“In May 2014 we posted a report titled “Apple may Surprise the Market with a New Smart Home Platform,” and in June 2014 we posted a follow-up report titled “Could Apple TV be one of Apple’s hottest iDevices of the Year?” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “The second report was about using Apple TV as an in-home automation hub.”
“Today, more proof of Apple using Apple TV as an in-home automation hub came to light,” Purcher reports. “The emphasis of Apple’s latest invention is about a new Apple TV remote with integrated Touch ID.”
“It will allow users to quickly enter a channel like Netflix without having to key in a password and allow only authorized family members to make purchases on iTunes,” Purcher reports. “But more importantly, Apple describes the remote being able to be used to interact with home automation features and appliances.”
Much more, including Apple’s patent application illustrations and diagrams, in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Something wicked this way comes.
(You know, in a good way.)
SEE ALSO:
New OS X El Capitan beta reveals Multi-Touch Bluetooth remote control (for Apple TV?) – June 25, 2015
New Apple TV expected to feature touchpad remote – May 4, 2015
Apple patent application reveals new gesture control pad for future Apple TV remote – April 16, 2015
In other words, a programmable remote control to a specific user or users linked to their account details in order to avoid password entry to ones various accounts.
Like Apple Watch to iPhone to Apple Pay.
I look forward to the day these devices will send a reminder directly to my brain as to where I last placed my Apple gadget when attempting a function like Apple Pay with my Apple remote because I misplaced my Apple watch temporarily. Or iPhone/iPad and iPod.
I told you not to plug it into your bottom part.
I totally agree with you crabby! All the way up to the ‘Singularity’ plugged-in brain part. That I don’t want. Siri reminding me where I forgot the remote this time, that I’d like.
Now I know why Apple at the last minute dropped the ATV. For two reasons 1. The 3rd parties that are making the home automation devices was not ready because they needed the chip from Apple. 2. The content was not locked down. Now since these obstacles are out of the way now Apple is pretty much ready with the new ATV. It si just a matter of when now.I see the new ATV as a Smart Hub with multiple functions. I see it as a alternative to cable, a Home Automation Hub and a game and app platform. We will see. Like you said it MDN: Something wicked comes this way!!!!
It certainly makes sense to have multiple purposes for this platform to counteract any obstructiveness by media giants or indeed any other out side elements be it media, home automation or whatever else may be part of it. Makes it far less easy for Apple to be black mailed by any particular block as long as other parts of the platform are thriving and thus growing, at worst building up pent up demand that others will eventually want to access and break ranks should that be a hold up. Apple Pay has certainly gained from such a process through years of building up customer card details.
I’m getting that happy Apple *suspense* feeling.
TV goes monster!
Will there be an TV app for the Watch?
YES.
Just helped someone buy a TV and sound bar connected to a Set Top Cable Box. Found myself wishing, again, that Apple had a product that everything plugged into that is controlled by an iDevice. 3 remotes, plus AppleTV. Hate trying to program the AT&T remote. Harmony remotes are like PCs — KLUNKY
So we now have a button that controls everything in our house so we never have to get out of our favorite chair while we wear a watch that tracks our pulse rate while we move our finger to touch the button.