The next Apple TV will rule your living room in ways that go far beyond the over-the-top streaming TV service everyone's hyped about. This bit of kit will offer a flood of apps and games, and it will control your entire smart home (if and when that stuff ever catches on). Here's everything we think you can expect when Apple unleashes its true household hub.
The first hint that Cupertino finally is getting serious about supercharging Apple TV came at the recent Apple Watch event, when it slashed the price of the current hardware to an everything-must-go price of $69. More telling, Apple’s website lists the price as “starting at $69,” suggesting there's a step-up model coming.
There's been all sorts of confirmation---anonymous, of course---that an upgrade is coming. There's supposedly a live-TV streaming service with around 25 channels ready for fall. It'll reportedly cost more than Sling TV’s basic service but much less than Sony’s basic PlayStation Vue package, which has twice as many channels. Meanwhile, new Apple TV hardware could be announced as early as June at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference.
Based on all these reports and some of Apple's own actions, it's safe to say we're looking at something more than a spec bump. Beyond the streaming and mirroring that Apple TV already excels at, there are five new opportunities that could set it apart from an increasingly crowded field.
A Cable Alternative That Works: The rumored over-the-top streaming service could exceed rival packages like Sling TV and Vue. It reportedly will beat Sling TV with live broadcast networks including CBS, ABC, and Fox. Given Apple's close relationship with Disney, we may well see it offer ESPN, which Vue currently lacks. Yes, you can receive free broadcast networks over the air by purchasing an antenna, but Apple seems to be making the smart bet that it's too much trouble for most people.
Beyond channel lineup and convenience, Apple could offer something else cable can't: An interface that doesn't slowly drive its users insane, aided by Siri-powered voice control.
Apps for Your TV: While Apple TV has added a steady trickle of channels over the years, it seems poised to open the floodgates. A report from Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac indicates an Apple TV App Store is in the works, a position supported by speculation we'll see an Apple TV announcement at the Developer Conference. It seems likely that Apple will introduce an SDK for its new Apple TV this summer, clearing the way for new hardware loaded with new experiences in the fall.
Would would Apple TV apps look like? You can imagine straightforward versions of popular iOS apps like Safari and Instagram, or a rapid expansion of content providers that haven't found their way into Apple's good graces yet. But the most likely use case will be games. Lots of games.
Games, Games, Games: While devices like the Roku 3, Google's Nexus Player, and Amazon's Fire TV provide a set-top box gaming experience, none of them has found a breakout title. Gaming remains secondary to Netflix streaming. Apple may not break that streak, but it has some potential advantages. The depth and breadth of its developer pool is unmatched. The company introduced its Metal API in 2014, a solid engine for big-screen gaming. And it released guidelines for building game controllers for its devices nearly two years ago. Plenty of foundational work already has been done.
Combine all of that with a report that Apple will introduce a remote that is "more capable and tactile," and you can see the potential for Apple TV to be a game console for people who don't need the the full Call of Duty experience.
Whole-Home Control: Apple’s ambitions extend beyond entertainment into the home. Apple TV is destined to be an in-home communication interchange for HomeKit, Apple’s system for controlling compatible light bulbs, appliances, security cameras, door locks, and other smartware.
For some functions, an Apple TV will be needed to interact with HomeKit-licensed products, admittedly a short list at the moment. As detailed by Ars Technica, you’ll need an Apple TV to communicate with devices using Siri when you’re beyond your home network. But there’s a bigger picture to consider in terms of how Apple TV ties into HomeKit and devices in your home. There already are standalone connected-home controllers and hubs---Samsung’s SmartThings, Quirky’s Wink Hub, and Nest, for example---but none are baked into a compelling stream-everything box, nor do they fit snugly into an existing, robust ecosystem.
Seamless Ecosystem Interaction: Adding live-streamed shows and an app ecosystem certainly would close the gap between Apple TV and other set-top rigs, if not eliminate it entirely, given Apple's influence and popularity. Add the ability to interact with the hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads out there, not to mention the forthcoming Apple Watch, and there is the potential to radically remake streaming boxes. Consider seamless interplay between the apps running on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch and your TV. Imagine using your iPhone or iPad as a Wii U-style second-screen controller. Or an Apple Watch as a wrist-worn motion controller for games.
OK, it appears that last one will have to wait. According to Cult of Mac and Mashable, the WatchKit SDK doesn't let developers tap into the Apple Watch’s accelerometer. But it's early. Apple has let developers do more with iOS over time, so we may see the same thing happen with the Watch, especially if it becomes a controller for a bigger pool of Apple gear.
Steve Jobs famously called Apple TV a "hobby," something CEO Tim Cook echoed as recently as six months ago. But it's clear the company recognizes it could be so much more. Right now, it's primarily an iTunes machine with some streaming services built in. It's perfectly capable, and AirPlay mirroring is a great perk if you own other Apple devices, but it's also limited in frustrating ways. For example, there’s no on-box access to music services beyond Apple's stable of iTunes, iTunes Match, iTunes Radio, or Beats Music. Instead, you must use AirPlay to stream other services from an iOS device or Mac. It's the same story with Sling TV and any number of other services.
Meanwhile, its competitors have innovated. Roku offers an overwhelming 1,700 channels, including live-streaming through Sling TV and sports apps. Amazon and Google offer gaming and voice control on their full-powered set-top boxes, and budget dongle alternatives. It's an increasingly crowded market of options that are more appealing than Apple's aging hockey puck.
But Apple TV seems poised to live up to its potential. Just as the first iPhone was billed as a phone, an iPod, and an Internet communications device in one package, the new Apple TV will be a cable box, a movie-streamer, a game console, and a smart-home hub rolled into one.
And like the iPhone, which also had a profound impact on the camera, camcorder, MP3 player, handheld gaming, and in-car GPS markets, a revamped Apple TV could have a wide blast range. Any company that makes set-top-boxes, game consoles, smart hubs, provides cable service, or offers their own music or video streaming services is reaching for the Maalox. That kind of competition should end up driving more innovation in the set-top-box market---and create more value for consumers along the way.
