Apple TV

I am still reveling in the iPhone app store (how did we ever live without super monkey ball on our phones?!?). It really seperates the iPhone from your normal smartphone. While reveling, I spared a thought for what may be the apple product payed the least attention: the Apple TV. Currently Apple is pushing the Apple TV as a way to rent and buy movies and television shows without leaving the house. But what good is the always-on Internet connection of the Apple TV if it is only used on video. The Apple TV is a product with a huge amount of potential, potential which has gone underutilized. Couldn't the Apple TV also use an app store? After all, it would make a good gaming platform (personally I want to see it as a
host for iPhone Texas hold'em games... Showing everyone's status on a big TV would be awesome.) Third party app developers would be able to fill in the places that apple didn't have time to finish, like DVR or the aforementioned gaming. Apple could brand the Apple TV as 'internet brought to your television' without doing very much work, as the Apple TV is hooked into the iTunes store already. Naturally the same degree of control as the iPhone apps would be required (P2P on your TV would really upset Apple's iTunes partners, not to mention it's iTunes revenue stream. Apple has a chance to expand a vast, untapped market, something it has historically been very good at (iPod and iTunes, the Mac). All it needs to do is seize the opportunity.

But it won't see the light of fiber this year.

Apple is still recovering from the iPhone app store. It physically would not be able to keep up with two review processes at once. My guess is either Macworld or WWDC next year. The Apple TV app store is low hanging fruit. Apple just needs to seize it without all of the other apples rotting.

Posted with LifeCast