A few weeks ago, in collaboration with of Squirrels (maker of AirParrot and Reflector) and Beamer, we started a contest inviting you to share with us (and the rest of the world) your vision of a perfect Apple TV – the Apple TV of your dreams. The participation was amazing (thanks!), we got tons of submissions and a lot of great ideas. Here is a short résumé:

Almost all of you think of a new Apple TV as a standalone TV set that features:

• a big, 3D, ultra HD display (Retina?)
• a built-in Kinect-like camera (FaceTime/Skype calls, gaming, face recognition)
• Siri
• App Store (yes, you want apps!!!)
• social network integration
• DVR functionality

All the above features seem to be a MUST for the future Apple HDTV.

Other ideas we liked:

• NFC
• push notifications
• multiuser personalized profiles
• gesture interaction with social media
• a full TV experience available everywhere (on the go!)
• wireless charging (in the fuuuuuture)

Interestingly, a lot of you want your TV to become… a phone.

Though these are all great ideas, we think we are still missing something here, a truly revolutionary, game-changing, killer future that could reinvent a TV and it seems that we will have to leave it to Apple to figure out what it is.

Here are some of your ideas:

Sean O’Neill

• My vision for the perfect Apple TV would require one simple interface addition: voice.  A few simple words should be all it takes to communicate with your TV, across all devices and services.
  Examples:
  “Hi TV. Change channel, CNN.”
  “Hi TV. Netflix, House of Cards. Episode 2.”
  “Hi TV. Search TV, Next Daily Show, New Episodes.”A minor hardware challenge would be including a small microphone in the remote, which would transmit voice commands to the box.An alternate approach to voice control would be to simply hold the current center button for a few seconds, which would trigger a high-gain microphone on the Apple TV itself. An animated speech waveform could be displayed on the TV to entertain the user & confirm actuation.Another interesting twist on this would be to provide multi-service search results, as Roku has done with the latest version of their Roku 3 player. e.g. “Hi TV. Iron Man 2. Anywhere.” might return a list of results on screen that list comparative pricing spanning multiple services, so users can select the best offering.

• Another “killer” feature would be Push Notifications. Users can register their favorite programs (via an Apple TV app, for instance, that could resemble a supercharged Remote app) using their Apple ID. They could then be notified about various events: when a favorite show is about to be broadcast, when a podcast they’ve subscribed to has a new episode, or when a movie they’re watching becomes available on Netflix, Amazon VOD, Vudu, etc. On acknowledging the notification, users could either select the content for immediate viewing, “Add to Queue”, or Record, depending upon the source.

G J P R Verasdonck

My Apple TV should be:

• any “computer” from which I can access the content from anywhere in the world (if I am on holidays in “Timbuktu” I do not want my screen to say that I am not authorized to view my content due to geographic restrictions)
• suitable for views on the go (e.g. iPad/iPhone) or at home (e.g. large screen)
• be “low-key interactive”: if I like the holiday program on Fiji Islands, I want to be able to look at booking options or in reverse: if i consider a holiday to the Inca ruins I want to be able to look for a travel program on the region I am interested in and see booking possibilities
• my TV should also be my phone; I like to see the people I’m talking with.

Mark Villapando

• Deals with all the premium channels for their on demand content
• Access to the NFL Network, or better yet, RedZone
• Deals with more sports networks to make pay subscription apps (to combat Internet piracy through illegal streaming sites)
• Easy ability to share viewed programs through social networks
• A VNC-like app to access the screens of computers on the network (from TV)
• Make iOS hackable again to allow programs like Plex, XBMC, or Media Player to stream local media (wishful thinking)

Alejandro Timpanaro

• A laser pointer (Wii-style)
• Google Chrome browser
• Google maps
• Access to Google Drive and other cloud services
• A download manager like Jdownloader.
• Backup config of the Apple TV in iCloud

