Tim Cook: Apple TV market small, but Apple still feels something is there

[alehel]

or apple could try and compete with netflix. if they made such a service, all we would need is a software update. also if it were also possible to register and setup the service without using a computer, you might even get the kind of people who don't otherwise use itunes.

 

[godslabrat]

Where are these alternatives you're talking about. AT least I don't see how they beat the ATV at its own game. Sure some offer things the ATV doesn't, but do any best the ATV at what it does? I haven't seen it.


I'm not saying the ATV is the end all, be all, but .....

You have those WD media boxes.
You have Roku.
You have videogame consoles.
You have a Mini.
You have laptops.
You have internet-connected BR players.
You have Tivo.

Where's the alternative that is so much better than the ATV? I don't see it.

I don't see it because everyone has their own needs. All these devices have their place and appeal depending on what you want to do. ATV included.

Point taken, and I agree with you in part-- that the ATV has its niche and it fills it well. I'm not arguing that. But what I'm seeing in the list above is that (aside from the Roku) all of the devices are serving as many functions as they can within the limitations of their specs. AppleTV isn't.

AppleTV (depending on how you look at it) is either deliberately crippled to prevent it from doing anything more than its base function, or it's begging for an upgrade so that it can not only do its current job well, but can start playing ball against other boxes on their own terms. Again, I go back to the iPod analogy-- if the AppleTV can master its current job, why on earth wouldn't you see if it could maybe cram a few more popular functions into it? Again, there was a time when saying the iPod could be used for something other than music was blasphemy... but once the musical capabilities of the iPod were essentially maxed out, the only way to improve it was to add more features.

 

[Steve247]

FYI - NASes can be scheduled to turn on and off

Hello,
FYI many of today's NAS devices can be scheduled to turn on and off at will. With my beloved Buffalo Link Station Pro (I swear I'm not on their payroll) I have it scheduled to turn on M-F from 11:55 till 13:05, in case I want access to it from work, and then again in the evenings. This is similar to how the Mac can be scheduled to start up and shut down.

Steve

 

[RedTomato]

Hello,
FYI many of today's NAS devices can be scheduled to turn on and off at will. With my beloved Buffalo Link Station Pro (I swear I'm not on their payroll) I have it scheduled to turn on M-F from 11:55 till 13:05, in case I want access to it from work, and then again in the evenings. This is similar to how the Mac can be scheduled to start up and shut down.

Steve

Thanks for that. I'd forgotten about that capabilty.

 

[trip1ex]

In Apple's mind they have the Netflix base covered with their own movie renting service.

It still could happen because they do allow the Netflix app on the iPad, iPhone and Touch, but, the other hand, the ATV is positioned as an iTunes movie renting device.

They could hook it up to its own app store, but what are you going to see there?

Competitors to iTunes and what else......?

Now I'm sure the thought has crossed their mind.

But ... they are probably working on improving their own rental service instead.

 

[adbe]

Sounds like a great dorm room setup for one person on a budget.

I'd be divorced with that setup. My kids would disown me too.

Plus the reality of that setup is alot more of a hassle than the paper version you have given.

Hey but after my wife divorced me then I'd be using it.

This.

 

[dynaflash]

Point taken, and I agree with you in part-- that the ATV has its niche and it fills it well. I'm not arguing that. But what I'm seeing in the list above is that (aside from the Roku) all of the devices are serving as many functions as they can within the limitations of their specs. AppleTV isn't.

AppleTV (depending on how you look at it) is either deliberately crippled to prevent it from doing anything more than its base function, or it's begging for an upgrade so that it can not only do its current job well, but can start playing ball against other boxes on their own terms. Again, I go back to the iPod analogy-- if the AppleTV can master its current job, why on earth wouldn't you see if it could maybe cram a few more popular functions into it? Again, there was a time when saying the iPod could be used for something other than music was blasphemy... but once the musical capabilities of the iPod were essentially maxed out, the only way to improve it was to add more features.

I would agree ... but submit that the atv is not there yet for whatever reason .... some of which is probably legitimately "defining the space" the rest of which is likely " brighter ... shinier objects taking valuable developer resources etc.".

I do also believe in the age old axiom "Jack of all trades .... master of none". Right now within its rather narrow band of input capabilities (obviously be design) I would argue that the atv is (even in its rather crusty hardware incarnation) in fact the master of all other devices. For what thats worth. As always just my .02.

 

[Nitromaster]

Wirelessly posted (Nokia N70-3 Ireland-Opera: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7A341 Safari/528.16)

All they have to do is:
Update interface and/or some way to install Plex.
Larger Hard drive
App store - games, media plugins, etc.
USB support, and for app store apps.
DVR function or USB Eyetv + software possibly would do it?
And bang...apples got the market sorted.

 

[MrMister111]

Hello,
FYI many of today's NAS devices can be scheduled to turn on and off at will. With my beloved Buffalo Link Station Pro (I swear I'm not on their payroll) I have it scheduled to turn on M-F from 11:55 till 13:05, in case I want access to it from work, and then again in the evenings. This is similar to how the Mac can be scheduled to start up and shut down.

Steve

That might be handy for me, I have a Linkstation Live 1Tb, can i do this?

I was wanting my NAS to be "Asleep" and only woken when needed. Not sure if I can with a Apple TV (with ATVFlash), or my iPhone, so this may be a compromise?

cheers