back to article Apple hires streaming vid bloke: Nurse, the corpse of Apple monster telly is twitching again

Apple has taken another step towards the introduction of a full-blown big-screen fruity goggle box with the hiring of a cable telly supremo. Jean-Francois Mulé has defected to Cupertino from Cablelabs, a non-profit research body paid for by cable television companies, according to the New York Times. He will join Apple as an …

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  1. Pascal Monett Silver badge
    Windows

    "I feel like I have gone backwards in time"

    You have. You have gone back to a time when providers and large companies did not have the luxury of scrutinizing my life and finely tuning their advertising to correspond to what they think my desires are.

    And you know what, Tim ? As far as I'm concerned, it's going to stay like that. I want my TV to be a dumb box, because the dumber it is, the less you will learn about me.

    And that suits me fine, because you're NOT my friend.

  2. Richard Jones 1
    Happy

    TV is Already Bad Enough, Even Apple Cannot Make It Worse

    That just about sums it up for me. Why do /I need a box that limits me to a walled garden of unwatchable junk when I can have an open plane of unwatchable rubbish and, no one knows how little I am interested? Oh, currently I have no Apple, Sky or other 'TAX' to pay either.

    1. Tom 38
      Headmaster

      Re: TV is Already Bad Enough, Even Apple Cannot Make It Worse

      Sounds like there is nothing that could persuade you to pay for TV content, so you probably aren't the target market for a pay provider's STB.

      You get what you pay for, and you aren't paying for much.

      PS: "open plain". An "open plane" would just crash.

      1. hplasm
        Headmaster

        Re: An "open plane" would just crash.

        Which one; X, Y or Z?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: TV is Already Bad Enough, Even Apple Cannot Make It Worse

      TV is bad enough already - we need someone like Apple to revolutionise it. If they had not done so for music we would probably still be buying CDs and playing them on our Sony Discman et al.

      Yes I agree they did not invent MP3 or MP3 players but they did revolutionise the market for digital music and music players far, far more than anyone else since Sony and their Walkman.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: TV is Already Bad Enough, Even Apple Cannot Make It Worse

      Welcome to the 1%.

      Pay your TV license (tax)?

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: TV is Already Bad Enough, Even Apple Cannot Make It Worse

        >TV is bad enough already - we need someone like Apple to revolutionise it.

        I thought that devices like Tivo, and services like Netflix, had already made good progress in shaking up the industry... the latter even commissioning original shows (okay, a remake of a British show, but it's good fun to watch a Machiavellian Kevin Spacey).

        The following is an interesting look at the commissioning of 'quality' television shows, and the difference between the UK and USA. Armando Iannucci: BAFTA Television Lecture 2012:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmViA8zRhLI

    4. Tim Jenkins

      Re: TV is Already Bad Enough, Even Apple Cannot Make It Worse

      I don't get all this TV-hatred. Why not choose to watch things you like (for me, almost any BBC2 popular-music documentary or BBC4 history programme, for example, which, together with Radio 4, entirely justifies the 40p that the Beeb costs our household a day), and ignore the rest as just not being to your taste?

      Multi-channel television is like food; consume the bits you enjoy and don't wander round the supermarket complaining about all the other stuff* on the shelves, 'cos that makes you look like a nutter.

      * such as anchovies. and peanut butter. and relish. and prawns. and those olives that have those bits of pepper in (I mean; why do they even do that?). and bovril. and coleslaw.

  3. Big_Ted
    FAIL

    Back in time

    "At the end of last year, Tim Cook told NBC: “When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years,” Cook said. “It’s an area of intense interest. I can’t say more than that.”"

    OK so Apples plan must be to put iOS on a telly, thereby moving it from 20-30 old up to 5 years + old.

    What is the point of an Apple Telly? A set top box with a small computer built in wiuld be more than enough.

    Cheaper to make, cheaper to buy and more likely to sale as lets be honestthe update cycle on TV's is a lotlonger than on many other devices.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Back in time

      So what if the interface is 5 yrs old. If it does the job it is supposed to do then what is wrong with it?

      do you change your hob/oven every year? your Vacuum Cleaner? do you change the interface in your car every year? no you don't. So why oh why do people thing that everything with a computer attached must be constantly updated?

      1. Big_Ted

        Re: So what if the interface is 5 yrs old

        Because Apple claim to inovate not stagnate.

        They would need to create a completely new way of doing things and tile etc like iOS UI are already on most TV's......

        Typical AC comment, misread what is posted, troll post or post complete rubbish most of the time. Oh and if you used your brain instead of your arse you would comare like with like, ie tv don't see upgrade more than say once every 5 years or so, Apple want you to upgrade every year thats why a set top box is more likely as like your iPad or iPhone you will want the latest shiney for all to see......