Nicholas Chan

• Every single broadcast gets relayed to the billion-dollar data center for recording. This includes news broadcasts, morning/late night talk shows, etc. Everything gets recorded. A user with an Apple TV can then jump back in time to a specific hour to watch his/her favorite program from any channel, streaming directly from the data center. User does not have to worry about local storage. Program list can be sorted and presented in many ways. Programs can stream to iPhone/iPad/Macs. Premium channels are available to those that are paying for it currently.
• The Archive: for stuff that predates the Apple TV (stuff that didn’t get recorded at the data center), becomes available for on-demand streaming. Basically – Netflix. Score some deals Mr. Cook!
• Three ways to control the TV: 1) everyone has their phones with them, make that the remote (people would buy iPod touches dedicated for this). Very similar to the current Apple TV’s iOS remote. 2) if the phone isn’t in the room, use Siri, an obvious choice. 3) if all else fails, a multitouch display directly on a TV. Tap on screen to bring up a menu. Swipe to switch channels. Third party apps can utilize this. Apps can be educational and ask children to select things on screen, etc…(classrooms desperately need this feature available).
• Killer GPU for competition against consoles
• iSight -> direct all phone/FaceTime calls to the TV rather than your phone if your identity is detected in the room

Mike Bowen

• I’d like to see the TV have full touchscreen compatibility (you can’t play Angry Birds without a touchscreen)
• PIP of course that would support watching TV while checking apps
• Built in 4g & LTE support so you can actually make and receive phone calls from the TV set itself

Adrian Büsselmann

• I dream of gesturing from my couch to control the Apple TV. No more searching for the small controller. Apple TV could get a “Kinect” plugin to realize this
• Even a virtual keyboard can be shown on the TV and the Apple TV would see my gesture and get the right input

Eric Dykstra

• A monthly iTunes subscription (be able to watch everything on iTunes for a monthly cost; the cost would be high, $150+ per month)
• Control interface for cable and satellite (run the Cable signal through Apple TV, and change channels with ATV)

Eric Olson

• The Apple TV should be able to mirror to another apple TVs and support a “party-mode” where all apple TVs on the local network display and control the same media
• Open the “remote” IP port for 3rd party display of meta-data & control. This will make it easy to integrate an Apple TV into high & mid-range entertainment systems

Rik Moedt

• The Genius function that Apple uses to show you things you might like is going to be integrated. It will offer you playlist with things you might like to watch. In the playlist live television, on demand video and internet content can all be combined.

And the winners are:

1. Maria Panagi – for the brilliant idea of using simple gestures to interact with social media:

The Apple TV of my dreams would have highly developed gesture recognition, that would be used not only for playing games (bringing all the Wii feauteres) but the whole controlling of the TV would be based on gestures.

click to enlarge

When it comes to social media, the gesture recognition would be highly integrated with the biggest social media platforms. On the above picture there is an example of Facbook ´Like`- the gesture of thumb-up would be recognized and would make it possible to give a like only using a gesture. Other gestures would be recognized as “share” and reading the news feed would be possible with a hand swing.

On the below picture there is an example of how the gesture control system could work with Apple TV menu. I believe that the main menu should have only 6 icons, so that it can be easily navigated with gestures (it would recognize moves: left top, right top, center top, left down, right down, center down). One hand swing would  bring another screen with the next set of 6 icons.

click to enlarge

Prize: iPad mini

2. Cristhian Flores – for an idea of a fingerprint (on the remote)/face detection to recognize users and update the TV with their personalized profiles (channels, apps, movies, music, etc.)

Other ideas of Cristhian:

• Led notification for personal mail, Skype calls, or iMessage
• A built in mic on the touch remote to allow the user to communicate with TV without making too much noise around
• NFC chip, to allow smartphones and tablets to transfer information with a tap on the TV’s stand. When tapped to a laptop will also transfer information.
• All Corning Gorilla Glass with plasma like refresh rate 600HZ
• Has built in set-top box, way to activate is to call Apple and with their deal with Direct TV/Dish will transmit signal to the television to allow channel viewing
• Special coating on the television that activates when people (in a meeting) are trying to show their products can write on the screen with a stylus. This information is saved on the flash and can be transmitted to devices via NFC.
• Quad-core processor to allow heavy intensive applications to run, the visual would match the graphics of the Playstation 3
• 4GB RAM: allows applications to run at ease, also streaming any content while also doing iWork (multitasking.) It would allow either side-by-side or Top-bottom screen to be able to run two applications.

Prize: iPad mini

Runner-up: Leo Hellberg – for a futuristic idea of The Plug (wireless power) and professionally designed Apple-style graphic (below.)

click to enlarge

Prize: free copies of AirParrot, Reflector and Beamer.

Big thanks to all for participation! Stay tuned for more contest and giveaways!

The contest was sponsored by Squirrels (maker of AirParrot and Reflector) and Beamer.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Digitimes, a site that has a hit-or-miss track record when it comes to Apple rumors, reports that Apple is continuing to develop a TV that is likely to sport an Ultra HD 4K display (3840 x 2160). According to the sources, a standalone Apple TV set could launch by the end of this year, but it is more likely that Apple decides to unveil it in early 2014.

