another device that duplicates much of the functionality of the Apple TV. I am looking forward to more content from Apple and sooner rather than later.
My current experience with the ‘cable’ providers is that they are in desperation mode, literally cannibalizing themselves in order to make themselves look like they have a future. Time Warner in my area is outright viciously abusive and deceitful to their customers while at the same time having their head up their asses such that they are incapable of coherent communication between divisions or even adequately training their technicians. I have literally NEVER seen a company so busy destroying itself.
So, Time Warner is even CAPABLE of making a coherent contract with Apple? The answer, from my recent experience, is a decisive NO. That industry is in the middle of a deep crisis and is scared shitless of change.
Verizon? Even more so. They’ve made FIOS in to a mockery of price gouging and incompetence from my POV.
I’m keeping a close eye on this industry. It’s not gonna be pretty. Other people’s insights into what’s going on are most welcome.
I have literally NEVER seen a company so busy destroying itself.
And I used to work for Kodak!
I deal with Warner Bros. professionally on a regular basis. They are a well-run company with very smart people at the top. They know what they’re doing and certainly don’t get nervous when Apple walks into the room. It’s always interesting to see fools comment on an industry of which they have no knowledge,experience or understanding. Idiots!