Apple recently dropped the price of the current Apple TV.
John Paczkowski at Buzzfeed, formerly Recode, has today posted that Apple intends to debut a new Apple TV at WWDC, in the summer. Matching reports from 9to5Mac from the last year, he claims the new device (a revamp of the current hockey-puck Apple TV) will feature Siri and an App Store.
This is one of the reason’s why the new hardware would be shown at WWDC, so that developers can begin application development ahead of the product’s release.
The report claims that the device will feature more onboard storage to store applications and ‘expects’ it to use Apple’s latest A8 chip for better power. 9to5Mac has previously reported the new Apple TV will be a slimmer redesign of the current hockey puck with voice integration and a new remote with more tactile, easier to press buttons.
This is what we reported last week on the subject:
As for the Apple TV, the new service will be an app that replaces the existing Beats channel. Sources say that Apple is also finishing up work on a slimmer Apple TV set-top-box with a more capable and tactile remote control and a redesigned operating system bundled with an App Store. As of last fall, Apple had hoped to debut a new set top box as soon as this month, but with reports of the discussions between Apple and content providers being in only “early stages”, it seems that, just like last year, content roadblocks could keep the new Apple TV from debuting until another point in the future. As we learned yesterday regarding the larger iPad Pro, Apple will have another busy fall, so perhaps the new Apple TV will launch later in the year.
The Apple TV was last updated in 2012, so new hardware is definitely due. The timing also coincides with reports that Apple intends to launch a new over-the-top television subscription service, featuring a handful of the major networks.
Paczkowski has a good track record in the past in regard to Apple release schedules, such as timing of upcoming events.
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They’ve dropped the price of the current-gen AppleTV to $69 and it will likely scoop up a lot of sales, but I hope the next iteration won’t make this one completely obsolete like they did with the 1st-gen models, or they’re going to end up with a lot of disenfranchised customers.
I’d say the current gen could act as a conduit which simply accepts a stream from the new TV and it would be used on another TV in your home.
Hopefully not. I suspect the existing one will work fine with any content catalogues (iTunes, Netflix, etc). Then if they introduce a new App Store, you’ll need the new model for any games and 3D applications which require a more current GPU to drive graphics to a HD display.
I can’t imagine it’d be in Apples interest to make a big thing about a price drop to drum up sales after three years on the market only to then dump support for the device two months later. The fact they dedicated stage time to the Apple TV, and not just doing a price drop without any sort of announcement via their store, says to me they intend for the current Apple TV to be around for a while longer.
This is all about market share, so very unlikely they would make the 20 million plus units sold already obsolete.
Yes!! About time! Please show wireless EarPods for the Watch, and an Controller for the new TV Apple!!!
A8 and Siri, with some storage for apps. That’s what everyone expects. But what if the reason for the delay was the Apple Watch? What if the new Apple TV would also allow for games that works with motion, similar to the Wii, but using the Apple Watch full of sensors on your arm? Now we’re talking.
That’s a brilliant idea. Plus being able to controling homekit from your watch
I’d rather see something like Kinect integrated into the Apple TV somehow. Seeing as Apple acquired PrimeSense, the company that developed the technology behind Kinect, this might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.
That’s how I’m thinking. PrimeSense integrated in Apple TV, Watch the wand.
Because Kinect on its own may not be enough.
Great point. Pretty sure T. Cook said he’s been using his AppleWatch with his AppleTV at the initial launch. Agree with Robert Nixon’s comment. Throw in FaceTime too.
If we are going to have an Apple store on it, then the remote will have Touch ID for sure.
Touch ID and force touch and/or Taptic engines hopefully. Hopefully inductive charging for the remote as well. Inductive charging for something like the iPhone is completely idiotic, because you actually lose functionality by not being able to use it when it’s charging. Not to mention the fact that it’s far far slower charging. However, inductive charging for the Remote makes sense for multiple reasons. First of all, you want to just be able to grab it, quickly, secondly you don’t need to use it whilst it’s charging, as there will be plenty of time for it to sit and charge, since you won’t be using it like an iPhone, and finally it would be beneficial to get in the habit of placing it in a specific spot where it charges, thus less will be lost, although it will of course be found by pinging it with the Watch or iPhone.
Not sure about that. They can tell you to use your iPhone/iPad for that, and if you haven’t iPhone or iPad, you can’t use Touch ID. It will appeal people to buy more iPhone or iPad. ;-)
I’d imagine it would probably work more like Family Sharing works on iOS currently, where if someone on the account attempts to buy an app, the account owner gets an alert on their phone/iPad prompting them to approve the purchase.