The sources said that Apple and Foxconn Electronics have been in discussions for quite some time in terms of the TV’s mass production schedule, but that Apple has been considering where panel supply for the TV will come from, as Ultra HD TV panel makers, most of whom are based in Taiwan, are expected to be producing at nearly full capacity in 2013 in order to meet demand from China-based TV vendors.

The sources added that Apple is banking on LG Display to be able to mass produce Ultra HD TV panels by the second half of the year.

According to Digitimes, the upcoming Apple HDTV will also feature voice and motion control functions.

Find more on a long-awaited Apple TV set.

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Almost a year ago AppleInsider broke the story that Apple was in talks to buy out the German television and electronics manufacturer Loewe. Well, nothing came of the story last time, but now AppleInsider is at it again, reporting that the German company saw its shares jump up considerably after these rumors arose again on Wednesday, in German markets. You may have noticed our article discussing the Media Event Apple has set for March to discuss the television (whatever that means), perhaps this story has something to do with it all. Enticed yet?

According to Reuters, Loewe’s shares jumped more than 40 percent on Wednesday fueled by nothing more that rumors claiming that Apple is planning to bid roughly $5.40 per share. The interesting thing here is that the shares are currently valued at roughly $3.20 per share as of closing on Tuesday. This, for the non-mathematicians in the room, is a nearly 40 percent premium on their shares current value. It would seem, if this were true, Apple is extremely interested in televisions! Enticed Yet?

Now, it is important to note that when AppleInsider reached out to Loewe for a comment, they denied any knowledge of a buyout, or any other offers coming from Apple. That said, often in these situations, neither side is able to discuss the details until every thing is finalized. So what do you think? Is Apple buying out a TV manufacturer? Is Apple going to finally reveal a revolutionary TV product? Are you enticed yet?

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It would seem that the speculation regarding Apple’s plans of making a bigger splash into the television market may soon come to a head proving once and for all if there is a new Apple TV in the making. According to the analyst Peter Misek, Apple has a “media event” scheduled for this March to discuss something related to television. This event will be coming prior to relaunch of its new, FCC revealed, Apple TV, so what exactly could it be? According to reports from Apple Insider, Misek wrote in a report, issued to clients, stating that:

Channel checks indicate Apple has a product event in March that is Apple-TV related (possibly an iTV SDK introduction. We think a Sep/Oct iTV launch is being targeted.

Apparently, Misek is modeling Apple to sell an estimated 2 million of its revamped Apple TVs during the third quarter of this year but told investors if this release happens in October rather than September, he may need to be pushed back his estimates a full quarter.

We expect a price point of $1,500+ for a 42” to 55” model and also expect a below corporate average [gross margin]. Apple is likely to largely rely on leveraging content via partnerships with existing pay-TV operators.

Apple is clearly poised to dominate this market if the content delivery system is there. The unique eye for design, integrated software, and expansive AppStore could make an Apple iTV the must have item of 2014.

Apple Insider went on to point out that, “a good deal of the speculation from the investor side has to do with a desire on their part for Apple to diversify its offerings.” With all the concern in the market regarding Apple’s ability to continue their growth without new products, this iTV news could be just the thing to get Apple back on its feet. I say that realizing that they are already a dominant force in the market but their is no denying that companies like Samsung and Google are hot on their heals.

Update: After The Loop’s Jim Dalyrmple, who has proven to be reliable when commenting on Apple’s plans for media events, has published his one word response on the situation saying “Nope” to an Apple TV event taking place in March, Apple Insider has reached out to Peter Misek, who “maintained a high level of confidence regarding his hardware predictions.”

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Apple has always treated Apple TV as a “hobby” device. The original silver Apple TV, the second and third-generation hockey pucks – these are really great devices, but, undoubtedly, they are not as “magical and revolutionary” as were iPods, iPhones and iPads.

There is 1080p, there is AirPlay and AirPlay Mirroring, there are some content deals, there are apps like AirParrot and Beamer, there is XBMC, Plex and aTV Flash on jailbroken devices, but it’s still not even close to what we think a perfect TV solution from Apple could look like. And now we have learned that the next Apple TV will probably come with a slightly improved processor and a new antenna/chip. Oh, come on Apple, you know you can do better!

