Phillip “Swanni” Swann, wriitng for TVPredictions, “Apple TV has become ‘Steve Jobs’ Folly’ and should be discontinued at once to avoid the company further embarrassment.”
MacDailyNews Take: The pitifully self-monikered “Swanni” likes to recycle that “Steve Jobs Folly” bit (please see: TV analyst’s uninformed prediction: ‘video iPod will be Steve Jobs’ folly’ – October 12, 2005). “Swanni” also “predicted” that Apple would dump Apple TV in 2008. TVPredictions’ motto ought to be: “Accuracy, smaccuracy.” Who’s going to win the Super Bowl, “Swanni?” We’ll take the field against “Swanni’s” pick (we mean that in the gambling sense, although, since “Swanni’s” picking them, we’d probably beat them on the field, too).
Undeterred with his multiple failures, “Swanni” continues squinting into his occluded crystal ball, writing, “Launched in March 2007, the Net TV set-top, which transmits video downloads to a widescreen HDTV, has sold so poorly that the company won’t reveal any sales figures, not even rough estimates.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple does this routinely with many products to preserve competitive advantage. During the company’s first-quarter fiscal year 2009 earnings call, Apple COO Tim Cook stated that Apple TV sales tripled compared to the company’s first fiscal quarter of 2008. A longtime Apple analyst, Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster, said after the conference call that he expects Apple to have sold 6.6 million Apple TV units by the end of 2009.
“Swanni” plows on, “Not only that, in Apple’s ballyhooed display of new products last week in San Francisco, Jobs didn’t even mention the poor, little set-top in his speech.”
MacDailyNews Take: Because Apple’s music event was about new iPods and iTunes 9, not a new Apple TV. Jobs didn’t mention the Mac, either. According to “Swanni Logic,” we guess this means that the Mac “should be discontinued at once to avoid the company further embarrassment,” too.
“Swanni” continues, “And it gets worse.”
MacDailyNews Take: That, we believe.
“Swanni” writes, “Apple today said that it’s discontinuing the 40GB Apple TV. Plus, in a desperate, perhaps last ditch, move to pump up sales, the company said it’s dropping the price on the 160GB Apple TV from $329 to $229. All I can say is: Good luck, Apple.”
MacDailyNews Take: Why don’t you “predict” that Apple will dump Apple TV sometime between 2009-infinity and cover all your bases, Mr. Prognosticator?
“Swanni” continues, “Apple TV’s colossal failure is more evidence that the media has been dead wrong — and that digital downloads are still years away from reaching a mass audience.”
MacDailyNews Take: 6.6 million units sold without even trying is a “colossal failure?” On what planet? Compare that number to Zune and Kindle sales. In fact, add Zune and Kindle unit sales together and then multiply by two and you’ll still fall short of 6.6 million units. Perspective. Try it some time, “Swanni.”
“Swanni” continues, “Americans are still in love with hard media — DVDs and Blu-ray high-def discs, which is why Blu-ray sales are soaring in 2009 while products like Apple TV are gathering dust on store shelves.”
MacDailyNews Take: Somebody predicted that 8-10 million standalone Blu-ray players would be sold In 2009. That somebody would be the wildly inaccurate “Swanni” himself. Let’s pretend he got something right for a change. Apple TV sales tripled in the first quarter of 2009 and 6.6 million Apple TVs will have been sold by the end of the year. This is “gathering dust on store shelves” and proof that “Americans are still in love with hard media?” Again, on what planet, “Swanni?” Planet LSD? Or is it PCP?
“Swanni” continues, “Despite all the hype about technology, this is not a tech-savvy nation. You can’t suddenly persuade millions of Americans to adopt a strange, new technology just because the media says it’s cool.”
MacDailyNews Take: 6.6 million units sold means that Apple has already persuaded millions of Americans. So, again, “Swanni” is wrong (big surprise, we know).
“Swanni” continues, “Apple, put Apple TV out of its misery. They shoot horses, don’t they?”
