Apple Event Sept 1 Predictions
Apple event scheduled one week from now, thus armchair predictions, in order of likelihood:
- iPod Touch: Definitely. iPod Touch is marketed as all the functions of an iPhone without the 3G, and with the iPhone 4 now sporting Retina Display and a front-facing camera, and a new case design, the iPod Touch must be updated to match. We also need more Face Time devices.
- Apple TV: Second most likely. The “hobby” product has been languishing for quite some time, although in retrospect, iPad and iPhone 4 had to get out the door to further shore up iOS. So I expect the Apple TV to be iOS based, ideally running all the apps already purchased for iPhone / iPad (driving sales to any current iPhone / iPad owner), which would also open content up to reluctant networks wary of licensing content to iTunes to developing their own apps and prying open wallets themselves. My personal feature list: Retain iTunes streaming, 99 cent TV show rentals, a Netflix and Hulu app, use iPhone / iPad as a control. Maybe the included remote comes with a tiny touch screen and an accelerometer, and there’s some bone dropped for current Apple TV owners with now obsolete hardware… okay stop dreaming. Head explodes if there’s Face Time.
- Possible, but unlikely: MacBook Air update.
- Extremely unlikely but worth a mention: iPad “mini.” This product makes some sense as I’ve heard a few people say the iPad is too heavy, but I don’t think this will happen at this juncture — wait until summer ’11 in conjunction with iPad + camera(s).
- No way: Verizon (or any other carrier) iPhone. Summer ’11.
As usual, look forward to being proven wrong come Sept. 1.
No way any new Apple TV runs current iPhone/iPad apps. For the same reason that Apple doesn’t want Flash on iPhones. Interfaces designed for direct touch are different than those made for abstract controls. 90% of the apps in the App store would be awkward at best on a TV. Even without the resolution issues. (Just try to imagine running Twitter for iPhone, for instance. Or the Yelp app. How would that work?)
It was one thing to have the iPad run iPhone apps. The only big issue there was resolution. And even that is awkward enough that most people hate running non-iPad native apps on their iPads. But even with a touch controller, there’s a big difference between touching a controller and touching the screen itself.
I do expect apps for Apple TV, but specific apps made for Apple TV. A Netflix app, an NPR app, a CBS app, those kinds of things make perfect sense. (And would get you much closer to your digital Nirvana.) But the UI for those apps will have to be designed specifically for TV use. Games would also be awesome, but again, games designed to be used with a controller, even if that controller is a touch device like the iPod Touch or an iPhone. It would still need to be a different UI. And it would be stupid to REQUIRE that people who buy an Apple TV also have an iPod or iPhone in order to control it. There has to be some sort of controller in the box that performs all the necessary functions. And it needs to be cheap to produce if Apple wants to hit the $99 price point.
And I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that the name won’t change to iTV, but I know I’m probably wrong about that one. And the price: $129, rather than $99. Why not?
Looking at that guitar image for the event invite, I’m not entirely convinced that they will unveil the Apple TV update just yet, anyway. They could, of course, but I wouldn’t call it a lock. The only real guarantee for this event is the iPod Touch update. And SOMETHING having to do with iTunes, but who knows exactly what. Rental of TV shows makes sense. I’d rather buy an episode for $2 than rent one for $1. I tend to watch shows I like much more than two times. I’ve gone through all of the Sopranos and the first few seasons of Mad Men at least three times already. But having the option of renting for certain shows would be great. Especially for people who miss an episode and want to catch up before the next one.
Yeah, total app compatibility is probably wishful thinking on my part. You’re most likely right, Apple TV plus iOS; here’s the resolution, developers take it on if you wish. Just having an additional platform to supplement iPhone and iPad would be a huge deal for particular apps, like Hulu, Netflix, etc.
True that requiring an iPad or an iPhone as a remote makes no sense, so perhaps the included remote is updated with an accelerometer. But I’d love to see Apple update their remote app for iPhone / iPad for some additional coolness for those of us with way too many iDevices. I never use that included remote anyway.
iTunes TV show rentals for a dollar, am kind of on the edge with that — we’d probably use it a lot more than I’d like to admit. $1 isn’t *that* much in the larger scheme of things, and since we only watch a few shows it would still be cheaper than cable. Not having ads plus the better quality might be enough to draw away from Hulu.
Guitar image is worth noting. Who knows what that means. Maybe we’re all barking up the wrong tree and this is a total music related announcement like Beatles on iTunes.