But there is no doubt there will be a bloody battle for our living rooms and Apple will take part in it. We have no doubts that Apple will come out with something big: a revolutionary TV solution, whether it will be a standalone TV set or next generation set-top box. But since we are not hearing anything from Apple on this matter, we hope to hear something from you.

We are giving you a chance to share with the world your vision of a perfect Apple TV. The Apple TV of your dreams. The king of your living room. A standalone TV set or a redesigned set-top box? Apps, games, Siri, Facetime, gesture control, 3D, social networks? And what about the content?

You tell us how the next Apple TV’s hardware, software and/or interface should look like!

If you have graphic skills, mockups, renderings and all other kinds of concept designs will be more than welcome. If Photoshop is really not your thing, just write down your ideas and send them to us in a text file. During the contest, we will be regularly posting the best ideas on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The authors of the best works in both “graphics” and “text” categories will be awarded an iPad mini 16 GB, courtesy of Squirrels (maker of AirParrot and Reflector) and Beamer.

Rules:
-       The contest starts right now and ends on Sunday, March 17^th at 11.59 PM EST.
-       Submissions should be sent to editor@appletvhacks.net; the subject line should read “Contest: Apple TV of your dreams”.
-       All graphic and text file formats are allowed.
-       If you are submitting a graphic work, please include a short description of it.
-       Submission of work that has already been published elsewhere is not allowed.
-       Two winners (one in each category) will be selected by Apple TV Hacks editorial team and announced not later than on March 29^th.
-       The contest is open internationally.

The contest is sponsored by Squirrels and Beamer.

UPDATE: We got tons of submissions and we’re reviewing them now. The winners will be announced by the end of the week. We are sorry for the delay!

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It would seem that Apple is playing friendly with the folks at The Verge and granted them some unique information pertaining to the new Apple TV that has shown up in the latest FCC filings. According to their team, Apple has clarified issues pertaining to the new Apple TV, model A1469, stating that Apple Inc. will not be releasing a smaller Apple TV. They are actually releasing an device that only contains “minor component changes.” One item that seems of interest is that these FCC filings seem to reveal that there may be an upgrade to the new A5x processor, but The Verge was unable to confirm this information.

As of now, it would seem there is no difference between the new model and the current iteration of the Apple TV 3. Apple claims the difference will only be noticeable to those who pay attention to the model number. Though, we do believe there is more to the story than Apple is sharing, but it is unclear what it could be. For now, we will wait, watch and report back to all of you as soon as there is news to share.

Apple’s statement:

We sometimes make component changes which require an updated model number for regulatory approval. The component changes we made don’t affect product features and Apple TV customers will continue to have the same great user experience.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ and we will keep you updated on the latest on the new Apple TV.

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It seems rare, these days, that Apple could surprise people when it comes to products, especially in the area of television. With all the talk surrounding Apple TVs, Apple’s potential HDTV, and Apple’s standings in the content arena, it is interesting to see that Apple has released a new Apple TV, model A1469, to the FCC yesterday. Though there is no immense news released in this filing, it is exciting to have a confirmation that Apple is still working on TV solutions, an area of its “intense interest.” The industry has been waiting on bated breath to discover what is next for Apple in this area. Perhaps, Apple is getting ready to tell us.

This box, alone, does not reveal much regarding Apples plans for what is to come next other than the fact that, in true Apple fashion, this device is half centimeter smaller than its predecessor and that it will be powered by Apple’s A5X processor and will use the same Broadcom WLAN+Bluetooth antenna/chip that the iPhone 5 uses. As of now, the largest change Apple made between its last  two “hobby” devices is the fact that one supports 720p and the other supports true 1080p. Could the next iteration be a similar jump? I foe one am hoping not! I am sure we can all agree that Apple needs to get back to innovating and get away from simply resizing.

To add a bit more fuel to the curiosity flame, 9to5Mac revealed that the latest Apple TV firmware (5.2), released this week, seems to include mention of a mystery Apple TV, named “3,2.” Our current Apple TV 3′s are known as “3,1.” It would seem that Apple has something coming quite soon. The question is if this a completely new box with some cool new capabilities, a peek at what Apple has in store next, or perhaps a simple rearrangement of internal hardware, now that parts are a bit cheaper?

What do you think? Let us know below.

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There is an ever growing number of people eagerly awaiting the news of an Apple HDTV release. The Apple TV set, we believe, is the product that Apple is working on to help them in the process of taking over the worlds living rooms. Though there are many who doubt that Apple will ever make this leap, Apple fans, and investors alike, are following this story with great interest. Thanks to the folks over at CNN NEWS, we were able to get some information found in a note to clients, Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty, issued Tuesday about what she calls “iTV.” Note the difference between an iTV (a TV set) and an Apple TV (current set-top box).

