Apple [AAPL] had a big line up of product launches today. One of them was the Apple TV that attempts to revamp the older Apple TV service.
Design wise, the Apple TV is 80 percent smaller than the previous model which launched in 2006. The new version has a built in power supply, HDMI, Wifi and an Ethernet port. It has no fan inside making it run completely silent.
Rather than having storage built in, the Apple TV streams content whenever you need it. This is why it has both wireless N built in or an Ethernet cable for those who prefer the wired approach. The HDMI cable and power is the minimum amount of cables that you need to get going with the Apple TV.
The HDMI connection streams content at 720p, not 1080p, and allows you to watch decent quality content when wanted.
As for rental costs, to get a brand new movie it costs $4.99 to stream it in HD. As for TV rentals, it’s 99 cents per show. Youtube, Netflix and Flickr can also be used as well as Mobile Me to stream your own content from a computer to your HDTV.
When iOS 4.2 lands on the iPad, you’ll also be able to stream from your iPad to Apple TV to HDTV with a few taps on the screen.
Price wise, it’s $99 in the US and £99 in the UK. The price is good although it’s not that great having to pay more in the UK. It will launch towards the end of September in both countries.
More details at Apple.
I think this new design blows the old one away. And it looks ilke they’re figuring out the need for partnerships like NetFlix. I am very excited to see how well it does. Thanks for the post!