An Apple Television set this year? I hope not…

The new year brings new chatter in the pundit world about what Apple has in store for us. Hot off the news of cuts in iPhone 5 components (some harken this as a sign of Apple finally losing consumer’s hearts, while others point out that its more likely product of adapting to production constraints and normal product demand fluctuation) some bloggers have argued the point that Apple has lost its innovative edge. There have been no new category-defining product releases now since the iPad, only revisions of existing product lines. With no new exciting innovations Apple will surely slide into oblivion.
The most hotly anticipated new product category being bandied about is an Apple branded television. Tim Cook has stated that the Apple TV has indeed been elevated from hobby status and sales figures of the diminutive set top box would support this new focus. I’ve written before how surprisingly useful the device is; it’s actually taken the place of my old media center Mac Mini with no loss of functionality (partially thanks to AirPlay Mirroring from my various iOS devices). The commonly held pundit position is that the natural next step in development would be for Apple to move away from the set top box to creating a smart television of their own. Google has partnered with some TV manufacturers, and others have created smart TVs of their own that provide access to streaming content providers and some limited app libraries. So far smart TVs haven’t been a hit, as they really don’t provide much unique value to consumers; most already have access to streaming media thanks to the proliferation of game consoles and multimedia devices like TiVo or BluRay disc players.
The belief is that Apple would trump all of these competitors with their superior content and design. Cupertino has been in the mutimedia business for some time now, thanks to iTunes. If Apple could leverage their libraries to broaden access to media they could finally reach the tipping point for consumers to move en mass from cable/satellite to internet-based television. Apple’s device engineering could create some sort of value to make their device stand out from the crowd; iTunes streaming from any device on your home network (like all current Apple devices can) would just be a start. Why not a video version of iTunes Match? A paid subscription to streaming channels from traditional cable/satellite providers like Comedy Central or ESPN? For US consumers they could aim for the sky and gain access to NFL Season Ticket. The contracts wouldn’t be easy to work out, but early access to the new wave of consumer entertainment and a growing market of Apple devices energized by a new branded smart television would be enticing to content providers. So what’s holding Apple back?
One major factor is likely profitability. Televisions are a low margin industry, with numerous manufacturers but little real differentiation. New technology has failed dramatically in the recent past- anyone remember when 3D tvs were the next big thing? Apple typically enters the high end of any market with a strong emphasis on profit margin; this would be difficult to do in televisions while remaining competitive. Secondly, just as other smart tvs would an Apple branded set really offer consumers enough to warrant the investment over a standard HD tv and current media providers? Would this new tv work to supplant or attempt to augment current cable and satellite providers (and if so would they be willing to let Apple into their market)? I have no answers, but these accumulated questions would likely deter me away from entering the television set market without some overwhelming research data to spark the (likely significant) investment.
I for one hope Apple chooses to develop their current Apple TV set top box. Televisions come in a remarkably wide range of features and sizes, and I’d prefer to be able to use the tight competition in the market to keep prices low while being able to tailor the specs of a set to my particular needs. Should Apple start manufacturing smart TVs instead of the set top box they’d likely have a limited product lineup; two, maybe three sizes that would likely be considerably more expensive than the standard HD set. There’s no reason that all of the consumer value arguments for an Apple television set couldn’t be equally applied to an expanded and improved Apple TV, while still offering the value of being easily paired with the set of the customer’s choosing.
I’d agree that Apple would benefit from a new product that creates its own industry as the iPhone and iPad have, but I don’t think a television would necessarily do this. I think we have another year of incremental improvements to existing product lines to look forward to this year- and that’s not a a bad thing.

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The most adorable remote ever

For those of you still waiting for the mythical Apple television set Neatorama brings news of a new remote that just might be the cutest TV accessory ever made.

The ApriPoko is a voice-operated robot that acts as a universal remote control. It observes what you do and asks you about it in order to learn how to operate your devices. ApriPoko detects infrared beams typically used in handheld remotes and can duplicate their signal. Once it has learned how to duplicate the functions of your current remotes ApriPoko is controlled via voice commands.

While not available for sale, it does show promise for voice-controlled home devices as is rumored for Apple’s integrated television.

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Wider acceptance of ditching paid television

Any of you that have read my posts in the past are aware of my advocacy of cutting the cable, or getting rid of your paid television provider. I’ve had both cable and satellite television service, and both have been a less than rewarding experience. I found that I was paying far more (even on the less expensive plans without premium channels) than the four or five channels I watched were worth. Toss in extra fees for HD content and a DVR and you have a healthy monthly fee for the privilege of subsidizing a lot of channels the majority of viewers never watch.

A recent article posted by Engadget does an even better job illustrating the the flaws in paid television, and the growing acceptance of cord cutting. While still not an option that will suit everyone, I’ve been more than happy with my overall experience sans cable or satellite service. Between an antenna-powered TiVo, Netflix, Hulu Plus, and iTunes I’ve been able to watch about 90% of what I want to watch as easily if not moreso than I would have been able to previously. Some content (like Game of Thrones) can’t be legitimately viewed in a timely fashion, but for those that aren’t afraid of being nabbed for piracy even shows of that ilk can be had. The one thing I miss the most is sports programming, in particular football. While my favorite teams are still broadcast, I do miss ESPN and greater access to games that paid service provided, although Comcast’s provision of ESPN 360 online streaming channel helps temper my loss.

