News
Apple CFO: No DVR, cable box features for Apple TV
By Charles Starrett
Contributing Editor
Published: Tuesday, September 8, 2009
News Categories: Apple TV
During a recent meeting with Caris & Company analysts, Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer dispelled speculation that the company would soon add DVR or other cable box-like functionality to the Apple TV. AppleInsider reports that Oppenheimer said the idea of adding live TV recording or other cable integration features doesn’t fit into Apple’s business plan. Oppenheimer’s comments follow a separate report from The Loop stating that a rumored Apple TV refresh would not be part of tomorrow’s Rock and Roll media event; Apple released its last major Apple TV update in the form of software 2.0 in early 2008.
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1
Forget new features. AppleTV needs a v3.0 firmware following the Snow Leopard model: greater efficiency and reliability, plus nicer and smoother visual effects (the PS3 as aTV beat here). Not to mention 250GB of on-board storage, true 1080p video output, and a price drop.
Posted by Herr Doktor on September 8, 2009 at 7:08 AM (PST)
2
Agreed. I think Apple TV really needs a truckload of storage for the price Apple’s charging. I don’t think I would even consider it until it gets close to the 300GB mark.
I think if they can squeeze 2TB into the Airport Extreme Base Station for $499, they can certainly do that for the Apple TV.
Posted by cxc273 on September 8, 2009 at 7:34 AM (PST)
3
Apple TV does not need a DVR; it needs an IPTV service.
Apple TV does not need a large hard drive; it needs an iTunes Server that handles all the storage needs.
Posted by Galley in Greenville, SC on September 8, 2009 at 8:42 AM (PST)
4
I hope Apple TV does get a DVR so I can ditch my Vista Media Center. Windows Media Center had great potential but Microsoft couldn’t get it right. Everything that’s wrong with Media Center are things that Apple routinely gets right:
First there’s the lack of reliability that comes from running on top of windows, OSX would deliver a much more stable device.
Second there’s the usability that Apple is famous for that Microsoft always mistake for flashy animation that actually end up reducing usability. The prime example being the changes they added to Media Center in the move from XP to Vista.
Thirdly, the lack of properly integrated Music, Movies, and TV Shows on demand, obviously already solved on Apple TV with iTunes.
And finally, and most importantly, there’s the plugins. These never took off in Media Center probably due to the baffling development model (I know I tried to develop one myself). Apple showed how this should be done with Apps on the iPhone.. Bring the same development community to the to Apple TV Apps, along with the App Store, and your TV could take on a whole new lease of life. Potentially also moving in on some of the WII gaming territory as well.
But I really need DVR in the mix, without DVR it’s alway a secondary box with a secondary remote etc, the simplicity just wouldn’t be there.
I don’t think I’ll get DVR tomorrow, but I really hope it comes some time in the near future. There’s a big opportunity there for the first company to get it right.
Posted by roryobryan on September 8, 2009 at 1:00 PM (PST)
5
Dish Network’s DVR has been hammered by patents. Could it be Apple wants to avoid the patent issues? Why compete in a hostile market like that?
Posted by EricS on September 9, 2009 at 5:20 PM (PST)