Third party apps may finally land on the Apple TV this fall

By Cody Lee on Feb 15, 2013

I know, I know. There’s so many different Apple rumors these days, going in so many different directions, it’s hard to keep track. There’s the 4.8-inch iPhone, and the budget iPhone, and let’s not forget about the iWatch, which has become extremely popular as of late.

But try to block all of that out for a second, and focus on the Apple TV. A new report is out today from Tech Crunch’s well-connected MG Siegler, who says that talk of Apple’s broader television plans is picking up, and we could see something happen as early as this fall… Read More

 

Apple seeking someone to help deliver next-gen Apple TV features

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 15, 2013

An interesting new Apple job listing has been spotted, indicating that Apple has “high-priority” next-generation Apple TV features in development. That’s an interesting choice of words considering Apple continuously refers to its $99 set-top box as a hobby business. And with recent talk of Apple about to update the Apple TV platform this fall with a software development kit for third-party apps and games, all of the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall nicely in place… Read More

 

FireCore updates aTV Flash (black) with support for Apple TV 5.2

By Cody Lee on Feb 13, 2013

Now that Apple TV 5.2 can be jailbroken via the new Seas0nPass, FireCore has updated its popular aTV Flash (black) software suite to support the new firmware. Apple released 5.2 at the end of last month alongside iOS 6.1.

The aTV Flash (black) update, which brings the app to version 2.2, is fairly minor. But it does include several bug fixes, improvements to DVD playback, and of course, support for the new Bluetooth keyboard feature in 5.2… Read More

 

Seas0nPass jailbreak tool updated for Apple TV 5.2

By Cody Lee on Feb 13, 2013

Good news for all of you second generation Apple TV owners out there. FireCore has just announced that the latest firmware for the set-top box, Apple TV 5.2, is now jailbreakable thanks to an update to the Seas0nPass tool.

Apple released the new software at the end of last month alongside iOS 6.1 for its other devices. The update includes Bluetooth keyboard support, Up Next and now, thanks to the jailbreak, pretty much whatever you want… Read More

 

Xbox founder says App Store on Apple TV would ‘kill’ gaming consoles

By Cody Lee on Feb 13, 2013

Earlier today, Jeffries analyst Peter Misek told investors that Apple will hold a TV-related media event in March. And he suspects that the focus of the event will be the unveiling of a software development kit that will allow developers to finally make third-party apps for the Apple TV.

Well if that’s really the case, major gaming consoles better watch out. In a recent blogpost rant entitled ‘Stupid, Stupid xBox!!’ Xbox founder Nat Brown says that if Apple opens up an App Store on the Apple TV, the platform would “simply kill” the Playstation, Xbox and the WiiU… Read More

 

Apple (again) mentioned in a rumored Loewe takeover bid

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 13, 2013

In a déjà vu moment, Reuters this morning reported that shares of the German luxury TV maker Loewe surged 33 percent on renewed talk of a possible acquisition by Apple. The news gathering organization quotes a trader who claims Apple supposedly wants to bid 4 euros a share for Loewe, or approximately $5,28 a share, a 40 percent premium above the company’s closing price on Tuesday.

Loewe’s current market cap sits at 53 million euros, or about $71 million. With its $137 billion cash mountain, Apple could buy Loewe outright without blinking. Nearly one-third of Loewe, or 28 percent, is owned by Sharp, an Apple supplier that was involved in the Apple television rumor last summer… Read More

 

Analyst sees Apple TV media event in March (update: nope)

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 13, 2013

Apple could be holding an Apple TV-related media event next month, according to Jeffries analyst Peter Misek. Despite the mounting rumors that Apple is working on a standalone television set, channel checks led the analyst to believe that the assumed event will serve as a launchpad for a software development kit allowing programmers to write third-party applications for Apple’s $99 set-top box, something a lot of people have been clamoring for… Read More

 

Intel VP confirms it’s working on new set-top box and TV service

By Cody Lee on Feb 12, 2013

If Apple is really planning on revolutionizing the TV business, it may want to hurry up and do so before Intel beats it to the punch. Confirming rumors from earlier this year, the company’s Media VP Erik Huggers said today that it’s working on a set-top box.

But that’s not all. In addition to the new hardware, Huggers says that Intel is also working with ‘the entire industry’ to bring a new Internet TV service—an all-in-one solution that will incorporate live TV, catch-up TV and on-demand TV—to the market… Read More

 

HBO Go gains AirPlay streaming, Apple TV app due later this year

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 12, 2013

Good news, Apple TV users: later today, HBO will enable AirPlay streaming in its HBO Go iOS app. Speaking at The Wall Street Journal-sponsored D: Dive Into Media conference on Tuesday, HBO’s Eric Kessler said that “effective today, we will be enabling AirPlay” for HBO Go. Bloomberg last month reported that Apple and HBO are working on a content deal.

He also re-iterated that HBO Go will eventually land on the Apple TV later this yeare. Until the Apple TV app materializes, Time Warner Inc.’s HBO Go subscribers can use the existing iOS app to stream HBO shows from their iPhone or iPad to their Apple TV over AirPlay… Read More

 

Californian tech industry insiders claim summer iTV launch is ‘a certainty’

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 11, 2013

Watchers and analysts alike are increasingly expecting that Apple will reveal its cards at its upcoming developers conference, WWDC, this summer. First, a set of dubious images made rounds this morning, allegedly depicting the iPhone 5S on an assembly line and hinting at a likely summer launch.

