The rumored 2014 Apple 4K TV didn't appear. There’s still no sign of an Apple TV set, either. Are they set for 2015?
Let’s start with the TV. We don’t think it’s likely yet: while Steve Jobs famously said that Apple had cracked the TV interface, he also said that the TV business was a “terrible” one to be in. People don’t replace TVs very often, the margins are awful and global sales are in decline.
A set-top-box is a much better idea, which is why so many firms – hello, Amazon! – have copied the Apple TV, which is already a billion-dollar business for Apple. An update is overdue, and at the very least we should see a spec bump with more memory and the A7 processor this year. However, a bigger change is coming, and it’s called HomeKit.
The perfect home hub
HomeKit is Apple’s home automation API, and an Apple TV would make a perfect home hub: unlike iOS devices, it never leaves the house, and it’s perfectly placed for all your home automation and entertainment needs. HomeKit support has been quietly added to the Apple TV software, and it positions the device as a “remote access peer” that you can use to control HomeKit devices when you aren't at home. Rumours also suggest the addition of a microphone in the device or in the Apple Remote, enabling you to control the whole shooting match with Siri.
A frustrating thing about the Apple TV is the lack of content, where Apple seems uninterested in offering standard apps such as iPlayer. While Apple has added content in the US, the Philippines is lagging behind; this is driving calls for an Apple TV App Store. If Apple won’t add iPlayer and games, let app devs do it.
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