“Apple’s iPhone is a lot of things: the tech giant’s chief revenue driver; an iconic smartphone; a device that revolutionized an industry,” Chris Ciaccia writes for TheStreet. “Now, it may be poised to revolutionize another industry and be Apple’s secret weapon in the television market.”
“An Apple patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will allow the iPhone to essentially work as a television and smart home remote, allowing users to manage and recall entertainment,” Ciaccia writes. “The patent was first filed five years ago, but was only granted Tuesday, as the company continues to figure out its living room strategy. The inventor on the patent, Alan Cannistraro, is the developer who is responsible for coding the first iTunes Remote app as well.”
Ciaccia writes, “This patent allows the iPhone to not only control a television, change a scene or play a game, but it can also be a home theater remote. In his biography, Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that there should be no need for several remotes, that one could do the job. ‘There’s no reason you should have all these complicated remote controls,’ Jobs said to Isaacson… As Cook and Apple continue to talk up Apple’s ecosystem, turning the iPhone into a universal remote and allowing it to work with iDevices makes a lot of sense.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Apples to do list;
1) release new hardware in form of set top box or standalone tv or both (with high end graphics capability)
2) open up apple tv iOS to developers for apps and games
3) allow 3rd party game controllers (already in progress) or make their own…
4) reap all profits from casual game market that Nintendo once did with the Wii
The “new hardware” is called a Mac Pro and it is a small black home entertainment hub.
“Mac Pro equips you with all kinds of connections for all kinds of peripherals. USB 3 gives you the versatility to hook up dozens of different types of external devices. Two Gigabit Ethernet ports let you connect to multiple networks. And an HDMI 1.4 port provides support for the latest televisions, projectors, and displays, including Ultra HD TVs. But the thought we put into expandability extends beyond the types of peripherals you can use. As you rotate Mac Pro to plug in a device, it senses the movement and automatically illuminates the I/O panel. So you can easily see the ports you need when you need them.”
Also, Apple has built the 5 (or more) billion dollar server farms to stream the media from.
Also, made in the USA and shipping this fall. Merry Christmas!
There has got to be a more cost effective solution than the Mac Pro. If what you’re suggesting is true, it will be a failure IMO.
Serve farms!
“iPhone to essentially work as a television and smart home remote, allowing users to manage and recall entertainment”
My problem with this is that I control my TiVo with the supplied remote without looking at it. I know where the most used buttons are and I use them by feel and not by sight. I don’t know if it would be as efficient by using a touch screen remote. That said, Apple’s engineers are always smarter and more informed than I am and everyone else I know.
A universal remote? Where’s the IR transmitter? It’s not on today’s iPhones.
I suspect the IR transmitter will sit in a box near the TV, perhaps built into the next iTV, and be controlled then via WiFi.
Many AV devices can now be controlled over IP. We already do it with an iPhone/ iPad/ iPod and third party hardware. Lights, too.
The problem is that many folk, like myself, prefer a tactile remote control, not a touch as it require looking at it and the phone screen would have to be turned on. Both detract from the viewing experience
People decried the iPhone without buttons because of phones that, for many decades since the death of the rotary dial, had buttons and said ‘iPhone will never sell.’
I had so many buttoned phones and remotes that died excruciating deaths as they started to fail, that I never want to touch a button again.
The worst thing is when you accidentally touch a button you never intended to touch, forgot what it did and don’t know exactly which button it was and can’t get back again without powering down or taking the batteries out and then rebooting.
Agreed I can’t believe there are still people who bemoan the thought of losing a physical button remote with its cryptic user interface. A screen remote will offer a totally superior experience for a minimal loss of tactile feel. It’s the Blackberry argument over again just think different or retain your existing device/formula.
I hope it turns out to be a box that works with HD or Ultra HD and not a whole TV. I have been putting off a bigger bedroom TV forever waiting but think I’m not gonna wait much longer. Anyway the first gen of a product generally is not as good as the second and in the case of 4K time will mean a cheaper price. Right now the prices are stratospheric.
Anyone remember all of the hype about “IT”? I was on board wanting one, whatever “IT” turned out to be, just because Jobs was pushing it. When “IT” turned out to be the Segway, I was sorely disappointed. Neat gadget, but not one I’ll ever own, or likely even ride on a vacation.
I’ll be equally disappointed if this universal remote idea turns out to be his Next Big Thing regarding TV that he “solved”. Sure, it will have its upside, but if this turns out to be what all the hype was about… 🙁
You won’t need to look at the Apple remote. They have filed patents for gesture recognition. Just wave your hands over your IOS device and it will do the job.
Don’t forget that the newly launched low cost iPod touch has only a front facing camera – ideal for such a task. It looks to have been designed as a remote control for situations when you’re not using your iPhone to do it.
Um, isn’t this article stating both the OBVIOUS and the ALREADY DONE THAT? I use my iPod Touch 4 to control my AppleTV. Have done for years.
So… huh?
What would be NEW would be to have any iOS device control ANY OTHER TV related device. But that would mean tossing an IR blaster on top.
Of course the ideal/planned concept is to have Apple provide ALL the TV related hardware, including TV, controllable via any iOS device via WiFi. (Frack inept, stupid Bluetooth!). It could happen!
Referring to TV-related plans as a Living Room strategy, in my view, gives too much to the TV. My living room has a good stereo system and no TV. This room is for living: entertaining guests, reading, relaxing, listening to music. I have my TV in the basement where it only gets used when we specifically choose to watch movies or shows.