However, eagle-eyed bloggers were quick to point out a few glaring inconsistencies, eventually debunking these spy shots as depicting an iPhone knock-off. Then an analyst said a cheaper iPhone model was due in June and now another report claims an Apple-branded television set is coming this summer… Read More

 

Sn0wbreeze 2.9.9 is out with a handful of bug fixes

By Cody Lee on Feb 10, 2013

iH8sn0w has posted a minor update to his popular jailbreak utility sn0wbreeze this weekend, bringing the software to version 2.9.9. The update comes just a few days after 2.9.8 was released, and features a handful of bug fixes.

The Windows-only app includes the new untethered evasi0n jailbreak, which the evad3rs debuted last week, and is capable of hacking all pre-A5 devices on iOS 6.1 (including the Apple TV 2). Full 2.9.9 change log after the fold… Read More

 

Bloomberg: Apple and HBO working on Apple TV content deal

By Cody Lee on Jan 31, 2013

HBO fans will be happy to hear that the premium TV network is reportedly working with Apple on a content deal that would bring a large chunk of its programming to the Apple TV.

As most of you know, HBO already has an iOS app for viewing content, called HBO GO. But it doesn’t support AirPlay, meaning it can’t be watched on a TV via the set-top box… Read More

 

New Apple TV could hint at A5X iPad mini with Retina display

By Cody Lee on Jan 31, 2013

The unknown ‘Apple TV 3,2′ device caused a lot of commotion when it was first discovered in iOS 6.1 earlier this week. It has a faster processor than the current model, and a lot of folks figured it was the next-gen Apple TV.

Apple, however, crushed the hype when they announced yesterday that the 3,2 ATV was nothing more than a component change. But according to some recent chatter, there may be more to the device than meets the eye… Read More

 

Valve CEO: Apple’s a bigger threat to Steam Box than consoles

By Cody Lee on Jan 31, 2013

Valve may be taking on traditional video game consoles with its upcoming Steam Box, but CEO Gabe Newell says that Apple is the company’s biggest threat to its success in the entertainment space.

Newell gave a lecture to a class at the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs this week, and he had some interesting things to say about Apple and the mounting war for the living room… Read More

 

Apple updates Remote app with improvements for search, stability and more

By Cody Lee on Jan 30, 2013

Is it just me, or did last November’s update to the Remote application, which came alongside iTunes 11, significantly affect stability? I use the app on a daily basis to control my Apple TV, and it seems like I’m constantly having to restart it.

Well hopefully that changes today, as Apple has just pushed out an update for Remote, bringing it to version 3.0.1. The app’s change log says that it includes a number of improvements, including search results, song rating and stability… Read More

 

‘Apple TV 3,2′ is just a minor internal upgrade

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 30, 2013

Don’t get too excited about that unreleased Apple TV device which popped up in Monday’s iOS 6.1 release - Apple confirmed it’s just a minor internal upgrade that won’y affect product features at all. That much was expected: after all, the very ‘AppleTV 3,2′ designation indicates a minor refresh (current-gen 1080p Apple TV is being referenced as ‘AppleTV 3,1′). We kinda hoped that the new Apple TV would run third-party apps or become a full-blown television set, but Apple says ‘no’… Read More

 

New Apple TV found to have A5X processor

By Cody Lee on Jan 30, 2013

There’s been a lot of talk this week regarding the next-generation Apple TV. First, an unknown AppleTV 3,2 device popped up in Monday’s iOS 6.1 release. And then yesterday, a slightly smaller ATV surfaced in some FCC documents.

So now that we know that Apple is readying a new set top box for release, the next question is: what improvements has it made? Well for starters, it looks like the device is going to get a performance bump with an A5X processor… Read More

 

FCC filing reveals new, slightly smaller Apple TV

By Cody Lee on Jan 29, 2013

This is pretty interesting. Hot on the heels of yesterday’s discovery of an unknown AppleTV3,2 device in the new iOS 6.1 firmware comes evidence that Apple is indeed planning to refresh the set-top box sometime in the near future.

The proof comes by way of a new FCC (Federal Communications Commission) filing, published today, from the Cupertino company. The documents out an unreleased Apple TV, model A1469, with slightly smaller dimensions… Read More

 

Apple releases iOS 6.1 with more LTE support and Siri improvements

By Cody Lee on Jan 28, 2013

Following up Saturday night’s release of the fifth iteration of the iOS 6.1 beta, Apple has seeded the final version of iOS 6.1 to the public (download link). The release comes nearly three months after the initial beta of iOS 6.1 was issued to developers.

So what did Apple do to its mobile operating system during all of that time? Well, most of the changes here were expected. There’s now more carrier support for LTE, and Siri is now able to purchase movie tickets through Fandango.

Keep reading for the full change log… Read More

 

Apple TV updated: use Bluetooth keyboards, queue up songs, access purchased music

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 28, 2013

Hot on the heels of releasing the new iOS 6.1 software with iTunes Match improvements, Siri movie ticket sales and enhanced LTE carrier support, Apple just posted a matching firmware update for its $99 Apple TV set-top box.

As indicated back in December 2012, one of the biggest new features the new software brings out is awesome support for Bluetooth keyboards, making the little hockey-puck much more than a “hobby” device. Other improvements include enhanced iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes Up Next. Go past the break for the full breakdown… Read More

 
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