Apple’s WWDC 2015 imagery hints at a major new product coming in June

45 Comments

Apple’s WWDC 2015 imagery hints at a major new product coming, or at least to be announced, in June.

I usually don’t play the “let’s read into the design of the Apple event announcement” game, but damned if the center of this doesn’t look like an Apple TV. And the slogan — “The Epicenter of Change” — would fit with an expanded HomeKit role for Apple TV. – John Gruber, Daring Fireball

A WWDC announcement of an Apple TV SDK and an “autumn” release date for a new “Apple TV” would give developers some time to prepare – similar to WatchKit for Apple Watch.

WWDC 2015

Apple TV
Apple TV

 
So, what do you think?

45 Comments

    2. It already is open for games. You have been able to play games from iOS devices for years. The problem was you needed a bulky connector that split HDMI and power to make it work well. You could do it AirPlay but the lag killed the experience. Apple getting rid of the lag would be all they need to make it a great gaming machine. Hundreds of thousands of games the first day it goes on sale. Mirroring for Macs would be great. No need for that HDMI cable for the new MacBook, you can use the port for charging.

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      1. …AND “room sharing” should allow shared control of video and music to make it easy to talk and mutually watch shows and listen to music with friends remotely.

        The two Apple TVs should act like just one Apple TV while connected, with 1 or more little FaceTime insets one one side.

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  7. The design of the meeting logos haven’t really meant much lately have they? They used to be kinda clever like when the window posters looked like long streaks of color, but turned out to be extremely elongated icons that gave a clue to what was coming. A new aTV would be fun…as long as it has user-upgradeable memory! 😉

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    1. No AppleTV model has ever had user-upgradeable memory. No way would Apple release an AppleTV that you can open up and put more RAM in. You can’t even open a Mac Mini anymore, it’s crazy to even dream that you would be able to open your Apple TV and pop in more RAM.

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      1. And why would you want to? If it does what it says on the tin, what would be the point?

        Comments above apply to the current version—who knows what the Gnomes of Cupertino have up their wizard’s sleeve for the next generation.

        =:~)

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      2. I infer that Bob was asking for storage space for Tivo-like functionality. Would also be nice to have home videos on local storage managed by the Apple TV. There’s no reason that Apple can’t support more user-upgradeable discs — as they could in the Time Capsule.

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  8. As much as I would LOVE for this John’s prognostication to be true, and as much as I would LOVE for there to be a new Apple TV open to developers with a new game controller or something, I think Gruber’s thesis is flawed.

    I opened the WWDC graphic in Photoshop and the central rounded rectangle doesn’t really match up with the profile of the Apple TV. It’s not far off, but it’s not perfect. What that shape does match up perfectly with is an iOS 8 app icon template. So, the rounded rectangle represents iOS, while the circles represent OS X apps. Think about Apple’s app icons like iTunes, iBooks, Photos, and Safari – all circular.

    So, my hypothesis is that the shapes represent app icons on iOS and OS X, and the “Epicenter of Change” slogan refers to Apple’s product line and ecosystem.

    In other words, iOS, OS X, and the developers that build software for Apple’s products are “The Epicenter of Change.” To put it simply, they’re saying all the action is over there in the Apple house.

    Reply

    1. You nailed it. I don’t know why everyone associates that rounded rectangle with the AppleTV which is also the same shape as the Airport Express. But even moreso, has you said, every iOS app icon in iOS 8.

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    4. Or it’s the shape of the NEW Apple TV surrounded by apps – both AppleWatch (circles) and iPhone app (rounded squares).
      Essentially telling me that I’ll be able to play my games or interact with my apps from all connected devices on my 70″ TV!…

      Reply

  9. Yup, now that I look at it with a different perspective, you can say it looks like an Apple tv. One step further and the round icon looks kinda like Disc’s. An Apple Tv that plays or records to disc? Kinda jumping into the abyss on that point.

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  10. People need to get realistic about the price for such a device.
    Needs a much better processor than what it has now and much more storage space. And we all know Apple screws us on storage.

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  11. I think the pieces are all there… the ‘Asteroid’ device leak, the LG 8K iMac leak, Steve Jobs Apple Television comment: ‘I Finally Cracked It’, AirPlay, SIRI, HomeKit and the iOT, Apple Watch and iOS both functioning as Apple Remotes. Apples content agreements with major studioos and universities. Apple and IBM’s business agreements (which includes IBM’s Watson). Add in Apples PrimeSense and Beats audio acquisition (and others that I have probably forgotten about) and you have the technologies, financies and creative genius to challenge and change how people consume television.

    In the late 1980’s Apple produced two ‘concept videos’ (‘Future Shock’ and ‘Knowledge Navigator’) that both demonstrated how we might interact with computers in the future. We now have the technologies to make these visions come true. I’m certain that the creatives at Apple have come a long way since the 1980’s and I for one am excited to see what the fine folk at Apple have in store for us.

    “the best product pipeline I’ve seen in 25 years.”
    “Steve Jobs would be extremely proud of the products we’re building.
    — Eddy Cue, Apple senior vice president of Internet software and services

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  12. Home automation, games that can be played, and TV that can be controlled with, an iPhone, iPod touch, or Apple Watch through gestures.

    It will be the epicenter of the Internet of Things, your entertainment, home automation, communications through the first large-screen communication device for the masses (think FaceTime on your big screen (which can already be done with WiFi, I know… But it will be easier for most now)). Doctor visits at home through TV and Apple Watch… And just wait until they start bringing out peripherals in the form of watch bands that integrate blood sampling at the wrist for diabetics… The iOS ecosystem will change medicine, insurance, transportation, television, long-distance communication with loved ones, divorce and child-parent communication sanity, etc…

    I’m glad it’s finally coming.

    Reply

  14. I’d be happy with an AppleTV/OSX that I could connect to by opening a window on my MacBook and have everything look just like it does on the TV, but on my MacBook. So an AppleTV whose output is in a window (or fullscreen) on your MacBook, instead of a connected TV, that you control with the mouse just like the remote. Kinda like the opposite of AirPlay. Then you could have an AppleTV on your net and just open up a window on your iMac and watch GoT. Is that like the SlingTV thing/stuff?

    Reply

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