“While a figure of 13 million sales for a single product would be a huge deal for most tech companies, to Apple, that number, tallied over the six-year life of the Apple TV, means it’s still just a hobby,” Gene Steinberg writes for The Tech Night Owl. “True, more than half of those sales occurred in the past year, which means that it is becoming a very popular hobby.”
“Apple remains coy about the Apple TV end game. Some choose to predict there will be a full-fledged TV set of some sort, focusing on Apple technologies and seamless integration of all your devices. Well, at least the devices that have the Apple logo on them. It remains to be seen how such a gadget would integrate with a Blu-ray player, DVR, gaming console, or a surround sound audio system,” Steinberg writes. “However, it’s clear that Apple TV is slowing getting better, at least when it comes to content offerings.”
Steinberg writes, “So this week, Apple added five more dedicated channels that include Vevo, a music video site, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Weather Channel, and Smithsonian Channel. All right, maybe not so compelling. But in June, Apple pushed out HBO Go, WatchESPN, Sky News, CrunchyRoll and Quelle. Add to that the previous offerings, including Hulu Plus, Netflix, some sports channels, Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr and the Wall Street Journal. What’s more, the new apps, or channels, generally don’t require downloading a software update. They just appear the next time you access your Apple TV.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Apple TV adds Disney Channel, Weather Channel, Vevo – August 27, 2013
Why Apple TV is a cord-cutter’s gateway drug – August 14, 2013
Apple adds HBO GO, WatchESPN, Sky News, Crunchyroll and Qello streaming content to Apple TV – June 19, 2013
I lub me some tv.
All these services packed into that tiny box, and with the display size of the iMac, I’m willing to bet they could pull off a TV set just as thin as the iMac’s thinnest points but flat on the back instead of having the fat bump. That would be so sexy from every angle, and a beautiful showpiece. It’s already good enough to cancel mindless cable, and still getting better.
Man, I love my Apple TV. I wouldn’t swap it for that craptastic Chromecast. Not even if Google paid me $99 to replace my Apple TV. I love how Apple thought of the remote control’s design in that you can feel by touch alone which button does what. And the lack of buttons festooning the control is another blessing of Apple minimalism.
With the added Smithsonian channel, I get an education thrown in for free. What more could I ask for? Fantastic little device.
Great deal of education from iTunes U thrown in already. Lots of good stuff.
Didn’t know about the iTunes U and AppleTV connection – shoulda expected that, though. Cool
I really like my TV as well.
I have a PS3 downstairs that I might sell/trade for a second TV. The PS3 can do more, but the TV is much nicer to use for what I use it for. Netflix and accessing my media library.
Soon I’m going to want a folder on my Apple TV to hold all of the “channels” I have no interest in so I can keep my home screen lean and mean.
yeah, or simpler: a screen under settings that allow you to delete or add channel icons.
Like this? http://finerthings.in/featured/apple-tv-hide-apps/
lol, YES!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Does it work? I’m just about to finish work for the day and that’s the first thing I’m going to try when I get home.
I sure hope so, boatmate!
It works—on ATV3, anyway; haven’t tried it on the ATV2 yet.
Settings>General>Parental Controls>Hide
I’m off to deliver and install two AppleTVs to a law firm this morning. They will be located in the conference rooms. The lawyers often prepare presentations for display via MacBook Pros or iOS devices. Now the presentations will be viewable on 52″ flat screens.
I did kinda the same thing TM for my daughter’s presentation at her bank…but she used her iPad through tv via the Keynote app. Came off flawlessly…of course the superb graphics were designed by yours truly.
It’s worth it for me just to not give anymore money to Verizon on rentals.
I hate to say it but adding Amazon Prime would be nice too. I do get that built into my office Panasonic plasma (my video editing monitor). This is why Apple TV with downloadable apps will be killer. I’m sure it’s coming. With the current cost of 4K/Ultra HD I can’t see Apple coming out with their own TV for at least another year or two. Frankly I hope Apple keeps Apple TV as just an add-on, capable of 4K or HD.
Ugh, surfing Amazon through the Panasonic is a pain right? And yet, I do not think Apple will add Amazon to the Apple TV anytime soon. It’s direct competition to iTunes
The AppleTV is fantastic. It’s a no-brainer for the price. I use it mostly for Netflix. The new apps are good, although HBOGO sometimes does not play the selected show.
The interface is good but with the addition of new apps the main interface is getting busy. Apple may be refining this for iOS7.
Where Apple are going with TV is unknown. A lot with depend on the content. Partnering with TV manufacturers to put AppleTV into displays is a possibility. It could be a way to get millions of units embedded and have Apple control the interface.
I have 3 of them and yeah I love that little thing. 🙂
Ditto. Three in my house – living room, bedroom, home theater. There’s also an Airport Express in my office.
With Apple TV, iTunes, and iRule, I have three zones of audio/video, and another zone of audio-only, with all the equipment controlled from my iPhone or iPad.
It wasn’t that many years ago, this level of functionality would have cost as much as a car. Now it’s far cheaper, DIYers can install it, and it’s actually far more functional than the old systems.
Love the Apple TV.
Like everything else Apple makes, you buy it and wonder how the hell you managed without it. Been on a Wire marathon all week with the HBO Go app. The apps, man, they truly took this thing to a-whole-nother level.
And with Airplay, it’s even better. I’ve had Apple TV since the 1st gen and I love it.
