The Boy Genius Report: Apple

[V-Tech]

The Boy Genius Report: Apple?s plan to take over the living room while destroying Microsoft and Sony

 

 

Let?s just be honest? we are at the absolute end of the road for gaming consoles. There is no reason that you are going to need a dedicated gaming machine in the next year or two ? you probably don?t even need one now. What makes this more troubling for Microsoft?s upcoming Xbox One and Sony?s PlayStation 4 is that this big, heavy, bulky, hot and loud gaming consoles have to last for an extremely long time in order for them to be profitable for each company. We have been on a 7 to 8-year life cycle for game consoles for the last couple decades, and that model isn?t going to be sustainable going into the future. In fact, Nintendo can?t even sell its brand new Wii U. This is where Apple comes in.

 

Does the world, the consumer, the living room, need a $400-$500 box at the center of it? A $400-$500 box that is going to be obsolete within a couple of years when we all have desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones all over the place? I think not. All we need is a gateway between our smart devices and our televisions, and here is how I think Apple is going to pull this off:

 

One major announcement that has been largely overlooked from Apple?s WWDC event is that Apple is now allowing third-party manufacturers to make game controllers for iOS devices. Yes, there is a reference design that involves having the iPhone sit in a game controller accessory, but there?s also a reference design for a straight game controller that connects over Bluetooth.

 

Why would you need a dedicated game controller to play games on your iPhone?s 4-inch display? Or even on your iPad? Is the market for complex iPad games that might warrant a dedicated gaming controller that big right now? I don?t think so.

 

What?s more interesting is that if you connect the dots as far as what technology Apple is currently pushing, you can see exactly where the company is moving. Let?s look at Apple?s introduction of a new Wi-Fi protocol called 802.11ac. This new Wi-Fi standard supports data transfer speeds of up to 1.3Gbps, and that allows high resolution video (it can throw around 4K video with easy) to stream between devices.

 

Think about that. This is the huge missing piece of Apple?s TV puzzle. A reliable, extremely fast Wi-Fi protocol that provides a seamless high-bandwidth streaming experience from device to device.

 

AirPlay is a brilliant feature and a great piece of technology ? you can instantly beam whatever is on your iOS device or computer right to your Apple TV ? but I?d be shocked if for as many times as it has worked, there have been other times where the refresh rate was too slow due to limited Wi-Fi bandwidth or some other technical error. This new Wi-Fi standard can solve that, and if Apple allows its devices to connect to the Apple TV with Wi-Fi direct ? a direct connection between two devices, removing the need for a wireless access point ? then it completes the circle even better.

 

So, now that we can assume you will be able to stream an incredibly high-resolution feed from your phone or iPad to your Apple TV without issue, just what exactly are you going to stream? Videos, and games.

 

Apple currently sells its Apple TV for just $99, and that price point is working tremendously well. Without any advertising, and practically just word of mouth, Apple has sold over 12 million of these devices. Let?s assume Apple does actually have a real Apple HDTV in the works, one that will be able to play live television content in addition to content from sources Apple already supports now like iTunes, HBO GO, Netflix and Hulu. Well, that device can be awfully similar to the company?s current Apple TV. Why introduce something that?s five times the price that consumers will buy only every 8 eight years?

 

Would it make sense for Apple to introduce a brand new Apple TV that?s bigger, heavier, louder, consumers more power, gets hot, and has fans? Probably not. Again, we have the gateway already. You just sit on your living room sofa, use your iPhone or iPad to control it, play content from your devices seamlessly, or stream content directly to the Apple TV. We already do this. 

 

Tell me why these high-powered devices, ones that are updated and upgraded every single year, can?t actually be the console? A console that goes with you. One that lets you play the latest games, store all your music, watch all your videos, use all your apps and browse the Web. You want to see how Apple is going to take over the living room? It?s already being done, we just haven?t been paying attention.

 

By introducing a game controller standard (this is incredibly helpful since developers now can build games that recognize a standard set of button controls and inputs that will work across every single game in the App Store), Apple has started to turn the volume up on Sony and Microsoft. Soon, you are going to be able to play a console-quality game on your iPhone or iPad with a game controller, and you?re going to be able to see it on your big screen television without any effort. This is game-changing!

 

What are consumers more likely to buy every year or two? A new Xbox or PlayStation, or a new smartphone or tablet? Do you even have to think about it? Users will have the latest hardware in their living room, bedroom, and family room, and it will show all of their content in addition to live television. It will also be an incredible gaming console that follows you wherever you go.

 

The future of the living room isn?t a $500 black box straight out of Transformers. The future of the living room is an inexpensive Trojan Horse that can serve as a bridge from that computer in your pocket to your television.

