Next Apple TV is $99, HD 'iPhone with No Display'
Over the weekend, word got out about Apple's plans for the Apple TV platform.
Just a week or so after Google launched its TV platform, a well-timed tip to Engadget has revealed details of the next Apple TV.
The most interesting part of it all is probably the price; at $99, it's cheap, but given that it's described as 'an iPhone without a display' it's hard to imagine how they could charge any more than a hundred bucks for it.
Engadget's Joshua Topolsky reports that the device will be based on iPhone 4 architecture, which means the same Apple A4 chip as the iPad and presumably the next generation iPhone. With only power and video out, the device isn't exactly rich in the ports department and it comes with just 16GB of flash storage. However, Apple isn't trying to sell a device with tons of connectivity and room for all six seasons of Lost. The company is said to be moving away from local storage and instead going for cloud-based storage. There'll be an option to use a Time Capsule (which comes in 1TB and 2TB flavors) for the folks who can't stand the idea of cloud storage but it'll cost you.
Though it wasn't confirmed in the Engadget report, there's a possibility that apps will also be available because the whole thing is running on iPhone 4. However, scaling would provide a problem.
Don't expect to hear more about this at WWDC next week because apparently, Apple won't be announcing anything TV-related then.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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requiemsallure aside from the fact that it is apple (although kudos to $99, its an apple first) cloud-based storage completely turns me off of a product like this.Reply -
nforce4max WTH is this o.OReply
They must be getting desperate or more greedy than usual. I'll stick with my crappy VHS and DVD player. Note I very rarely watch TV at all, all those hours spent playing wow. -
Spanky Deluxe In other words - iTunes streaming from other machines on the network and TV show/Film/maybe Music streaming straight from Apple. If they were to offer something like that but with a reasonably priced season pass for all TV Shows, for example, then it could become a real competitor to the likes of paid satellite and cable. 1080p would be easily doable on such hardware provided a graphics chip that supports hardware acceleration is included.Reply -
ta152h "An iPhone without a display"? This is probably a stupid question, because I don't know much about these devices, but how can you watch it, if it doesn't have a display?Reply
Sorry if it's a stupid question. -
JMcEntegart TA152H"An iPhone without a display"? This is probably a stupid question, because I don't know much about these devices, but how can you watch it, if it doesn't have a display? Sorry if it's a stupid question.Reply
It's a box that you plug into your TV. : ) -
zybch Knowing apple thogh, they'll give is composite video out only, because 'thats all anyone will need'.Reply -
dtemple It's based around the iPhone 4 architecture, which means it's good enough for... wait for it... gaming at the same graphical level as PS2 and (original) Xbox. This could be Apple's icebreaker into the gaming market if they play their cards right. A $99 device that not only provides cloud-based TV recording and playback, but basic gaming capabilities? This could be the ace up their sleeve.Reply -
tipoo If its anything like the current one, 1080p really means "1080p but compressed to a lower bitrate than DVD's".Reply