Apple TV must evolve or die
The Apple TV product has never had much of a priority in Cupertino and therefore has not been a big seller. With Apple’s new emphasis on media, all of that could change.
Apple has taken the world by storm with its iPhone and iPod devices, much of it on the back of the media capabilities of those devices: music and video, not to mention the advantages offered by what are essentially portable computers. It would seem logical for Apple to pursue that same kind of media-anchored innovation for the at-home market, and it even has a basic product with which to make such a move: Apple TV.
Apple TV has been such a low key affair at Apple that they have never even reported sales on the devices. It has always been more of a hobby than a product line, and has often been referred to in just that way by Apple executives from Steve Jobs on down, according to a story by Wired.com. But in a world of digital video recorders, video on demand, wireless media servers, gaming, YouTube, and Hulu, the importance of media is clearly growing. A product that could put all those functions together in a fully wired home environment might be just what the doctor ordered to enliven Apple TV.
There is no particular reason that Apple could not assemble a device that includes all those capabilities and sell it under the Apple TV brand. It would be a big step up, but it would allow Apple fans to stick with their favorite brand at home, and for all of their media needs. At the same time, an all-in-one home media solution could attract new customers to the Apple fold. Take networking from the Airport Extreme, add a local DVR ability, include the ability to stream video to televisions, computers, iPhones and iPods, build in gaming capabilities, and use iTunes as a video subscription service and the total package would allow the ultimate Apple-wired home media system.
Apple already has all the pieces. It’s just a matter of putting them all together in one place and getting the marketing in order. Without such a boost, Apple TV might cease to be even a hobby.
Related Posts:
September 27th, 2009
Freesat and iPlayer would be amazing, enough for me to buy something like this. Wireless maybe, blueray maybe, but meh.
I’d like to see Apple do wired/through the powerlines internet.