At an event in the US today, fronted by Steve jobs, Apple unveiled a new version of its Apple TV device that's radically smaller and, at $169, half the price.Apple has started taking orders via its NZ online store; delivery is promised by the end of Septe
At an event in the US today, fronted by Steve jobs, Apple unveiled a new version of its Apple TV device that’s radically smaller and, at $169, half the price.
Apple has started taking orders via its NZ online store; delivery is promised by the end of September.
The aggressive pricing indicates the company wants to push internet TV and movie rentals via a broadband connection into the mainstream.
As with the current Apple TV, the gadget can be us used for downloading high definition (720p) HD movies to your television via a broadband connection (and wi-fi, if you modem’s not near your TV).
It can also be used for streaming YouTube, Flickr or Mobile Me content to your TV.
ABOVE: The new Apple TV has no hard drive. So if you want to buy a movie, you have to download it to your Mac or PC, then stream it to your Apple TV.
MIA: a hard drive
iTunes movies will be offered for rental in eight countries: New Zealand, US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The new Apple TV, standalone, now only support rentals (the current unit also has a buy option). The new model, unlike its predecessor, has no hard drive, so if you want to buy a movie, you have to download it to your PC or Mac first.
In the US, Apple has also slashed the price of some online content, with episodes of Fox and Disney TV series being offered for (US99c; down from $US2 or $US3). Local content pricing has yet to be announced.
Asked if such deals would be repeated locally, an Apple Australasia spokeswoman said, "we have no details at this time".
US users also have a new option to download movies from the Netflix service in addition to iTunes.
A pending software upgrade for iPhone and iPad will allow users to stream photos and videos from those gadgets to the new Apple TV.
Although smaller overall, the new Apple TV's remote looks a lot larger - a boon for those who found its predecessor's chew gum-stick sized control just too tiny and easy to lose.
The Apple interface that displays on your television - which was already markedly faster and more user-friendly than that of the Caspa download service available as part of TiVo - looks essentially the same (see images on Apple's site).
Sky TV's MySkyHDi box also supports pay movie downloads via a broadband connection, but the service is currently suspended, due to few unlimited data plans being offered by ISPs (currently, Slingshot is the only provider offering all-you-can-eat nationwide).
Chief executive John Fellet recently said the broadcaster will resume its internet content service by Christmas.
The landscape will get further complicated when Google launches its own take on Apple TV, dubbed Google TV.
MORE:
Official Apple TV NZ site
Wired: Hands on with new $100 Apple TV
Gizmodo: The new Apple TV
The New York Times: Apple upgrades iPod and Apple TV
NBR: Screwed by TiVo, saved by Apple TV