MacDailyNews Take: “Swanni” had better hope they don’t shoot jackasses.
Full article (most of which you’ve already read above) – Think Before You Click™ – here.
MacDailyNews Note: Contact Phillip “Swanni” Swann via email at or give him a call at 703-505-3064.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert S.” for the heads up.]
Hit whore, nothing more…
American journalism at its best… When the press is full of crap, it is not surprising that the people are ignorant.
“…digital downloads are still years away from reaching a mass audience.”
I think the mass audience will be the first to get digital downloads. All the thin guys are out exercising.
With the new lower price Apple TV is now very tempting.
Wow, I guess that I had better stop watching my EyeTV HD FreeView movies and TV shows running through my AppleTV surround-sound home theatre system. I have a ‘hobby’ – watching free-to-air shows at a time convenient to my family. No 30 day rental. No watching in 24 hours.
Seems a shame to be so far from the leading edge…
I’v downloaded a few flicks onto my 160, but I mainly use mine to either wireless music streaming from my computer, or to play directly from it through my home theater speakers. My CDs/Music DVD discs are in a closet. As far as dropping the 40 GB model, that’s supposed to “prove” Apple TV is in trouble?
Not too many HD makers still pump out 1GB models either. Are they in trouble because small HD sizes have consistently been phased out? This guy’s a total dumb ass.
TV is dead.
Long live the Internet. I was just preparing a post about how much I enjoy Apple TV.
My wife and I use our AppleTV to rent movies all the time. As a matter of fact, we haven’t stepped inside of Blockbuster or fired up the DVD player since we bought the Apple TV (40 GB, which we’re perfectly happy with, by the way). It seems to me maybe this guy owns stock in Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, and is tired of seeing its value called into question. My only complaint with the AppleTV is the spotty selection of movies to rent, which I blame mostly on the studios who, I believe, can’t wrap THEIR heads around digital content distribution.
Or perhaps Apple has discontinued the 40GB version and reduced prices on the 160GB version because a new, updated AppleTV is on the horizon and Apple is clearing out inventory? It would be nice timing for the holiday season, too.
Oh wait, that would mean Swanni wouldn’t have anything to spew about. Shucks.
Apple has probably sold more Apple TV’s than Microsoft has sold Zunes, or Amazon has sold Kindles.
Apple TV is meant to be a device that turns any HDTV into a giant iPod for the living room. It’s meant to encourage use of iTunes and the iTunes Store as the source for media content. Apple does not want to assist in prolonging the use of DVD-based media, cable TV, or broadcast TV. Apple expects this transition to be a slow one, but they are steadily building up a base of iTunes users through sales of iPods, iPhones, and Apple TV’s.
> Plus, in a desperate, perhaps last ditch, move to pump up sales, the company said it’s dropping the price on the 160GB Apple TV from $329 to $229.
That’s one of the more ignorant things I have read in a long time. Apple probably could not find sources for a 40GB hard drive anymore and the current 160GB hard drive component cost is now the same as the 40GB cost used to be. So the 40GB config says goodbye and the 160GB config takes its place. Is this guy really this stupid?
At some point, perhaps when that huge “cloud” data center is up and running, Apple will make a big move. And Apple TV will certainly be around to take part in the venture to change the way people acquire and view media content.
Swanni song.
The Mac Mini makes a superb AV Media Center. Even used it to video iChat with my son in college (from his new MacBook Pro).
Really immersive. Almost likes he’s there with Dolby blasting.
All my movies, music, images, video rentals, and iChat. Plus this thing called the internet.
Really useful.
If digital downloads aren’t ready yet for the masses, then how is it that iTunes is the number one retailer of music?
I agree. I discontinued my AppleTV and sold it on Ebay. Only thing it’s good for is movie rentals and there are other options.
The press elected Obama, so you have to expect this crap!
Of course Phillip Swann thinks Apple TV should be “discontinued at once”. That way he’d be able to salvage a little bit of credibility after predicting its doom in 2008.
