New Apple TV with Software Upgrade with iOS 7 on the Same Release Date?
Apple fans expecting a new Apple TV on the Sept 10 event were disappointed. Reports now suggest that the new device will be coming with a software upgrade along with the iOS 7 on the Sept 18 release date.
Recent media reports suggested that a new Apple TV launch was imminent. This was based on reports that Apple had received three shipments of "Set Top Boxes" from its suppliers from China. The devices and their features were expected to be showcased on Sept 10.
A new report by AllThingsD now suggests that the unveiling of the Apple TV could occur along with the iOS 7. The report is based on "people familiar with the company's plans."
The report claims that a new feature on the Apple TV allows users to play content on devices owned by others. By tweaking the AirPlay feature users can now view content purchased on iTunes directly from the cloud.
The tweaked feature on the Apple TV is said to be similar to the Chromecast service offered by Google. The Chromecast is a media streaming dongle launched by Google recently.
Earlier users had to download the content on to their iPhone or iPad and then view the content via the Apple TV. This could change with release of the new Apple TV.
The timing of the launch is curious, instead of launching the new Apple TV along with the iPhones the company seems to have decided to do it with the iOS 7 launch.
This is leading to speculation that there may not be a lot of change in the Apple TV in terms of hardware. It is expected that most of the changes could come in the form of software upgrades and additional content sources.
Apple did not even mention the Apple TV in the Sept 10 launch. Bundling it with the iOS 7 launch is seen by some analysts that the new features on the Apple TV may not be very exciting to warrant a lot of attention.
Apple TV is speculated to feature a better user interface. One of the features that consumers hope to see is better content recommendation and more personalisation options. Apple is expected to deliver on these fronts.
Apple recently acquired Matcha - a video programming recommendation site. The expertise and features of the Web site could be incorporated in the new Apple TV.
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