Apple TV is really nice. Steve’s hand is all over it. It’s great for streaming radio to the “HiFi.” It just works. As content builds in all areas should should succeed well.
The most welcome new addition to the “channels” for me was SkyNews. Although terribly left wing ( I know, no surprise ) it’s nice to have a 24hr news service available. I’m very surprised it works.
I primarily use AppleTV for viewing content purchased from the iTunes store which is what I suppose Apple intended it be used for.
I use home sharing sometimes.
Airplay I use for teaching.
HBO Go is useless. I don’t subscribe to cable.
The new Disney Stuff is useless. I don’t subscribe to cable.
Weather Channel? Kinda useless.
Smithsonian is nice.
Just took a look at it and the first thing it tosses me is a documentary on Star Trek. Love that!
Youtube is of course youtube.
Vimeo is youtube with its pants pulled up and shirt tucked in.
Crunchy Roll? I have to be in a weird mood. Not the kind of anime I like.
Netflix and HULU I definitely use and the sports stuff… MLB. NHL, and NBA.. I’m not gonna pay for, ever so pretty much useless for me.
I agree, Amazon Prime would be nice, but what would be really nice is if television networks ever realize that their old business model is dead and allow us to subscribe to different programs. Be nice not to have to pay $40 per season for a show.
“Vimeo is YouTube with its pants pulled up and shirt tucked in.”
Love it!!!
If they could just do something about the world’s most tedious remote, or at least make the thing more responsive. Text entry and even menu navigation is a barrier to use.
Do you not have an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch?
What ecrabb said. Type away with your iOS devices. 🙂
Not everyone does, and not everyone in a particular home or office does, and it isn’t always near the couch, or in the room with the television when you need it. And those are rather expensive, albeit they do serve other functions. But what about a dedicated, low-memory, low-function, lower-resolution, less-expensive solution?
You can actually connect a bluetooth wireless keyboard to the apple tv now and it works great if you want a real keyboard.
all this talk about a Apple TV displays is not neccessary. all apple needs to do is make a breakout box or some kind of hdmi/cable passthru and BAM! every TV is an Apple TV with iOS interface to control channel surfing/video externals. throw in Siri for smart search and everything outside of gaming consoles is pretty much covered. no need to jump into low margin tv screens when the industry is still pushing higher specs. the new Apple TV could just be a little smaller than a Mac mini with a video hub built in and this makes every potential tv and Apple TV with an iOS interface and Siri/iPad/iPhone/Mac controls. it won’t matter if you have a Samsung, Sony or lg tv, everyone will be using the Apple TV as the center hub with the ability to control and access each video device from the interface. I think this saves apple from jumping into a highly competitive and low margin (excluding 4k I have no idea what kind of margins they are playing with) business.
“all this talk about a Apple TV displays is not neccessary. all apple needs to do is make a breakout box… ”
Thank you. I don’t know what Apple is going to do, but they certainly don’t need to make a screen to have a successful “TV”. They just need to make a great device and let it attach to any existing monitor. The screen doesn’t matter – the content does.
Apple TV is the only way we watch TV now. All blu-ray and DVD content is digitized and placed on our NAS (if we don’t buy the movie on the iTunes store), with iTunes running on a 2010 Mac mini (connecting to our NAS for storage). It serves our two TVs, and Netflix rounds out the experience. It’s a really simple, elegant solution.
The only thing I wish iTV had was Soccer.
Me: I still find myself watching stuff via my Macs. My Apple TV tends to sit idle. But that’s just me.
Q: So what does granny think about Apple TV? She’s the target market. That’s the more interesting question.
I can tell you that granny LOATHES that Google box crap. She’d rather have a cup of tea while she watches it get run over with a steam roller than deal with its crap UI. So much for Google’s brilliance. 😛
A bit of further explanation about my POV: I had the streaming version of NetFlix. I canceled it because I can watch FREE stuff that’s just as good what NetFlix streaming offers via searching around in obscure corners of the Internet.
Currently I am enjoying a series of old British Hammer films, two really old and brilliant sci fi/horror series from television, a great older TV series from New Zealand that was never shown in the USA, all the old Dracula/Frankenstein/Wolfman and sons-of series of movies from the 1940s, a pile of NEW and old sci fi movies, a bunch of programs about computer security, all the old Firesign Theatre films, a bunch of recently canceled TV program, etc., all for FREE. And I’d have a nasty time looking up all of them via Apple TV. Via my Mac’s it’s actually easier.
∑ = You have to be willing to look for them. It’s incredible what’s free on the Internet at this point.
I’ll point out one of many fun sources of free stuff:
http://veetle.com
Watch Veetle on Firefox with AdBlockPlus installed and you never have to watch the ads. Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone! 😉
As soon as it supports DLNA and true multichannel surround (DTS, AC3) I’m all over it. Till then, it’s a miss for me. Too bad. Looks kind of neat.
From the specs on the apple store the ATV does support AC 3. Multichannel, they always have.
Audio Formats Supported
HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through
LOVE the Apple TV. However, I haven’t been able to install the new updates, keeps freezing after a certain point no matter if I reset factory settings, etc. Nobody seems to be able to help but I haven’t called Apple Support yet.
Apple TV is the single most important deliverer of media in our home. We don’t have cable or phone line TV. We buy the shows we want to watch, we watch podcasts, we listen to our music from 2 different iTunes accounts (16,000 songs), watch YouTube and Trailers and can’t access Netflix. Apple TV is our lifeline to entertainment.