We cast a first look at the new Apple TV set-top box, which along with Siri and touch controls could be a game-changer in the living room.
“More great content is being created for TV than ever before, it really is the golden age for television. But TV itself hasn’t changed,” lamented Apple CEO Tim Cook before he unveiled the new Apple TV.
The Apple TV, which comes with its own TV OS, is really Apple becoming the operating system for your TV choices, where Siri is your constant companion as you look for films or TV shows that match your mood, your favourite actors and dramas or iOS-style information such as weather and news.
The new remote control also signals Apple’s ambitions to enter the console video games business through ventures with game
creators like Harmonix.
Major content players like Netflix and Hulu have already developed apps that work with Siri and many more will follow.
“We have redesigned all of our apps, music and TV and even brought Apple Music to the big screen with over 30m songs and radio stations including Beats 1,” said Apple internet chief Eddy Cue.
“The future of TV is apps. Apps themselves have changed and what we expect from and do from iPhone and iPads is what we should expect from apps on TV.”
The new Apple TV will be available at the end of October in a 32GB model that will cost US$149 and a 64GB model that will cost US$199. The original Apple TV will cost just US$64. The Apple TV will be available in more than 100 countries worldwide by the end of the year.
Words by John Kennedy
