“It’s time for Apple to get serious about Apple TV,” Dan Frommer writes for Silicon Alley Insider.
“If Steve Jobs wants to make a serious run at owning our living room’s ‘digital hub,’ then Apple TV needs a serious overhaul, ASAP,” Frommer writes.
“Apple TV is too confined,” Frommer writes. Apple should “add a Safari browser with all the plugins you’d need to watch videos from Hulu, MLBTV, NBC, ABC, Fox, etc., listen to audio from Muxtape, Last.fm, Pandora, and other sites that aren’t too directly competing.”
“In theory, this also means that Apple is eventually inviting iTunes competitors like Netflix or Amazon onto its box, since they offer browser-based video services of their own. But better to have to compete for space on your own platform than have a platform no one uses,” Frommer writes.
Apple should add a Blu-ray player to Apple TV. “An Apple TV with an optional Blu-ray drive could replace the DVD player in every living room. An Apple TV without one is a compromise — there just aren’t enough movies on iTunes to make digital delivery a feasible, primary option today,” Frommer writes.
“That’s it. For now at least — let’s not get ahead of ourselves. AppleTV doesn’t need too many features… It just needs to make our TV-watching experience better, by adding as many video sources as possible, in one nicely designed package,” Frommer writes. “What do you say, Steve?”
Full article here.
Maybe one of those “product transitions” that will “reduce margins” that Apple CFO Oppenheimer talked about during last quarter’s financial earning call is Apple TV? In order to keep Apple TV’s price reasonable and also include a Blu-ray player, margins would have to be cut close.
If it had a blu-ray player I’d buy one.
I have a bunch of video’s I’ve handbraked and put into iTunes. Anyone have an AppleTV and know if AppleTV will play any h.264 videos that are in iTunes?
Don’t want Apple TV but I would buy 2 if it could do what’s in this article.
If it plays in iTunes, Apple TV will play it.
I’m right there in line with you, Greg M.
I agree with 90% of that.
1st, drop the Blu-Ray. If you want Blu get a PS3, don’t raise the price of the unit $500 to appease maybe three dozen people.
2nd. The biggest thing Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Hulu and Netflix have to fear is the ISPs. If Comcast/ATT/TimeWarner are successful in capping downloading, you can kiss any desire for a truly digital media experience good bye. These companies, are enemy number one. They manage the pipes, they get to decide what goes through.
Apple TV needs to interface in some respect with broadcast TV. Ideally, it would allow for DVR functionality. If they added this and a slot loading Blu Ray player, I’d pay twice as much and put one in each of my 3 bedrooms.
I ❤ my TV,
Not true, iTunes can play whatever Quicktime can play (as long as it’s in an appropriate container – .mov) You can add extra codes to quicktime on a computer but not (officially) on an Apple TV.
I’d rather they add a DVR than a Blue Ray.
I’m not sure the market is big enough for the “new” Apple to make a serious dent in the margins.
If it gets Blu-Ray, then the graphics need to be upgraded to display 1080P. In addition to this we need a home media server edition, with 3TB or more of storage an iTunes server so all the systems in the house can connect to 1 central music, Photo, Video library.
I dunno, I like the Apple TV as it is… works pretty well for me. More and more movies are on there every day, and lots of stuff that you can’t find “On Demand” from the cable company.
I am sure though that the television and movie studios and the cable and satellite companies are restricting what Apple can do with Apple TV. Just like the music cartels dictate a lot of what happens with iTunes.
I already had a PS3 when I bought my Apple TV. I like Blue-ray, but I also understand it is but the continuation of an ongoing greed to push physical media and subsequent dying infrastructure. With this, many consumers of the good old days will continue to buy the newer spin version of their Stargate (and why not Stars Wars too, Princess and the Jabba like never before etc.) remastered copies.
I didn’t buy the Apple TV for that.
I have once mentioned how much I love iTunes U lectures on my big screen TV in the drawing room. But I also recognise that I might be in the minority with that.
I do believe, however, Apple is quietly moving in the right direction with the iTunes store. I am impressed with how their slowly attracting Anime. It may soon become the legal hub of all things anime. Someone with a serious good taste offers Tezuka on iTunes. Bleach is a hit with many. Hopefully someday soon, they’ll add Neon Genesis Evangelion etc.
Do yourself a favour meanwhile, and buy that Watchmen chapter one while it is still free and watch it on big screen.
What with falling prices on HD, Apple doesn’t need to add any silly Blue-ray etc. Just add bluetooth support (keyboard for those without iPhone/iPod Touch), the App Store, and yes – Safari. Oh yeah, unlock the usb while at it.
Nothing a firmware update can’t fix. And though it may not kill PS3, yet, but Wii, seriously…
Let’s open up the floodgates.
MDN MW: opened.