But I seriously doubt Steve Jobs is going to go “Okay people, I know Apple TV tripled in sales and everything… But its success is making Phillip ‘Swanni’ Swann look like a total fscking retard, so I’m afraid we’ll have to discontinue it.”
This clown must have an ego the size of a planet.
It is to bad that these hit whores, can’t come up with anything real to draw attention to them. I love my Apple TV, I use it and build my digital library daily. Converting people from hard media to digital, is meant to be and will be a long proccess. The point is they are the only ones making true consistent progress.
I would agree with one thing. The death of physical media has been vastly exaggerated.
All you have to do is answer this question to understand why. Can you re-sell a digital download?
I’ll keep my Blurays thanks.
Only thing that’s stopped me from picking up an Apple TV is that I’m not sure my TV’s compatible; once we get ready to upgrade (well, I’m ready, my husband’s hesitating) I’ll find out which models/brands work best with it.
Way down upon the Swanni River,
Far, far away
That’s where my stomach is turning ever
That’s where the has-been writer’s stay
All fired up about the Apple Nation,
Sadly I roam
Still longing for the any bold explantation
And for some truthiness to their tome
Chorus:
All the Appleworld is sadly doomed everywhere I roam
Oh Lordy, how my heart grows weary
From these old has-beens at home
All ’round the little blogosphere I wandered,
When I was young
Then many happy days I squandered,
Many the words made me cough a lung
When I was reading from TVpredictions and other,
Happy was I when I just didn’t bother
Oh, why won’t someone just smother
the stupid bastards
“Apple TV’s colossal failure is more evidence that the media has been dead wrong — and that digital downloads are still years away from reaching a mass audience.”
But the AppleTV has more functionality that just digital downloads via the internet. The AppleTV is an easy way to access video and photo content that you already own by piping it to your HDTV. And through judicious application of Handbrake that can include most of your already purchased DVD content. In addition, you can hack it to access Boxee functionality which would be the default, IMHO, if Apple were not stymied by the political machinations of the content providers.
Apple TV is great. All the video cameras are HD now, and I load them into iTunes to watch on the big screen via Apple TV. I wouldn’t want to purchase a blu ray player and burn disks to do the same thing.
Actually, the size of the hard drive doesn’t matter. I have the 40gb and I can’t tell if it’s steaming from iTunes or not.
You think Apple is just clearing off the shelves for an update?
It’s as logical a guess as any.
I’d jump on Apple TV in a heartbeat — if Apple’s video rentals had a caption/subtitle option.
There are anywhere from 30 million to 50 million Americans who rely on closed captioning to enjoy movies and television — and that includes not only the hearing-impaired but those learning English and those who like to watch in either very noisy environments (where you can’t hear the sounds) or very quiet ones (where you don’t want to disturb others).
My wife is late-deafened, and we love renting movies, but hate dealing with Blockbuster. As a very pro-Apple household, we’d love to buy the new AppleTV, but we simply can’t.
Get with it, Apple. There’s a huge unserved audience out there, and you’re not doing much to serve us!! We’re talking a few lines of software and/or a $5 decoding chip. Get with it!!
Digital media is like real hip hop, 10% always knew what it was – now the other 90% make it mainstream. How mainstream? From the urban streets of NY to ‘hip hop dance’ classes that ‘soccer moms’ have their kids in in the suburbs. I work for a place that deals with the public and used to see ‘hip hop dance’ listed as kids talents/activities. I know real hip hop and thought it was some kind of joke – it’s not. They’re about 8 years behind – but quickly catching up. Since Hotline in ’99 and Direct Connect in ’03 – there have been us ‘digital warriors’ scouring the interwebz wastelands. Napster clued in a vast number but couldn’t maintain. iTunes picks up that ball, runs for a touchdown on that field, then, on every other field also – racking up points. If you know what a mkv is – and why it’s important – then you know the real – and where this is all headed. For us – mkvs and $100 terabyte drives, for the masses – mp4s and Apple TVs. They’re about 8 years behind – but quickly catching up.
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