Rumors
Apple live streaming music event to test new data center?
Sep 1st
Cult of Mac claims a source has told them Apple is live streaming today’s special music event as a way to test their massive new, North Carolina data center, set to go fully operational later this year.
Apple’s first live video broadcast in years is a test of the server farm’s ability to stream a future version of iTunes for iOS devices, our tipster says.
“The goal is to monitor traffic load and quality,” says our tipster, who asked to remain anonymous to preserve their connections at Apple.
Apple product events are the Oscars or Superbowls of the Internet, with traffic numbers high enough to take down the biggest sites, and sometimes entire data centers (plural). So if they’re going to test something as bandwidth intensive as video, does it make sense to test it under the harshest conditions imaginable?
Either way, we’ll find out soon enough how it holds up. Hey, why not watch along with us?
Apple live streaming music event to test new data center? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.
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Fox, ABC to offer $0.99 iTunes rentals, CBS, NBC to keep heads buried in sand?
Sep 1st
“People familiar with the situation” (yes, them again) have told the Wall Street Journal that both Fox and ABC are good to go on $0.99 iTunes TV show rentals, and will be announced later today at Apple’s special music event. Since ABC is owned by Disney, whose largest shareholder is Steve Jobs, their getting on board isn’t a huge surprise. Likewise, Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox, introduced Jobs at D8 and is all up in Apple rescuing print media (like the Wall Street Journal) and TV alike.
NBC, recently sold to Comcast — whose cable empire would compete with iTunes — and CBS, who likely isn’t sure what these new fangled ‘puters and gizmos are all about anyway, is disappointing but also not surprising.
How this will mix and match with Netflix and other, similar apps already on iPad and iPhone — and rumored to be coming to a new Apple TV — is also unknown. $0.99 a pop might not be enough for myopic media companies, but compared to a far bigger Netflix pipe at $10-$15 per month, it’s likely too much for high volume consumers.
Fox, ABC to offer $0.99 iTunes rentals, CBS, NBC to keep heads buried in sand? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.
TiPb – The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
New Apple TV with Netflix integration coming tomorrow?
Sep 1st
Citing “two people who asked not to be identified”, Bloomberg is reporting that Apple may indeed be ready to drop an all new Apple TV (iTV?) tomorrow at their annual special music event.
Netflix would, as usual, require a monthly subscription. Whether or not the new Apple TV would run iOS as previous rumors have suggested, and whether or not Netflix would be an app, like it currently is on iPad and iPhone, or a built-in service like YouTube isn’t made clear.
Would you have a preference?
New Apple TV with Netflix integration coming tomorrow? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.
TiPb – The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
Apple Hiring New Telesales Staff to Support ‘Very Big New Product’?
Aug 24th
MacDailyNews reports that it has received information from multiple sources indicating that Apple is in the midst of hiring new telesales staff in preparation for the October launch of a new product descr…
Kevin Rose: new Apple TV/iTV will change everything
Aug 22nd
Digg founder Kevin Rose thinks the upcoming $99, iOS-powered Apple TV/iTV will change everything when it launches this September:
- iOS TV Applications: Expect to see an iPhone/Pad like marketplace for television applications. Video sharing/streaming/recording apps, interactive news apps, and of course games.
- a la carte (app) stations: With Apple’s iAds, content producers (eg. ABC/NBC/etc.) can directly monetize and distribute their content. This will eventually destroy the television side of the cable and satellite industry, as your only requirement to access these on-demand stations will be an internet connection. Say goodbye to your monthly cable bill.
- .Me Picture/Video sharing: At $99 your parents, grandparents, and friends will have an iTV. Sharing pictures/videos from your iPhone will happen with the push of a button. Imagine getting a notification of new family videos the next time you turn on your TV. My mom will love this feature.
- The iPad will turn into one big badass remote control: The iPad will be the preferred input device for the iTV. You’ll be able to editing videos, control games, and extend the interactive television experience. Imagine watching monday night football on the TV while viewing/exploring other camera angles on the iPad.
Rose has mixed history on Apple rumors. He’s nailed some big scoops over the years, but he’s also been wrong on more than one occasion. Which is this, far out or far fetched?
Kevin Rose: new Apple TV/iTV will change everything is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.
TiPb – The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
Model Identifiers for Next-Generation iOS Devices Again Appear in iOS 4.1
Aug 19th
AppleInsider is reporting today that Apple’s iOS 4.1 beta contains references to several unreleased iOS devices, including “iPod4,1″, “iProd2,1″, and a curious “unknownHardware” entry.
Apple is internally testing the first mat…
Apple testing iOS 4.1 on iPod touch 4, iPad 2, and mystery device?
Aug 19th
AppleInsider, quoting “people familiar with the matter” says iOS 4.1 is currently being tested by Apple not only on iPhone 4 (currently available to developers) but the upcoming iPod touch 4 refresh, iPad 2, and an unknown mystery device.
iPod touch 4 is pretty much a no-brainer at this point. For the last 3 years Apple has shipped a new iPod touch in the fall along with an x.1 software update, so we’ll consider that a done deal. The iPod 4,1 hardware designation means it will also once again be a major update. Retina display and dual cameras would certainly qualify.
As to iPad 2, also a major update if iProd 2,1 is the proper designator, that might get a camera as well come next spring. However, since Apple hasn’t even introduced an iOS 4.x beta for the current generation iPad, it’s harder to predict what the iOS 4.x situation will be by then. 4.2 to mirror 3.2 last year?
As to the mystery device, that might just be the iOS Apple TV/iTV we keep hearing about.
Hopefully we’ll find out more at Apple traditional fall special music event for iPod and iTunes in the next month or so, but let us know your best guesses below!
Apple testing iOS 4.1 on iPod touch 4, iPad 2, and mystery device? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.
TiPb – The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
