Apple TV Proper? Meh
It’s probably largely because I finally got our entertainment system set up where everything is more or less working, but I’m currently, not that interested in an Apple Television proper.
The analyst suggests this uber TV could be “one box to rule them all” and somehow make all the boxes in said entertainment system obsolete. Controlling everything with one Apple universal remote, or having everything go through Apple-designed software might be worth it. But this Apple TV would have to do everything those boxes do. Hulu, Netflix streaming, TiVo, and might as well add a Blu-Ray / DVD player on there, too.
I’m not hopeful Apple would create a TV with all that functionality. Apple hasn’t added Netflix or Hulu to the current Apple TV despite it being technically possible (likely because it would subvert iTunes content sales) so there’s little reason to believe they’d do it for an Apple TV proper. And lining up content offerings via iTunes would rely on the studios and cable companies not being jerks, which isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.
Still, I’ll keep an eye out for this possibility. There are three things that would get me hopeful for an Apple TV proper:
- Apple (finally) updates the existing Apple TV software in a compelling way, showing they’re actually investing in this “hobby.”
- Apple opens the Apple TV up to developers — they would add the functionality
- Apple buys Netflix. Or some other company that would make the content thing easier — say a cable company.
Other than that, I’ll continue enjoying a Samsung television.