Siegler writes, “The reason the Apple TV has failed to catch on: not enough content at a good price.”
“The reason there’s not enough content is likely because Hollywood is giving Apple much more push-back than the music industry did. For example, they won’t yet agree to Apple’s idea of subscription-based iTunes TV show packages,” Siegler explains. “But apps could change all of that. Apps are content, and they would immediately vault the Apple TV into must-own status. Imagine playing all those thousands of cheap games on your TV. Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony must be shitting themselves.”
“And if something like the Netflix app or the ABC app for the iPad worked on the Apple TV, the bitching about a lack of content would simmer down quickly,” Siegler explains. “Of course, there’s the issue of how you would control those apps — since you’re not about to walk up and touch your giant screen TV anytime soon. But there’s an easy solution for that: make iPhone, iPod touches, and iPads the controllers for the apps on the TV. They already have a Remote app you can use on your iPhone to control the Apple TV.”
Full article – recommended – here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert S.” for the heads up.]
If this is true, I may finally buy one.
The stupid thing is that a company like ABC will have an App for watching TV, but if that App then became usable for a device that connected to a TV they’d probably pull the plug on it.
The interesting part is how they’d control this ?
“Full article – recommended” except for the fact that they say the ‘Apple TV hasn’t caught on,’ and they forgot to add ‘as much as it could have’.
Here’s hope Apple finally moves Apple TV out of hobby status.
Sony , Nintendo have to be very worried. If this comes true they are in big trouble
Right now, paying far too much for Comcast, hardly anything we want to watch, search on TV sucks, love the DVR but just want a sensible easy Apple solution — waiting!
Well….since I own an Apple TV and have the ATVFlash software for it (making it much more usable) I really have to wonder what the future holds for the older device…
Will we be able to download a new OS for it that will enable the new functionality.
Siegler’s cracks had me laughing my ass off– shitting and bitching– go Siegler!!!
I don’t really like the title of this article…it makes it sound like Apple hasn’t had anything in the works on this…but instead is only prepping it now that Google TV has been announced…
” But there’s an easy solution for that: make iPhone, iPod touches, and iPads the controllers for the apps on the TV”
Exactly what I have been waiting for!
A pimped out AppleTV still doesn’t cut it– Boxee is too geeky– don’t use it– ATVFlash is buggy– often freezes my AppleTV and even disabled the startup intro sound– all this just to plug in an external HD and play avi files?
I think Steve will get it right with ATV 2.0. In the meantime, I’ll rip my own files using HandBrake without any mods.
Otherwise, I understand Asus makes a nice product that plays anything.
Apple presented the TV as a hobby! That’s code-speak for hackable, for those of you who are still waiting for the punchline of a joke that is TV.
I installed Broadcom’s Crystal HD chip in my TV along with aTVFlash and I am swimming in content. That includes the ability to watch 1080p movies that are streamed from my Mac. aTVFlash also provides options for external hard drives, keyboards and mice.
My TV does the kinds of things Steve Jobs envisioned for the product and even if Apple were to gain concessions from the content providers, I still wouldn’t give up what I have right now.
All I can see in this $99 product is a compromise of the existing TV.
@HotinPlaya… I’m guessing you’re a casual gamer and not into any of the more “controller intensive” games such as Call of Duty, etc. I use up to 6 fingers and 2 thumbs to control on my PS3 at any given time. For the life of me, I can’t imagine a FPS game that would be worth playing with an iPod Touch or iPhone as the controller. Steve would never allow this terrible user experience to come to market.
@Apple Cider:
No one has time for ripping their own files anymore. Leave it to Jaybob and Axxo.
Apple TV is great!!… If you hack the shit out of it and play AVI files
@PR
“Will we be able to download a new OS for it that will enable the new functionality.”
With each OS update from Apple, aTVFLash has provided the alternative OS that includes, and in many cases, improves on Apple’s updates. After several updates to my aTVFLash, I still have access to my iTunes Store account, so I expect that whatever services Apple has to offer in the future will be available to aTVFlash customers.
Apple isn’t competing with Google, and vice versa. Everyone is competing with <strike>everyone</strike> the Torrents.
Apple is still leveraging the power of the Torrents and will continue to do so, for years to come. It’s geeks against geeks, and my money is on the geeks.
Torrent technology is Mobile Me done right. It’s Apple’s goal to fold Torrent Swarm technology into the mainstream in order to provide instant access to anything at any time of day.
Imagine if everyone had access to all of It, on a subscription basis, their would be no need to steal content. I think Apple drove that point home with the 99¢ song.
Make content affordable, accessible, in a timely manner, and they will come.
Movie houses are a thing of the past, and so is Stupid television. Smart TV is coming and so is access to new-release movies, because at some point the Studios will realize how much money they are leaving on the table by offering their product to the Theaters first.
The studios are cutting their noses to spite their face
Google TV is a prostitute that open its legs to all the diseases and headaches of the profligates.
@Macanatic
Six-fingers and two thumbs and you still can’t satisfy her!
I know PC gamers who use a keyboard and you can’t even see their hands, they move so fast! Ever been to a gamers competition and heard the clicky-clacky of a hundred keyboards being pounded into dust?
That to me is hard-core and your console games are casual by comparison, so it’s all relative.
The fact is, Hotinplaya is looking for a solution to control his media player experience and not necessarily a solution to the gaming controller you speak of.
And what the fuck do you know what Steve Jobs is thinking?
Yes I think this will indeed finally move Apple TV out of the hobby stage and right to the middle of the iPhone OS eco system. It will then cover both ends from living room to mobile use and can concentrate of moving up the scale to cover all aspects of computing over the years. Only sad point is the fact that Google was given too much of an insight too early while Apple was concentrating on MS.
Google abused the confidential insight it’s molish CEO gained by being on Apple’s board and betraying his trust and confidentiality commitments. That is great cause for all internet users concern since Google holds a lot of personal data.
Google can no longer be trusted.
@ Macanatic,
“I use up to 6 fingers and 2 thumbs to control on my PS3 at any given time.”
Those games of yours get any more complicated and you’ll have to undo your fly.
The bigger reason Apple is Nintendo’s CEO’s number one competition: AppleTV? Think so. Not just iPod/iPhone/iPad.
Hmmm.
Vairrry interessstink, but schtoopid.
How can you enjoy games mit so few digits?
Hier, on glorious Alpha Centauri, ve are mostly using all our 14 fingers and both bums, ya?
Try zis. You von’t be disappointing, I’m thinking.
Well think it will have Bluetooth so you be able to use Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse possibly Sony’s PS3 Controller to play the games!