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: So what if the interface is 5 yrs old

          More BS - the vast majority of Apple users do not upgrade every year - I know lots of Apple users and very few that upgrade their iPhones less than every 18-24 months and many are still using 3GS/4 handsets getting on for 3-4 years old. The reality is the opposite is actually true and Apple users keep their stuff much longer than others / average.

          1. Steve Knox
            Boffin

            Re: So what if the interface is 5 yrs old

            More BS - the vast majority of Apple users do not upgrade every year

            Nobody said that.

            Big_Ted said that Apple want their users to upgrade every year.

            I'll go further and say that Apple needs a significant core of users willing to upgrade every year, in order to finance their annual technology refresh (plus that giant mound of cash they're hoarding).

            No, that's not the "vast majority", but it is certainly reflective of the "ideal" Apple customer.

      2. FlOrange

        Re: Back in time

        I agree you wont change, but until Apple releases one.

        How many thought they will upgrade a phone every year before iPhone?

        1. chipxtreme

          Re: Back in time

          I used to upgrade my phone every year back when networks did 12 month contracts. In fact still do change every year but these days stick to 12 months sim only plans and buy phone outright

    2. Tom 35

      Re: Back in time

      "What is the point of an Apple Telly?"

      If they can get people to pay hundreds more for a TV then they do now, and buy a new one every 2-3 years they can make lots of money.

      Of course if your a consumer you would be better off with the current Apple TV or another STB and keep your TV.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    TV is crap. Schedules are crap. Sky+ / TIVO etc. makes it bearable for some but it's can't be long until you can make your own channels and / or watch content completely on-demand? People said all this when we were back buying CDs from WHSmith / HMV.

  5. kmac499

    Probably won't buy one because

    It's Apple so,

    It will be technically good, probably, ok possibly, definitely arguably

    It may decide what I'm allowed to watch, aka Apple Store Ts&Cs

    It won't allow me to record .. no external storage allowed

    The remote will only have one button..

    The voice control will be based on Siri, hours of entertainment fun.

    The connectors will be non industry standard

    The EPG will be for the US only; we foreigners can crowd source and type our own in from the Radio Times

    It will cost a fortune almost definitely..

    1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: Probably won't buy one because

      So you won't be buying one then?

      What if it does all the things you say it won't?

      Will you change your mind?

      1. kmac499

        Re: Probably won't buy one because

        For all my tongue in cheek\ foot in mouth comments (delete where applicable) I won't be in the market for an Apple TV. We recently bought a Samsung Smart Telly which does all, and more that I need for the next five years or so.

        Specifically it has Freeview and FreeSat Tuners included, Ethernet and Wfi, Catch up services for the BBC and ITV\C4\5. Apps for Netflix, Youtube, Skype with integral camera etc etc. Plenty of connectivity from DLNA ,USB ,various HDMI down to good ole Scart for a legacy VHS player. It does 3D but that wasn't on the shopping list it just does it.

        It's not perfect, it wasn't cheap, buts It's final party piece is a replaceable module which completely upgrades the processor, firmware and UI which should extend it's service life for a small fraction the pric of a new TV. Oh and it's got a neat app\video of a real log fire crackling in the corner.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Probably won't buy one because

          If you bought the Samsung TV I looked at recently, the UI was a total POS. I have a Humax Freesat PVR whilst its UI is not perfect (none are), it was a darn sight easier to use so you have my sympathies.

          1. kmac499

            Re: Probably won't buy one because

            Yup the Sammy UI is over complex and a bit gaudy, As I said not pefect but on the 80/20 rule it's gud-enuff plus The LG and Pan ones are similar or worse That will undoubtedly be a plus point for any Apple iTV it's UI will be slick. and crisp.

  6. Kevin Johnston

    Back 20 years

    and there was me thinking that it was because he had a Black and White set

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Back 20 years

      Yeah, you were right he has an early alpha version of Apple TV where Color was extra

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Love all the "won't buy one" comments when no one knows what it'll be

    OK, those who hate Apple won't buy one even if it gives you wireless orgasms, but everyone else saying they won't seems to have a lot of preconceptions about exactly what it will be. If all it is is a TV set that has a few rows of icons like an iPhone, yeah, there won't be much point of buying one. There also wouldn't be much point for Apple to offer one. Presumably if/when they offer one, they'll feel as though it gives you a reason to want one, because otherwise it'll be a big flop and what's the point of selling something that you know will flop?

    Aside from Apple haters, no one really believes Apple is going to take something that looks like today's "smart" TVs, slap an Apple logo on it and a few hundred extra on the price tag, and expect it'll sell because it is Apple.

    1. Jolyon Smith
      Coat

      Re: Love all the "won't buy one" comments when no one knows what it'll be

      All my orgasms are already wireless.

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