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I think the big thing people are missing in Apple's strategy with this is the streaming from iOS to AppleTV. Steve demoed the feature in such a way that it got

I think the big thing people are missing in Apple's strategy with this is the streaming from iOS to AppleTV. Steve demoed the feature in such a way that it got very little attention - but I think that was intentional because the feature isn't coming until iOS 4.2 and Apple doesn't ordinarily like to show off features that are so distant, but since iOS 4.2 was already mentioned, they decided to show it yesterday. I think that feature is the disruptive angle to the AppleTV and that's the reason I bought one. Here's why: All Apple has to do is add a single Boolean switch to the built in video player: allowsAirPlay. If they do this, then with a single line of code, any app developer can make an app that allows their content to be streamed to an AppleTV. Your iDevice becomes the worlds most powerful remote control almost instantly. Developers (studios, individual shows, whatever) just need to create apps for iOS which authenticate or manage the subscription to their content, and the customers can tap a single button to see it on their big screen. You gain all the advantages of apps on the AppleTV itself without actually needing them to be installed there! Suddenly the App Store becomes a cable TV network. The added benefit is - you don't need to have an AppleTV to enjoy the benefits! Plug your iPad into your TV using that adapter cable, and you could still enjoy the same content. Or take it with you when you travel - your TV channels are all there. And when you're at home, just tap the AirPlay button to see it on the big screen. That's the disruption I'm hoping for and Apple has every single piece in place now to do this.

Timothee 16y ago
I don't know if the rest of your comment is true or not, but I agree with you that the demo was kind of weird. Steve Jobs was like "I tap here, the menu comes up. And it's on the TV." I thought he was strangely casual about it as if we were used to that kind of interaction and "flow", even though that's the kind of things that have been talked about for many years (the idea of starting something on my phone, it comes up on my TV screen when I get home, everything is sync'ed, etc.) without really seeing something commercial that really does it.
brownleej 16y ago
Unfortunately, that still leaves us with the trouble of getting the content providers on board. I would love it if I could use, for instance, a Hulu app on my tv. I'd even put up with having to use both an iPad and an Apple TV to do it, if the interface were slick enough. But that won't happen, because even if AirPlay provides that functionality, Hulu won't enable it. They'll block it just like they blocked Boxee. I don't blame the Hulu guys for this, since I'm fairly confident that they are forced to take these stances by the content providers, but it's an unavoidable fact of the situation.
- brianpan 16y ago
  I think the point of the above comment is that companies are already on board with iOS. MLB already has an iPhone app that streams video. If an AirPlay API is added, MLB releases an update and BOOM! Your TV now has baseball diamonds* . The great thing would be that you have video on-the-go all the time, and you now have the additional option of viewing it on a bigger screen at home. It'll be hard for content providers to say, we're providing the video to users on the iPhone but we don't want them to have the ability to see it on their TV. *Memes not required for API compatibility.
  - BigZaphod 16y ago
    Yes, exactly! With no content storage and 100% streaming, there's no reason this couldn't work from any iDevice to any AppleTV. What I mean is: Say you have the MLB app on your iPhone, but your friend doesn't but he has an AppleTV and giant screen. You go over there with your iPhone, tap a single button, and you can both enjoy the game on the big screen. There's no syncing or sharing of iTunes accounts necessary. The same for sharing and enjoying movies and TV shows with friends. This is exactly the element that's missing in almost all current online content delivery schemes.
    - johns 16y ago
      MLB At Bat just added video out via the iPad VGA adapter just a few days ago so they're clearly comfortable with the concept of using the iPad to stream to a TV.
- BigZaphod 16y ago
  There's already a Hulu app for iOS. The only reason they'd have for blocking AirPlay would be if the content providers got bitchy about it - but the thing about AppleTV is that it's all streaming. This makes it, conceptually, no different than streaming the content to a browser or to the Hulu app itself like they already do. The AppleTV is a closed box with no apps, so Apple can claim to the networks that it's very secure, etc. The content providers might be more open to that idea since the data itself is always transient (streamed from the net to the app, from the app to the TV - nothing is ever stored which is what the providers are deathly afraid of). The other angle here is that this could eliminate the need for Hulu entirely. Smart networks could make their own apps that follow their own desired content rules (letting you see live, non-live, only the last X days, whatever they want). And they can stream the content to the app in whatever manner of subscription they choose. And indie production companies could skip networks entirely and go straight to the App Store - just like indie musicians and podcasters are already doing.
ZeroGravitas 16y ago
Shame they didn't just support the existing wireless standard for sending audio/video: DNLA/UPnP
losvedir 16y ago
> I think the big thing people are missing in Apple's strategy with this is the streaming from iOS to AppleTV. Absolutely. Your idea about the single boolean to allow an app to stream to Apple TV is brilliant. I was thinking Apple TV would be its own iOS platform with apps, etc, but I think you might have the solution here. As I watched the presentation, I thought the biggest feature of Apple TV was the streaming from the iOS device. Sending Up from his iPad to the TV was cool, as is the idea of easy slideshows from pictures you take. If a friend could bring over a movie he has on his iPhone and zap it over to your TV, that would be hugely useful. I see Apple TV at this point as akin to one of those music docks people have for their iPods. Same price and same idea. The music dock, you plop your phone down and now you have speakers for everyone to hear your songs. Apple TV, everyone can hear/watch your media on the TV. I would love for Apple TV to eventually disrupt the awful TV industry someday, but for now I'm not sure it's much more than a low-margin accessory to generate more sales of iProducts.

