Has Apple TV been a flop?

[pagemaster]

I enjoy my Apple 5th gen iPod and such....I have no interest in purchase an Apple TV as it seems as tho it is a cash grab on Apple's part to purchase their device.

I fully support the idea of streaming, however I hate the idea that Apple makes you buy their product.

Currently I either use my PS3 or I just hook up my laptop.


Is Apple Tv a flop?

[roar]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

I enjoy my Apple 5th gen iPod and such....I have no interest in purchase an Apple TV as it seems as tho it is a cash grab on Apple's part to purchase their device.

I fully support the idea of streaming, however I hate the idea that Apple makes you buy their product.

Currently I either use my PS3 or I just hook up my laptop.


Is Apple Tv a flop?

No idea how to measure it on whether to consider it a flop or not. Prior to having an HTPC I used mine faithfully. Netflix and movie rentals were the main purpose, but I also used it for streaming music and looking at pictures through my photostream. Since the HTPC has come around though I don't find myself going to it too often.

Like any apple product I find if you invest in their 'ecosystem' it is a worthy appliance. If you buy your music through iTunes and rent/buy your digital movies through iTunes as well it is a natural extension particularly if you have iPhones, iTouches, or iPad's as they all integrate really nicely with it.

[Wasgo]

It had record sales of 2 million units last quarter, and 60% growth year over year. It might not be as functional as people want, but it's not a flop.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2026...e-shadows.html

[Gremal]

That is not going to satisfy investors who became accustomed to Apple's double-digit growth in innovations moving a greater volume of units. Shares were up in the $700s in September and now they're in the mid-$400s. Apple badly needs a revolutionary product instead of the continued evolutionary announcements. Unfortunately the only guy at Apple who seemed to know how to define market into product is now dead.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by Wasgo

It had record sales of 2 million units last quarter, and 60% growth year over year. It might not be as functional as people want, but it's not a flop.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2026...e-shadows.html

There are about 115,000,000 households with televisions in the United States.

90% of them have cable or satellite.

I don't know if it's failed - probably not - but it (and the other broadband services) have a long way to go.

[Spicoli]

I own the Gen 1, sits there.

[richteer]

I don't think the Apple TV is a flop. We use ours very often, mostly for watching TV shows from our iPad.

[blurayisnice]

It will NEVER be a success.
People are not familiar with Apple TV's.
They won't invest a lot in a TV if they are not familiar with it and have always used Sony / Samsung etc.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by blurayisnice

It will NEVER be a success.
People are not familiar with Apple TV's.
They won't invest a lot in a TV if they are not familiar with it and have always used Sony / Samsung etc.

Apple TV is a streaming box, not an actual TV, to stream iTunes media (music, video, etc.).

[nycomet]

I have been an fan of Apple for as long as I can remember. Over the years Apple has really irritated me with some of its decisions. I despise the fact that Apple does not allow Flash on ipads and iphones.

Apple TV is an interesting device. I do like how I can mirror my ipad and iphone on my 55-inch screen. But It burns my azz that Apple will not add apps such as Vudu, CinemaNow or Amazon Instant Video to the Apple TV. Obviously they are competition and being such they must be banned. But yet one can install apps from those service providers on the ipad and iphone. Why not include them on Apple TV?

The good news is one can access Netflix or Hulu on Apple TV. It can also stream our music, photos, TV shows and movies?

But is it enough? I would like it more if it included a built in web browser. It should also include SD and USB ports. Maybe I am asking too much since the device has iCloud access and one can mirror the ipad and iphone on the big screen via Apple TV.

I do like Apple TV, but because I use Vudu, I also have a Roku 2 XS. It's not perfect either, but together, both boxes (hockey pucks, actually) do enhance the overall TV viewing experience for me.

[Spicoli]

Apple had it's day in the sun.

Nothing lasts forever.

[The Edge]

Originally Posted by nycomet

I despise the fact that Apple does not allow Flash on ipads and iphones.

And, here is why.

[hedliniv]

I bought it 2 weeks ago and I love it! 1. All my digital copies show in HD on my 52" Sony tv - which means I don't have to have a stack of Disney blu-rays out constantly for my daughter - ease of access and limits the chance of blu-ray destruction. The radio stations sound really good through my home theatre system and my wife can listen to Russian pop music channels. Those are the only 2 functions that I use but they alone justify the purchase! Honestly I only bought it because of the $50 off bestbuy coupon a few weeks ago but I am SO glad I did!

[quickdraw]

I think there's some great things about it that make connectivity to your computer (especially if it's an Apple) rather seamless. Having access to iTunes, internet radio and photos is a nice feature, but their internet apps seem a little weak. With so many smart TVs and smart disk players out there, you probably will gravitate to the device that offers the best selection and performance, so if you already have a smart component, you probably won't need that feature. One thing I have notice with Apple TV though, is that it gets much better wifi rececption than any other wifi enabled device I own.

[blonde_devil]

I can't really judge it because i don't have one but my brother has had ones for years and loves it and we just bought one for my brother in law for christmas. hard to say. is netflix in Canada a flop because we have maybe 1/4 the selection that the States has? hardly and we get things they don't but if you ask people, they would say yes simple because a show they can get in the States isn't on ours. guess it all depends on what you are using to judge it.

[mytran80]

Apple tv's AirPlay feature is a good one that got me hooked , very reliable ,streaming everything from your iPad or iPhone to your tv

[Blackshield]

I just finally got an apple tv 3 after years of using my xbox/ps3/boxee and other devices. I've built up my itunes library for movies and wanted another box. Price and features are great. I like the apple tv more than many of the other media units.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by richteer

I don't think the Apple TV is a flop. We use ours very often, mostly for watching TV shows from our iPad.

How can anybody enjoy watching movies, TV shows or TV in general on a 9" screen iPad screen. If I'm traveling, I'll would rather read a book, a magazine or sight see, instead of trying to watch anything on a screen that small. That would turn me off from watching TV show, movies, and everything else on TV.

[solarrdadd]

to be the king, (at least for me) appletv needs to support 8 channels in DD+ and allow all games to be shown on the big screen in HD and come out with a simple BT controller to allow games to be played.

i love it just as it is, but, those things i mentioned would make it better for me.

[HockeySlasher]

As someone who has three of them in my house, (2 3rd gens, 1 first gen) I think they are great.

I have two kids, so it is way easier to switch movies 5 minutes into it when they decide that they want to watch Wall E instead of Cars... or whatever, and I don't have to deal with them messing with the discs at all.

But, back to the question at hand - is it a flop... Apple has always maintained that the Apple TV was a hobby of theirs. I tend to see that as another way of saying, "we're going to do this, but if it fails, we won't look too bad."

It is selling better than it has, so I wouldn't characterize it as a flop - only because expectations on this were low to begin with.