New look Apple TV unveiled
Apple TV embraces apps, Siri and touch rather than content, but there's no launch date for Australia as yet.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Streaming
A new-look Apple TV was unveiled today in the US, its first overhaul in a number of years.
It comes with more powerful hardware, a redesigned user interface and a revamped remote control featuring a glass touch surface allowing for quick swipes through menus, a microphone and built-in accelerators and gyroscope.
It will also have access to Siri, to help you find shows and movies, filter searches based on cast or age rating, pull up subtitles or answer general questions. It works with Bluetooth 4.0 and the charge lasts three months.
The new box, which costs $US149 or $US199 depending on the storage, will be available from late October in the US, but no Australian date or pricing has been announced.
The new Apple TV represents the direction in which the company believes content viewing will move.
“We believe the future of television is apps,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said, noting that most streaming video is delivered through mobile apps on computers and smartphones. “This transition has already begun.”
The new set-top box will also include an app store and let developers create new software for Apple TV, including video games.
But absent was any agreement for new TV content despite Apple’s efforts to negotiate deals with a wider array of TV networks to provide live or on-demand content.
4 Responses
Looks like a worthy upgrade. I’ve got the now old box and might sell it or just use it on another TV and get this.
I would love to see an iView app on the Apple TV.
So I must of been watching the wrong keynote.
He clearly said: Apple TV will launch late October in 8 countries and he included Australia on that list. The price is not known but the device is definitely coming. It’s already on the apple website something they never do when a country isn’t getting something.
I was hoping for some kind of new streaming service or bundle option from Apple akin to Apple Music. Waiting for the day when the actual iTunes tv/film store is available as a streaming service, even if it is at a much higher premium than the typical content providers. I stupidly thought that’s where they were heading. Wishful thinking continues.
Its a good thing that apple didn’t strike a deal with a content provider. It should be about content providers going all out to get content onto different devices and platforms not about content being restricted to a particular device or platform.