Patent bares rumor: Apple TV gearing up for games?
(Credit:
USPTO)
It seems the success Apple has achieved with gaming on the iPhone might spill over from pockets to living rooms. The makers of the iPhone have filed a set patents for a Wii-style wireless controller that looks to be made for the Apple TV and could be used for a number of applications.
The patent filing, including the image above, clearly shows an icon for Safari, as well as images that appear to be an iPhoto-like app.
The filing, which describes a "remote wand for controlling the operations of a media system," specifically uses the Apple TV as a reference. Could this mean games on the device?
(Credit:
CNET)
The Apple TV is a fairly powerful product for what little it currently does. Don't get me wrong, I love the device. I have one and use it almost every day. It's the easiest way to get my movie fix on in my living room, and the Flickr and YouTube functionality is amazing, as well as fun at parties.
Right now, though, that's about all it's good for. Apple has put together a pretty good method for distributing games (and other apps) via the iTunes App Store. And because the basic operating system on the Apple TV is very similar to the iPhone's, it wouldn't be too big of a jump to develop for it.
I'm excited about the prospect. Imagine playing a game like Light Bike on a 720p TV with surround sound. And if Apple TV app development is anything like the iPhone's, you could see an avalanche of good, inexpensive games.
It wouldn't aim to compete with the Xbox 360 or the PS3, but the guys at Nintendo might want to keep an eye on what Apple ends up doing with this patent filing, if anything.
(Via PC World)
With more than 15 years experience testing hardware (and being obsessed with it), Crave freelance writer Matt Hickey can tell the good gadgets from the great. He also has a keen eye for future technology trends. Matt has blogged for publications including TechCrunch, CrunchGear, and most recently, Gizmodo. E-mail Matt. 
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Apple seem to have the right idea, they already have an installed base, something no other console has ever had. Also they have games. Providing that is that the current hardware can just have a software update and iphone games can be proted accross.
BTW, Apple "ripping" off 30% profit is actually a spectacular deal compared to previous brick and mortar models. Do do actually think when you buy a new game at GameStop that the author gets more than 70% of the price?
And Microsoft and Palm and Google are all doing the same 70/30 split for their app stores. Before Apple came along the split was much lower for the developers.
( much like driveways and roads, they don't all go where you want them to go )
In other words, the Apple TV is far more similar to the Mac than it is to the iPhone or iPod touch.
If possible, that would do it for me. I would add an ATV in a heartbeat. As the author notes, right now it is just a 'neat' product.
Hey, maybe while S Jobs is home during the day now (while recovering hopefully) he is bored with nothing to watch on TV and finally realized the ATV just doesn't cut it!
Make it happen Steve!
Make my TV an information center when I'm not watching TV. Games? Sure. Connect it to the MobileMe cloud. Control it from the Mac or iPhone/iPod.
So much potential there for Apple to take over the digital living room and make it easy for the average household to integrate it with their current TV provider as well as tons of digital content and - drumroll - services! If MobileMe storage didn't suck so bad, I'd pay a fee to backup my iTunes and iPhoto libraries. I'd rent a lot more iTunes movies. I'd pay for specialized content. It's all there for the taking, Apple.
It would be hard for me to imagine Hulu on the Apple TV... why would they allow free TV when they are in the market of selling you TV shows?
NO BODY will switch from the Super Trio - X Box 360, Sony PS3 or the Wii for your crAPPLE TV "game box" that chokes every time crAPPLE releases an update (and THAT HAS BEEN it's history).
Allowing games or other casual apps (Safari, Mail, Facebook) etc. to run on AppleTV is really a no-brainer. If it doesn't succeed, so what? Apple has almost zero risk?they've already spent the money on the developers platform, the OS, the App store and the hardware. The widget is already 95% there. Adding iPhone-style Apps is really an obvious option, especially as the App store is already closing in on $1 Billion in revenue by 2010.
> Apple TV has 160GB, Xbox only 120 and PS3 only 60, as a media centre, ATV is better
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By this brilliant analogy, my 1 terrabyte hard drive is a better media center than everything you listed.