Timothee 16y ago

I don't know if the rest of your comment is true or not, but I agree with you that the demo was kind of weird. Steve Jobs was like "I tap here, the menu comes up. And it's on the TV." I thought he was strangely casual about it as if we were used to that kind of interaction and "flow", even though that's the kind of things that have been talked about for many years (the idea of starting something on my phone, it comes up on my TV screen when I get home, everything is sync'ed, etc.) without really seeing something commercial that really does it.

brownleej 16y ago

Unfortunately, that still leaves us with the trouble of getting the content providers on board. I would love it if I could use, for instance, a Hulu app on my tv. I'd even put up with having to use both an iPad and an Apple TV to do it, if the interface were slick enough. But that won't happen, because even if AirPlay provides that functionality, Hulu won't enable it. They'll block it just like they blocked Boxee. I don't blame the Hulu guys for this, since I'm fairly confident that they are forced to take these stances by the content providers, but it's an unavoidable fact of the situation.

brianpan 16y ago
I think the point of the above comment is that companies are already on board with iOS. MLB already has an iPhone app that streams video. If an AirPlay API is added, MLB releases an update and BOOM! Your TV now has baseball diamonds* . The great thing would be that you have video on-the-go all the time, and you now have the additional option of viewing it on a bigger screen at home. It'll be hard for content providers to say, we're providing the video to users on the iPhone but we don't want them to have the ability to see it on their TV. *Memes not required for API compatibility.
- BigZaphod 16y ago
  Yes, exactly! With no content storage and 100% streaming, there's no reason this couldn't work from any iDevice to any AppleTV. What I mean is: Say you have the MLB app on your iPhone, but your friend doesn't but he has an AppleTV and giant screen. You go over there with your iPhone, tap a single button, and you can both enjoy the game on the big screen. There's no syncing or sharing of iTunes accounts necessary. The same for sharing and enjoying movies and TV shows with friends. This is exactly the element that's missing in almost all current online content delivery schemes.
  - johns 16y ago
    MLB At Bat just added video out via the iPad VGA adapter just a few days ago so they're clearly comfortable with the concept of using the iPad to stream to a TV.
BigZaphod 16y ago
There's already a Hulu app for iOS. The only reason they'd have for blocking AirPlay would be if the content providers got bitchy about it - but the thing about AppleTV is that it's all streaming. This makes it, conceptually, no different than streaming the content to a browser or to the Hulu app itself like they already do. The AppleTV is a closed box with no apps, so Apple can claim to the networks that it's very secure, etc. The content providers might be more open to that idea since the data itself is always transient (streamed from the net to the app, from the app to the TV - nothing is ever stored which is what the providers are deathly afraid of). The other angle here is that this could eliminate the need for Hulu entirely. Smart networks could make their own apps that follow their own desired content rules (letting you see live, non-live, only the last X days, whatever they want). And they can stream the content to the app in whatever manner of subscription they choose. And indie production companies could skip networks entirely and go straight to the App Store - just like indie musicians and podcasters are already doing.

ZeroGravitas 16y ago

Shame they didn't just support the existing wireless standard for sending audio/video: DNLA/UPnP

losvedir 16y ago

> I think the big thing people are missing in Apple's strategy with this is the streaming from iOS to AppleTV. Absolutely. Your idea about the single boolean to allow an app to stream to Apple TV is brilliant. I was thinking Apple TV would be its own iOS platform with apps, etc, but I think you might have the solution here. As I watched the presentation, I thought the biggest feature of Apple TV was the streaming from the iOS device. Sending Up from his iPad to the TV was cool, as is the idea of easy slideshows from pictures you take. If a friend could bring over a movie he has on his iPhone and zap it over to your TV, that would be hugely useful. I see Apple TV at this point as akin to one of those music docks people have for their iPods. Same price and same idea. The music dock, you plop your phone down and now you have speakers for everyone to hear your songs. Apple TV, everyone can hear/watch your media on the TV. I would love for Apple TV to eventually disrupt the awful TV industry someday, but for now I'm not sure it's much more than a low-margin accessory to generate more sales of iProducts.