Pfu, I feel like the new Apple TV will be around $199 just because of the internal storage (lets say 16GB). If they offer different options we may see even more expensive units ($249, $299). I know a lot of people ask for 4K capabilities and maybe that will be a reality for that price.
At this price, I hope Apple TV will be also a Time Capsule… ;P
I hope they are more expensive. I want a better experience. I wish they would make a much more expensive one with hardcore gaming capabilities, in line with PS4 and Xbox one. Of course there would be a cheaper model for the vast majority of users
I like your thumbnail! ;-)
Apple should release an AppleTV with A8X SoC at 2.5GHz, TDP 30Watt to 50Watt, 64GB or 128GB SSD and a couple of game pads for playing games. In the $229 to $299 price range.
THAT would be the first Apple console then.
I will keep my current TV 3rd generation for now. I think I will wait for next generation after this next generation. ^^
Hahah
So your waiting until 2020 then? ;)
Would like to see Siri be able to be used (for navigating around UI in apps) with 3rd gen TV with the use of a phone/watch (I always lose the remote… so I just save the hassle and use my phone anyways). Also hoping to see Amazon Prime TV show up on it… but with the Fire Stick, idk how likely that is
If this new machine ships with a much improved GPU, say the GT7900, then Apple suddenly have a very competitive gaming console. Something which in power terms is comparable to a WiiU or Xbox 360.
A device like this would be tiny and silent. And could ship for $150 or so. Although I would expect the controllers to be extra.
This does have the potential to disrupt the mass-market part of the console business.
Yes, Playstation4 and Xbox One would be more powerful, and that’s what the hard-core want.
But this device could run some impressive titles. The casual gamer might find $10 games, and the app store quite appealing.
Yeah they must have an Controller though!! I hope it has different models at different tiered prices so that hardcore gaming is a possibility
Apple’s not going to after the hardcore market. It’s a loss-making proposition.
The casual gaming, mass market is where the profits lie, and which has been abandoned by Sony and Microsoft, and screwed-up by Nintendo.
But hardcore games might still come to the platform. This machine would be no slouch. It would be a very capable console. Imagine XBox360 performance, but in 1080p.
No it’s not. Sony is making money. That’s a fact. They’ve sold over 20 million ps4 it’s the fastest selling in history of gaming consoles. Hardcore gaming is a huge market, and money is to be made.
The A8X found in the iPad Air 2 is right on par with Xbox 360 & Ps3 when used in conjunction with Metal. There is no need for an Nvidia CPU when they can use their own chip + Metal Framework to entice developers to make awesome games for their platform.
It better be 4k ready with HDMI 2.0.
That would future proof it, and I wouldn’t want that, because I want this to turn into a major product category for them, and so, updates annually or biannually. 4k would be good to add in a year or two when there’s more content, and more people have 4k TVs.
Don’t forget HDCP 2.2 or that 4k will be useless.
Just give me the gold one for 17K
Time for Apple TV is now buyersguideapple.com
Honestly, aside from my iPhone, this is the Apple product I use most. Absolutely love it!
Will it have 4K Support?
Unless it supports 24 Hz video output (the native frame rate of film, or 24p as it’s often referred to as), a feature DVD players supported 10 years ago, then no thanks
This is rumored to be unveiled at WWDC and go on sale in the fall around the other product refreshes, so it stands to reason it could have the A9, or A9X. I wonder what it’s gaming capabilities could be if it had an A9X being maximally used. Since its plugged into the wall, power efficiency isn’t really a problem. I think an A9X combined with Metal and an Apple designed controller in space grey, gold, or silver, matching the TV, could make it a very capable gaming console, aside from all of the other uses it would have. This thing could be astoundingly good. And the great part is that the Apple controller could be used on any Apple devices.
The A9X is roughly on par with an Xbox 360. That said, you won’t see Xbox 360 level visuals from any iOS game for years as devs need their games to run on older hardware.
if they are going to stream live tv, I hope they give us some dvr functionality.
I can see Apple TV becoming a HTPC.
Seeing people say “wait for 4k to be more popular” erm why? If anything Apple could help the 4k market move along quicker. Apple have created, improved and grown markets In the past. It’s what they’re good at doing. Who honestly knew the Tablet market was as big as it is until the iPad, (yes I know they didn’t come up with the tablet. But they sure as hell created the market for it)