Is Apple hard at work on a new version of Apple TV?That’s what Engadget is reporting after receiving a tip and subsequent confirmation from sources “very close to Apple.” The new iteration of Apple TV, which reportedly will not be announced at the upcoming WWDC, will utilize the iPhone OS and depend on cloud — rather than local — storage.
The new device will be based on the iPhone 4G architecture, meaning it will have an A4 CPU and a limited amount of flash-based storage — probably in the 16GB range — plus have the ability to display 1080p HD. The new version of the device will reportedly be priced at $99. Yeah, that’s right, $99.
First introduced in 2007, Apple TV was Apple’s first attempt (well, second if you count the MacTV, we don’t) to bring its iTunes content to the living room. Over the past three and a half years, sales of the device haven’t been spectacular and Apple still considers the project a “hobby.”
However, the connected TV space has actually really started to heat up over the last three and a half years, with companies like Boxee, Roku, VUDU and others actively seeking out methods to bring Internetcontent to viewers in a more seamless way.
Last week at Google I/O, Google made a big splash with its official Google TV announcement. While Engadget’s sources say Apple started working on the next iteration of the Apple TV long before the first Google TV rumblings began, the rivalry between the two companies will likely still have an effect on Apple’s ultimate strategy.
A leaner, cheaper Apple TV with a focus more on cloud content (which presumably might mean accessing iTunes purchases from the cloud — maybe, hopefully) is certainly a step in the right direction. Whether or not the product will be enough to lure in buyers will likely depend on how well it interfaces (or doesn’t interface) with non-iTunes content.
If Engadget’s sources are accurate, we could see the announcement of the new Apple TV sometime this fall.
0 comments:
Post a Comment