 

The Boy Genius Report is a periodic column written by BGR founder Jonathan S. Geller. It offers insights and opinions on various products, companies and trends across the consumer electronics business and beyond. Jonathan can be reached via email at jonathan@bgr.com

 

 

http://bgr.com/2013/06/20/apple-gaming-strategy-analysis-ios/

[LaP]

 

The future of the living room is an inexpensive Trojan Horse that can serve as a bridge from that computer in your pocket to your television.

 

I disagree.

 

The future of the living room is what is going to be bundled with all TVs. This is what the content providers will be totally sure everyone owning a TV already own too.

 

We are not there but we will get to it. I might be wrong and if i am i'll eat my socks but i'm 100% sure Smart TVs will take over media consumption. The end result might be totally different than what we got now but as mobile and remotes progress it will become a far more viable solution and one that can't be ignored since it will be bundled with all TVs eventually.

[Dick Montage]

Let?s just be honest? we are at the absolute end of the road for gaming consoles.

Is where I stopped reading.  Sorry but I refute this point wholly!

[V-Tech]

Is where I stopped reading.  Sorry but I refute this point wholly!

 

Totally agree with you.. I wrote it yesterday and i'll write it again, each time we think we are at the end of the road of something, we wake up to a new day just to find out that something totally new and mind blowing was invented. Technology is developing so fast and in so many direction, saying that we are at the end of the road of something is just (forgive me) dumb.

[Skiver Veteran]

I'm sorry, is that article saying we don't need to buy expensive $400 - $500 gaming consoles for gaming we should be buying $700 - $800 tablets and then a $99 apple tv so that I can play free little apps that I've downloaded?

 

I don't doubt that there will people that do that, but for those prices I could pretty much buy both consoles (admittedly no games) but to get the AAA titles even on IOS you will need to pay a few $.

[moloko]

I'm sorry, is that article saying we don't need to buy expensive $400 - $500 gaming consoles for gaming we should be buying $700 - $800 tablets and then a $99 apple tv so that I can play free little apps that I've downloaded?

 

I don't doubt that there will people that do that, but for those prices I could pretty much buy both consoles (admittedly no games) but to get the AAA titles even on IOS you will need to pay a few $.

 

 

Maybe a 100-200$ hub for your phone, tablet.  This hub would be able to stream your stuff on your phone like games, etc.  I think this needs to have DVR capabilities though.  Even if it does not come with a hard drive but some ports to plug in my portable.  Then I can DVR my shows.  Needs to play tons of files.  Stream from computers, phones, tablets, of all types. 

[LaP]

Totally agree with you.. I wrote it yesterday and i'll write it again, each time we think we are at the end of the road of something, we wake up to a new day just to find out that something totally new and mind blowing was invented. Technology is developing so fast and in so many direction, saying that we are at the end of the road of something is just (forgive me) dumb.

 

Console will continue to exist as gaming console.

 

We are very far from mobiles powerful enough to run full fledged games with state of the art graphics. Yes the mobile industry (whatever it is an iPod, Smart Phone or Smart TV) will steal a small portion of the gaming market to the consoles but there's more than enough hardcore gamers to keep the console market alive and even stronger than ever.

 

But i highly doubt the consoles will become one day the defacto standard for media consumption on TV. Let's be honest for a sec Joe Blow and Soccer Mom who don't play games will never go to a store to buy a 500$ device to stream content to his or her TV, This is just unrealistic to think it will happen one day. MS sold around 80 millions 360s in 8 years. In 2002 alone china manufactured 30 millions DVD players to be sold. As of 2011 48 millions TVs were sold every year ... more than half the number of 360 sold ever.

 

If you are a content provider you want to reach the maximum number of person. The way to do this will be Smart TV cause one day or another every TVs will be a Smart TV and the tech will improve over time.

[ahhell]

The title is hilarious.

[Skiver Veteran]

Maybe a 100-200$ hub for your phone, tablet.  This hub would be able to stream your stuff on your phone like games, etc.  I think this needs to have DVR capabilities though.  Even if it does not come with a hard drive but some ports to plug in my portable.  Then I can DVR my shows.  Needs to play tons of files.  Stream from computers, phones, tablets, of all types. 

Referring to this product specifically... since I don't own a tablet and my phone is Android, I don't think their price's are actually relevant to me.

So telling me that a $500 console is too expensive, but got out and buy a $700 tablet and the media hub and we will sort you out is just stupid.

[V-Tech]

Console will continue to exist as gaming console.

 

We are very far from mobiles powerful enough to run full fledged games with state of the art graphics. Yes the mobile industry (whatever it is an iPod, Smart Phone or Smart TV) will steal a small portion of the gaming market to the consoles but there's more than enough hardcore gamers to keep the console market alive and even stronger than ever.