I just don't see what is so compelling about the Apple TV other than being able to playback iTunes content.
You accusing everyone of expressing an "M$-induced opinion" anytime they point out flaws with an Apple product only perpetuates the perception that many Apple users are smug, hypocritical, arrogant fanatical @ssholes. Too concerned with protecting the Apple brand that you can't even acknowledge it's very real flaws and problems. You are Apple's own worst enemy.
A few days ago someone commented at Cnet that every time that Microsoft is trashed, all the Windows "lovers" go into the defensive and start to defend MS.
Your case is the same - every time someone says anything bad about Apple, people like you start to bash everything that is non-Apple.
BigGuns149 posted a comment which is very relevant, and it is his/hers opinion. Face it, AppleTV (in contrast to the Ipod) didn't have commercial success, and it is not the best piece of hardware that Apple manufactures.
To the point, it is ok to criticize Apple, as it is ok to criticize any other company. This is true as long as the criticizm is relevant. Stop thinking that Apple is always right.
I don't think the 'wand' would necessarily be for games. The remote that comes with Apple TV (the same one that used to come with laptops) is awkward to use for input. Perhaps they just want something that will interface with the device better.
I'll pass on the Apple TV games unit; it probably won't even be as interesting as the Pippin.
Ha ha ha for a second there I though this was actually suggesting Apple might actually provide some serious competition to Nintendo.
Really can't be bothered to scour through a patent filing but if its as similar to the Wiimote as it seems then this looks like another filing that shouldn't go through but probably will because of the broken patent system
1. If Safari does get added and it is useable, then you could easily watch hulu or any other service you choose. So long as flash was installed.
2. If games are allowed to be played they won't necessarily be targetted at the big time gamer. I believe that there is a much larger group of very casual gamers who want to play bejeweled, tetris, etc but would rather not have to pay $20-40 for a PS3/Wii/Xbox360 game. If the price, per game, were right then I think that Apple would benefit finanacially. Naturally, I don't see it as being a major selling point to those who don't already own an AppleTV. It wouldn't be compelling enough.
3. Ultimately, I think that Apple needs to take a step back, figure out how to fix any existing problems, listen to past/current/future consumers of an AppleTV about what features they want to see in a future iteration of ATV, then put together a rockin' system. With the AppStore/iTunes Store ecosystem being what it is, Apple could stand to gain immeasureably or lose magnificently, as it applies to the ATV.
Only time will tell.
If Apple made a toaster would Sunbeam need to look over their shoulder? What if Apple started to manufacture shampoo? Or have an organic brussel sprout farm?
They don't even market the Apple TV product. I see no real threat now or anytime in the future to Nintendo or anyone for that matter.
wireless bluetooth keyboard and mouse... BOO YAA
everything and more the apple tv can do
- by robertorosco March 16, 2009 7:19 AM PDT
- One word.. Pippin
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- by Synthmeister March 16, 2009 8:50 AM PDT
- This is in no way like Pippin. With Pippin Apple managed to leverage absolutely nothing from their core strengths. Not the hardware, software, developers or apps. (Same problem with the Newton, BTW.)
- Like this
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (58 Comments)With AppleTV they are already leveraging their OS, their iTunes Store and their iLife software. Simply adding AppleTV to the AppStore developers program seems like a pretty easy option with very little downside for Apple. The hardware, the OS, the App Store, the developers platform and even the Apps are already there, Apple just has to tweak them a little. (And yes, I'm sure Apple realizes that the iPhone resolution won't work well on a 1080p HDTV.)
The real question is "What has Apple got to lose by going this route?" There is almost no downside financially. Apple has already spent the money on 90% of the necessary tech. Frankly, I'm surprised we haven't already seen Safari, Mail and Facebook on AppleTV using the iPhone and iPod touch as an controller.
With Pippin, Apple couldn't leverage anything, with AppleTV, Apple can leverage almost everything in it's arsenal with almost no financial risk. That's why they call it a HOBBY!