Essentially Huberty put together the results of a proprietary survey of 1,568 U.S. heads of household that she’s been sitting on since September. Key findings

Though we may all continue to debate the reality of Apple launching into the television market, which they will, there is no denying the numbers. Apple is what I like to refer to as an “on purpose” company. Everything they do is investigated, perfected, and responds to a real consumer need, both known and unknown. Granted the infamous iOS 6 Maps app, Ping, and Mobile Me are a few places where this may have fallen short, I would argue that when it comes to hardware they always succeed.

[Source: CNN Money]

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The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple it testing several TV-set designs. According to WSJ, “officials at some of Apple’s suppliers” said the company has been working on testing a few designs for a “large-screen high-resolution TV”:

Two people said Hon Hai Precision Industry (known by the trade name Foxconn), which assembles the iPhone and iPad, has been collaborating with Japan’s Sharp on the design of the new television.

“It isn’t a formal project yet. It is still in the early stage of testing,” said one of the people.

Apple, which works with suppliers to test new designs all the time, has been testing various TV prototypes for a number of years, according to people familiar with the efforts. The company generally tests and develops products internally before doing so with outside suppliers.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the rumored Apple TV set.

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Rumors have been swirling for nigh on a year now about what would come to pass when Apple finally delivers its television. Not that the Apple TV is any slouch mind you, but visions of a fully integrated Apple HDTV have had experts and fanboys alike drooling. News about a possible release schedule and what could be expected of this hardware has been slow to nonexistent in recent months leaving many people filling that informational void with speculation. One particularly juicy daydream was just delivered by our friend over at The Verge and we simply had to pass it on. So here is one die-hard’s dream of the perfect Apple TV.

The goal is to explore what would be possible if the software manufacturers and the cable providers could hold hands and work together. After all, the HDTV technology today has plenty of punch behind it, but 2K or 3K resolutions wouldn’t mean a thing unless there was a way for subscription-focused live internet streaming to link without limitations to Apple’s superior content delivery system. So the Apple TV would seamlessly integrate with all of our mobile devices, while maintaining a more friendly relationship with non-apple products as well.

When it comes to hardware, it’s obvious what should go on the ‘must’ list. You’ve got to have Bluetooth and AirPlay, as well as integrated WiFi technology that passes muster. That beautiful HD quality FaceTime camera and software should make an appearance, as well as 3D technology if they can get it right (which means losing the terrible glasses, of course). Resolution should bottom out at 1080p, and outputs should include USB, Optical Audio, HDMI and Apple’s new Thunderbolt. That will allow for an expanded hard drive, though inclusion of a DVR with at least 1TB of storage should be in the conversation.

Of course, FaceTime won’t be the only iOS App to make an appearance. What would be perfect is a fullscreen App store, where you could buy and utilize many of the apps that make the iPhone, iPod and iPad so fantastic. But you would also be able to download one-click access to the various players you most frequently use (Hulu Plus, VUDU, Netflix, etc.) AND to purchase subscriptions to pay cable networks. Ideally you’d be able to pick a monthly or yearly subscription to ShowTime or AMC, while also paying for membership to HBO Go or one of the other fantastic cable streaming sites.

As with your other Apple hardware, the Apple TV would certainly utilize Spotlight for searching. But in our ideal device it would be able to search not only your library’s content, but anything available on iTunes, within an app Store, or upcoming in a TV guide listing. That way you’d immediately see any free and paid options. If Siri was integrated to help remind you of subscribed shows or TV Guide alerts, that would just be the icing on the cake.

And as far as that TV guide is concerned, the closer the resemblance to our app screen the better. All the channels could be listed vertically, with click-through descriptions. The guide would cleanly integrate with iTunes, so you could see all upcoming releases the same way. Previews would be available for all movies (as on Apple Trailers), and anything you bring to the party through an external drive would upload to the same guide and be visually cataloged.

Is all of this probable, or even possible? Who really knows. This is the Apple TV that will live in our dreams until we are given one in real life. It’s going to take Apple becoming more willing to accept non-Apple products, and the cable providers choosing the joy of the user over maximizing advertising profits. If you think it’s probably not going to happen, you can dream at least. It’s what Steve Jobs would have wanted.

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