5 ms·

The iPhone DID bring something new to the table though. It brought a LOT of new to the table. Apple TV just.. doesn't.

by Navarr 11y ago

seiji 11y ago
But... do the other platforms have millions of developers ready to create experiences for them? Don't think "Apple TV," think "Apple bigass interactive application substrate."
- Navarr 11y ago
  Yes. Yes they do. Especially Android TV.
- cheald 11y ago
  Yeah, they do. The problem is that very few people actually want to load their TV up with apps - they just want Netflix. "Apps...on your TV!" has been a promise on multiple platforms for a few years now and it seems like nobody really cares past the first couple of weeks they have the device.
  - seiji 11y ago
    My WebTV in 1999 sucked. Nobody should ever try again. :(
    - cheald 11y ago
      The people who want interactivity with their TV have game consoles. Even on those wildly successful, high-use consoles, the "apps" (as opposed to "games", the first-class use case for the device) typically do rather poorly. Not-console-manufacturers have been trying to break into this market for ages by making a TV viewing device that also happens to be a casual gaming console (/app platform), but it seems that people who want gaming on their TVs buy gaming consoles, while people who want TV on their TV buy things that let them watch TV, and there isn't enough overlap between the two for One Grand Unified Device to capture the market. Microsoft really went hard-in on the married TV and gaming concept with the XBox One, and it's been a massive flop compared to the PS4 (with the PS4 outselling it 2:1). I don't think it's an issue of "nobody's done it right yet" - I think it's actually two separate markets and attempts to marry them just can't force those two markets to both want the same thing.
      - seiji 11y ago
        It's a software problem though. Every "Smart TV" has garbage software features. Some become completely unusable during the hour it takes them to download and install weekly updates. Apple creates new markets by switching the equation from 90% hardware/10% software focus to 70% software/30% hardware focus. As for the xbone, that's more of a marketing/positioning argument. Just because a game console can be a home media center doesn't mean people will buy it for one. xbones are for teenagers who want to be racist over their headset connections online.
        Karunamon 11y ago
        Yes, this, thank you! There's a very good argument to be made that the reason nobody wants "apps" on their TV is because the experience can be charitably described as utter shit. Smart TV's are known for awful UI's with awful lag, high end consoles such as the Xbox One stutter and hitch on their simplistic home screens, experiments such as Google TV have failed for the same reason, set-top boxes from outfits like DirecTV have the same problem, lag, lag, and more freaking lag. If anyone can put a decent user experience on this whole idea, it's Apple. After this, expect the rest of the market to shape up quickly.
        Navarr 11y ago
        As much of a Google fanboy as I am, I must admit that Apple is a market leader when it comes to UX. I do hope Google was taking some notes during this keynote. Siri's interaction in Apple TV is far superior than Android TV's Google Now integration. Hopefully that changes with the work in contextual awareness they've been doing and Now on Tap in Android 6.
        blt 11y ago
        Shitty programming. The hardware in these devices should have no trouble dealing with a simple UI with a few movie thumbnails and a virtual keyboard. Yet my "smart TV" runs slower than any dinky 90s windows box I can remember.

The iPhone DID bring something new to the table though. It brought a LOT of new to the table. Apple TV just.. doesn't.

by Navarr 11y ago

The iPhone DID bring something new to the table though. It brought a LOT of new to the table. Apple TV just.. doesn't.

seiji 11y ago

But... do the other platforms have millions of developers ready to create experiences for them? Don't think "Apple TV," think "Apple bigass interactive application substrate."

Navarr 11y ago
Yes. Yes they do. Especially Android TV.
cheald 11y ago
Yeah, they do. The problem is that very few people actually want to load their TV up with apps - they just want Netflix. "Apps...on your TV!" has been a promise on multiple platforms for a few years now and it seems like nobody really cares past the first couple of weeks they have the device.
- seiji 11y ago
  My WebTV in 1999 sucked. Nobody should ever try again. :(
  - cheald 11y ago
    The people who want interactivity with their TV have game consoles. Even on those wildly successful, high-use consoles, the "apps" (as opposed to "games", the first-class use case for the device) typically do rather poorly. Not-console-manufacturers have been trying to break into this market for ages by making a TV viewing device that also happens to be a casual gaming console (/app platform), but it seems that people who want gaming on their TVs buy gaming consoles, while people who want TV on their TV buy things that let them watch TV, and there isn't enough overlap between the two for One Grand Unified Device to capture the market. Microsoft really went hard-in on the married TV and gaming concept with the XBox One, and it's been a massive flop compared to the PS4 (with the PS4 outselling it 2:1). I don't think it's an issue of "nobody's done it right yet" - I think it's actually two separate markets and attempts to marry them just can't force those two markets to both want the same thing.
    - seiji 11y ago
      It's a software problem though. Every "Smart TV" has garbage software features. Some become completely unusable during the hour it takes them to download and install weekly updates. Apple creates new markets by switching the equation from 90% hardware/10% software focus to 70% software/30% hardware focus. As for the xbone, that's more of a marketing/positioning argument. Just because a game console can be a home media center doesn't mean people will buy it for one. xbones are for teenagers who want to be racist over their headset connections online.
      - Karunamon 11y ago
        Yes, this, thank you! There's a very good argument to be made that the reason nobody wants "apps" on their TV is because the experience can be charitably described as utter shit. Smart TV's are known for awful UI's with awful lag, high end consoles such as the Xbox One stutter and hitch on their simplistic home screens, experiments such as Google TV have failed for the same reason, set-top boxes from outfits like DirecTV have the same problem, lag, lag, and more freaking lag. If anyone can put a decent user experience on this whole idea, it's Apple. After this, expect the rest of the market to shape up quickly.
        Navarr 11y ago
        As much of a Google fanboy as I am, I must admit that Apple is a market leader when it comes to UX. I do hope Google was taking some notes during this keynote. Siri's interaction in Apple TV is far superior than Android TV's Google Now integration. Hopefully that changes with the work in contextual awareness they've been doing and Now on Tap in Android 6.
        blt 11y ago
        Shitty programming. The hardware in these devices should have no trouble dealing with a simple UI with a few movie thumbnails and a virtual keyboard. Yet my "smart TV" runs slower than any dinky 90s windows box I can remember.