New Apple TV is more powerful than we thought

Posted by Gianluigi Cuccureddu SMP in Writers on September 19, 2010  |  0 Comments More from this author  |    |  Follow Gianluigi Cuccureddu SMP on: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter |

FastCompany has written an extensive article on new findings on Apple TV's software.

Most interesting is the new data on AirPlay:

The most interesting new data about the Apple TV comes from an experiment by the guys at 9to5Mac.com with the developer release of Apple's newest software, which contains its new wireless-sharing AirPlay system and Netflix's iPad app.

The initial discovery was novel enough, all by itself--Netflix can successfully stream its audio content over AirPlay through an Airport Express router to a remote speaker "perfectly with absolutely no hiccups."

But the bigger implication is that when Apple TV arrives, you'll be able to stream both audio and video from the app directly to your TV, wirelessly.
What this means for other apps on the iPad and iPhone is unclear, but it's extremely promising.

The last couple of weeks we've been reporting on devices that stream (wirelessly) to the TV.
Veebeam and Intel that both introduced different solutions to this need and Apple increases quality choice.

Furthermore:

Digging inside iOS 4.2 Beta, other curious types (the tireless team at TUAW) have discovered that the mysterious "iProd2" found in earlier versions of the code--which may have been a future iPad update--has turned out to be the Apple TV.

That solves one rumor, but it also starts off a much bigger one: We'd suspected the Apple TV had the same operating system core as the iPad and iPhone thanks to its A4 chip ... but now we know for sure.

What's still a mystery is whether or not Apple will give official access to the full OS through its interface, or whether it'll keep the UI locked down as it did with the earlier Apple TVs (based on a cut-down OSX with a custom UI).

The suspicion is that it won't, but it may use the core iOS to enable more powerful features on the device with future over-the-air updates.

Especially the last is interesting, creating an intergal Apple home entertainment system driven by the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, being able to stream content on the TV set which is acquired at any place at any time (mobile devices).
For the Apple fanatics this is of course great news, being able to power their entertainment needs through one single (and favorite) brand.

it's waiting till the Apple TV will be shipped to find out.