Apple TV updated Wednesday morning, giving the main screen a whole new look and adding Beats Music as a “channel.”
The icons for Music, Computers and TV Shows all have a new, almost pastel look, while all the icons seem a bit flatter, like iOS 8. The fonts seem thinner, as well, reflecting the overall new design ethos of iOS and OS X.
You can also connect to iCloud Photo and Family Sharing options, new iOS 8 features that also went live today for iPhone and iPad devices.
Apple TV has been a “hobby” for the Cupertino company since the original hard-drive-based devices came out in 2007. With the release of two generations since then, the hobby has become a billion dollar business for Apple. As a third leg in the Apple home ecosystem, Apple TV — or the technology behind it, at least — is an important business as well.
The new update brings the Apple TV look and feel up to date with the current iOS and OS X visual changes, and now connects to several key systems behind the scenes as well, like Family Sharing and iCloud Photos.
If you own a third generation Apple TV (the black hockey puck) or higher, you should be able to find the update in the General > Software Updates settings.
Via: MacRumors
Rob LeFebvre is an Anchorage, Alaska-based writer and editor who has contributed to various tech, gaming and iOS sites, including 148Apps, Creative Screenwriting, Shelf-Awareness, VentureBeat, and Paste Magazine. Feel free to find Rob on Twitter @roblef, and send him a cookie once in a while; he’ll really appreciate it.
4 responses to “Apple TV update adds Beats Music, new icons, iOS 8 features”
I update my Apple TV this evening but beside for small changes there is nothing great. There are so many things that Apple could do to make their set top box better but they don’t seem to be paying much attention to the consumer when it comes to the Apple TV. Sure I would like a updated STB but if they upgraded the hardware I am sure I would not get iTunes library server built in.
If Apple is listening here are a couple software updates you can implement:
– Interact with iTunes Library with splash screens like you get when watching purchases from the iCloud. An example would be Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Watching from cloud you get a nice opening menu and can watch the movie, view extras and other related junk.
– No matter where you play it from Apple is way behind Netflix in how the consumers watch TV serial on the Apple TV. Netflix just added the ability earlier this year but the ability to play a TV shown season from start to end it assume and really Apple should have had it at the beginning. It was my favorite thing about buying TV shows on DVD and letting them plays for hours at a time.
– AirPlay for Windows, Android and Linux. You know it will catch the consumer interests more if they could buy one device and use the Apple TV to play directly to their TV. Yes, I use my Mac to do this now but I see the need and I see the possible sales.
– Direct connection to the Apple TV without the need for a router. It would be great to take my Apple TV to a hotel and watch what I have on my iPad or iPhone.
I don’t expect to see a reply from Tim Cook but if more people make requests to Apple for update to the Apple TV we might start seeing the updates we want.
I don’t think you understand what Apple TV is. Apple isn’t trying to be a Netflix or Hulu, its just a content conduit, which is why it adds these subscription services to its platform. It’s not a streaming service and neither is it a storage device or a dvd player. It’s a hub. A hub between your TV and your devices and the store. Also there are many third party applications that allow you to use Windows and Android with an Apple TV, as its not Apples business to make apps for other companies. (I’m sure there’s a Linux application too, but who would bother with such a tiny user group). And as of iOS 8, you don’t need a network connection to Airplay from an iOS device to Apple TV. Perhaps you should keep up with whats going.
Not all Apple TV’s will have the ability of direct AirPlay, just the newest 3rd gens (A1469+)
They have added the ability to AirPlay on the later 3rd gen Apple TV. I unfortunately have the early 3rd so no direct AirPlay for me.