I LOVE my Apple TV. Have a PS3, so I don’t want a Blu ray player on it. It just needs more content, which I’m sure they’re working on. Why do people always expect Apple to make one device to be the only device that they’ll ever need? It’s unfair,unresonable, and no one expects this sort of thing from any other company. For example, iPhone. For all the features that it has, people still complain about what it lacks, which isn’t much. Except maybe a dishwasher.
All good suggestions. Apple TV hasn’t made it into my media center… some of the suggestions would help.
In priority order…
1. Blu-Ray
2. I like the Safari browser idea with capability to stream.
Finally, I believe I read someplace that a new industry standard has been or will be adopted for cable cards to make integrated systems easer for 3rd party mfg’s.
If that is the case – then and only then – a dual cable card with DVR capability. Then I can tell Charter to stick their Moxi where it belongs; up their nearly bankrupt arse.
Has MDN never heard of ATV Flash? It opens up the ATV without having to physically hack it. A simple restore returns the device back to factory specs and the warranty isn’t voided.
Well, if we add blu ray, safari and all the plugins requested, wouldnt we be talking about the mac mini?
So maybe we will merge them together and offer one single unbeatable product at a small price!!!
@ JMO, “it would allow for DVR functionality”
Why in the world you, and a couple of other, think Apple TV needs DVR capabilities that would canibalize sales on iTunes? It just make no sense!!!
@ Everyone who whishes for Blu-Ray on Apple TV
That just can’t happen. Apple is transforming the landscape into a world where CDs and DVDs don’t exist anymore. It’s all about getting 100% digital. In 2 years down the road, even the complete Mac suite won’t have CDs and DVDs
I tell you what is the key for Apple TV:
1) iTunes content !!!
2) iTunes content !!!
3) iTunes content !!!
Other relevant reasons:
– Hardware configuration: Maybe that thing should be merged with a plasma or LCD TV screen.
– Perhaps, some compatibility with Hulu or the likes, but again, not at the risk of canibalizing iTunes store… so I even doubt that one makes sense.
blu-ray – I have a bunch of video’s I’ve handbraked and put into iTunes. Anyone have an AppleTV and know if AppleTV will play any h.264 videos that are in iTunes?
MY experience is that you need the lastest Handbrake for Leopard. If I use an older version with Tiger, they don’t play.
Oh and by the way Apple already makes an Apple TV with a physical drive, USB, bluetooth, and safari. It’s called a Mac mini. Plug that into your HDTV, use front row for media playback (even Video_TS folders) and you have everything your talking about except Blu ray.
Hmmmmm, actually pretty good comments this time.
NO, “Apple should make TV sets.” or such.
Apple is doing pretty good at developing products where there is really a good market. Not making things where everyone is in a race to the bottom of the box.
Just a thought.
en
The future is the net, not plastic discs. What Apple TV needs is a SDK, a browser and ability to use a blue tooth keyboard.
@ ElderNorm
“…. Apple is doing pretty good at developing products where there is really a good market. Not making things where everyone is in a race to the bottom of the box….you mean, such as the telephone”
If Apple is to make TV sets, it will redefine what’s a TV set and skim the cream of the market.
Even my Nintendo Wii has more capabilities than the AppleTV!
Add a DVD player (like my Nintendo Wii)! Add an Internet browser (like my Nintendo Wii). Add some game support through OS X running on the Apple TV! Maybe even add a DVR (like my TiVo)!
But give us SOMETHING besides OVERPRICED movie rentals with horrible 24-hour watching terms. Look, the terribly consumer-unfriendly movie rental pricing & terms aren’t Apple’s fault; it’s the greedy bastards who run Hollywood. But the FEATURES & CAPABILITIES of the AppleTV are solely Apple’s fault!
Heck, I wish that Apple DIDN’T have its own competing movie rental store so it would even add on the Netflix instant watching capability (like my excellent Roku Netflix box, which only cost a mere $99).
But really, Apple, give us SOMETHING of use here, instead of an underpowered box that does close to nothing (except overpriced movie rentals) for an outrageous $229 fee.
Just because Hollywood is dictating horrible terms on movie rental pricing doesn’t mean that the AppleTV has to be a horrible little device.
“The future is the net, not plastic discs etc…” – Steveeee
“so I don’t want a Blu ray player on it. It just needs more content, which I’m sure they’re working on” – Poo
Both of you got it right, big time right like a 1000 Gig!!!
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It’s all about digital content, features & functionalities…
The rest is just wasted conversation and kids wishes
“Add a DVD player… Maybe even add a DVR (like my TiVo)!” – Macbill
On the other end here, we have the classic example of someone who misses the boat.
Macbill, don’t make me think you’re stupid and don’t get it!!! Do you want the end of iTunes?
Do you want Apple, an innovation company that dictates rules, to follow that of 10 years ago?