As Engadget points out in their article, content providers should have learned from the recording industry’s piracy battle. They attempted to force consumers into a single means of content, the CD. Bit by bit they have been forced to embrace other means of distribution and consumption, but could have profited far more if they had been of the mindset to mold the budding technology rather than attempt to block it.

While I’ve enjoyed having a media center PC for the past few years, it’s not an option many will choose (or possibly even be able to afford). The demand has spurred innovation: Roku, Boxee, Google TV, and Apple TV are all viable options for streaming digital media to your living room. Roku has expanded their lineup to include a diminutive version of their set top box plugging directly into an HDMI port that looks more like a thumb drive than anything else. Google is partnering with several TV makers to bundle Google TV into the set, eliminating the need for a box entirely. Apple has yet again been the target of wild rumors, with suggestions that the Apple TV may be expanded to offer a cloud-based DVR and App support to go along with its existing streaming capability.

Ditching cable was as much a financial decision for me as anything; even with the cost of Netflix and Hulu Plus taken into account I saw an immediate monthly savings. I already had experience with media center PCs and had the framework for a digital home theater already in place, but for those that aren’t tech savvy or don’t want to commit the same kind of money have multiple options. If you’ve been considering it, the transition has been getting easier and easier. Now might be the time to make the jump.

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Microsoft Making a Play to be Your Media Center

As the blog’s name would suggest I tend to focus on the Apple-verse, but when interesting tech news comes along I feel the need to share- especially when it concerns a competing product or service. While most wouldn’t consider Microsoft’s Xbox a competitor with any Apple product line, that may not be the case very soon.

There have been rumors about the next generation of Apple TV (or an actual Apple television) bolstered by iOS 6 as a possible gaming platform. Thanks to AirPlay iOS device users can already mirror their game to a TV via an Apple TV, but rumormongers have stated that gaming could be an internal function of the dedicated TV box.

In what coincidentally seems like a return salvo to Tim Cook’s musing that an Apple foray into gaming “could be interesting” MacRumors reports that Microsoft is readying a push to make the Xbox the focal point of your entertainment center. The SmartGlass wireless streaming technology would allow users to push content to their televisions from tablets or smartphones much like Apple’s AirPlay, while also adding two way functionality that would push content back to the screen of your mobile device. Such a service could provide information about the video being watched or provide controls on your device’s touchscreen.

At first glance this idea seems interesting but not very useful until you expand it to the Xbox’s primary function- gaming. Engadget illustrates the possibilities well- imagine playing Madden on the Xbox while using your iPad to scroll through plays, or playing one of many combat simulators with your iPhone’s display showing your vital stats or the view through your rifle’s scope.

In addition to this Microsoft is reportedly expanding on the Xbox’s media offerings by including Internet Explorer for full web access, the Xbox Music streaming service, and access to sports via WatchESPN. Voice control via Kinect will be added to Internet Explorer and Bing searches is also reported.

I tend to restrict my gaming to my iOS devices and iMac (the Nintendo Wii has sat in a closet now for some time), but my interest is definitely piqued by the Xbox’s reported expanded functionality.

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Apple and ESPN may make the Apple TV a lot more enticing

Numerous sources reported today that Apple is allegedly in negotiation with ESPN to bring the streaming WatchESPN to Apple’s streaming TV appliance. For those of you that haven’t heard of it, WatchESPN (or ESPN3 in some circles) is ESPN’s streaming online portal, offering access to a variety of sporting events both live and recorded. ESPN currently has an iOS app, but it requires the user to have ESPN via certain affiliated content providers. While it is possible to view sporting events via this app on a TV it would require an iOS device with the app, the account information of someone who has ESPN via an approved TV service provider, and an Apple TV to play it on the bigger screen via AirPlay. A native app on the Apple TV would be a huge boon in two ways- it offers an elegant alternative to the cobbled-together existing method, and would give those of us who have cut all ties to paid TV providers an avenue for more sporting events.

I cut the cable over a year ago; my Mac Mini media center and TiVo have performed perfectly (and far less expensively) than either the cable or satellite providers in my hometown. I have access to ESPN3 via browser thanks to my ISP and have watched it many times both on my iMac and on television via Mac Mini, and was impressed with the overall quality of the image. While it didn’t have the clarity of a paid TV signal the feed was still enjoyable to watch. Access via Apple TV gives those that are considering cutting the cable a much less expensive (and much smaller) option than putting together a media center PC. The Apple TV already provides some sports access via the MLB, NBA, and NHL apps; ESPN3/WatchESPN would allow access to a much wider range of sporting events (including some NCAA football).

The only area of entertainment the Apple TV doesn’t completely cover is sports. While three of the big four are included, Apple won’t likely be able to negotiate their way into the realm of the most popular North American sports: the NFL and NCAA football. Football is king in the US and demands gigantic sums of money for broadcasting rights that the major networks would never allow to be shared willingly. Maybe instead of paying a dividend Apple should use a portion of that titanic pile of cash they’ve accumulated to just buy ESPN?

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