 

But i highly doubt the consoles will become one day the defacto standard for media consumption on TV. Let's be honest for a sec Joe Blow and Soccer Mom who don't play games will never go to a store to buy a 500$ device to stream content to his or her TV, This is just unrealistic to think it will happen one day. MS sold around 80 millions 360s in 8 years. In 2002 alone china manufactured 30 millions DVD players to be sold. As of 2011 48 millions TVs were sold every year ... more than half the number of 360 sold ever.

 

If you are a content provider you want to reach the maximum number of person. The way to do this will be Smart TV cause one day or another every TVs will be a Smart TV and the tech will improve over time.

 

Well i think that the market will be actually divided.

 

I remember back in the day when PS3 came out with the blue ray player a lot of people bought it instead of the normal blue ray player because the price was great and you got not only a blue ray player but a gaming console and more.

 

So the same will probably happen in the future, some new thing will be invented that will become the standard media THINGY in the living room, then the gaming consoles will adapt this technology as well.

 

So you will have the people that prefer to have the console with the THINGY because they want to use the console as well and the other people that will only buy the THINGY.

 

Maybe there wont even be a THINGY, maybe the whole thing will come inside your TV already so you dont have to purchase anything new........

 

Damn i just cant wait to see what the future will bring us :D

[Solid Knight]

Because those games that bring a dedicated hardware platform to its knees are going to run on smartphones that choke on applications that use far less resources.

 

 

Does the world, the consumer, the living room, need a $400-$500 box at the center of it? A $400-$500 box that is going to be obsolete within a couple of years when we all have desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones all over the place?

 

It's been like that for a while and pretty much had no impact on the gaming market.

[LaP]

 

Maybe there wont even be a THINGY, maybe the whole thing will come inside your TV already so you dont have to purchase anything new........

 

That's what i mean by Smart TV ;)

[BajiRav]

When Apple TV can render the likes of Forza 5 or The Order:1886 and still cost $99 - then sure, they are more than welcome to take over living room.

 

But till then, STFU.

[vcfan]

L O ######in L

[V-Tech]

That what i mean by Smart TV ;)

Ye, but today's Smart TV is tomorrow's Dumb one :D

 

Who knows what the TV will do in 5-10 years... I just hope it will be smart enough to bring me :pint: and make me  :cake: (that's food :D, no other icon for it) 

[Growled Member]

A lot of people have tried to take over our living rooms and none have succeeded yet. 

[WinMunkee]

Because apple was so successful with Apple TV.

[V-Tech]

A lot of people have tried to take over our living rooms and none have succeeded yet. 

I believe that because no one made it yet, there are more than few start up companies working on to make it big and probably more than few big companies as well.....

It's going to be big when/if someone makes it.

[M_Lyons10]

Is where I stopped reading.  Sorry but I refute this point wholly!

Agreed.  Same here.

[WinMunkee]

The thing is, Microsoft and Sony, have already accomplished all this and have a history of it. Apple does not. The Xbox One already takes control of my TV, and gives me voice and gesture control.

[threetonesun]

I feel like a few of you missed the point of the article.

 

It's not unrealistic that in the next 5 years portable devices will be able to play AAA games at 1080p. There's a lot more R&D going on in the mobile devices field than there is in the big-box field. If, at some point, that is possible, and we already own phones or tablets and we can just stream them to our TVs, what's the market for a console?

 

Maybe 4k TVs catch on, and people still need a box that can support even higher resolutions, but I doubt it.

[Praetor]

i stopped reading the article after i saw the first two sentences. this is just click bait article, completely faraway from the reality. In the future yes, i will have in my pocket a very powerful device that serves not only for communication (data, voice, video) but serious gaming (not Angry Birds class but Crysis class gaming) and entertainment, with a moderate cost; in the future it can be possible but not just now.

 

Also comparing gaming in smartphones / tablets with console is completely retarded.

[REM2000]

wholly possible, the Nintendo Wii didn't need much graphical grunt to outsell the other consoles it just needed the right games for the right audience. 

[threetonesun]

wholly possible, the Nintendo Wii didn't need much graphical grunt to outsell the other consoles it just needed the right games for the right audience. 

I would be surprised if the next gen Nintendo handheld didn't link wirelessly to a TV. I don't know where else they go with their Wii U / 3DS plan besides that.

[moloko]

Referring to this product specifically... since I don't own a tablet and my phone is Android, I don't think their price's are actually relevant to me.

So telling me that a $500 console is too expensive, but got out and buy a $700 tablet and the media hub and we will sort you out is just stupid.

 

Not really. Most people already have a 250-500 tablet and a smart phone.  Nor did i say NOT buy a console, or that it was too expensive.  I said in different words, convergence of the entire ecosystem.  console, tv, hub, tablet, phone, computer, all converged together working as one.  Sadly this article is about apple and there will be on convergence, just apple products working possibly together, which is a step in the right direction.  Hopefully MS who is also trying to get there will make some additional converged applications and appliances for the average consumer.