Apple TV emerges from the shadows
- 24 January, 2013 00:57
- Comments
Apple TV was until now considered a "hobby," by Apple's own admission, but the product has taken on more importance for CEO Tim Cook.
Shipments for the Apple TV video-streaming box totaled 2 million units during the first quarter of 2013, growing by more than 60 percent year over year.
"We sold more last quarter than we did ever before," Cook said during a conference call on Wednesday to discuss quarterly earnings.
The Apple TV set-top box streams movies and music from the cloud and from other devices such as the iPhone and iPad. There have been rumors surrounding Apple's development of a TV set. The speculation gained steam after a mention in Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs that Jobs had discussed making an easy-to-use TV set that could sync with other devices and Apple's iCloud service.
During the earnings call, a financial analyst asked Cook about the importance of Apple TV to the company, and whether a TV set was under development.
Cook did not say whether a TV set or an update to the set-top box was under development. But he said what was once a product for a niche audience now has a "much larger number that love it."
The TV area is of a lot of interest to Apple, Cook said.
"I tend to believe that there is a lot we can contribute to this space," Cook said. "I don't want to be more specific."
Cook has expressed dismay with the current TV watching experience. In an interview with NBC News last year, he said that when he turns on the TV, he feels like he has "gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years."
Agam Shah covers PCs, tablets, servers, chips and semiconductors for IDG News Service. Follow Agam on Twitter at @agamsh. Agam's e-mail address is agam_shah@idg.com
Related Articles
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.
- Bookmark this page
- Share this article
- Got more on this story? Email CIO
- Follow CIO on twitter
-
Spiceworks' free management software gets integrated MDM
-
Opinion: Why national e-health is not for everyone
-
Opinion: Why national e-health is not for everyone
-
Opinion: Why national e-health is not for everyone
-
Opinion: Why national e-health is not for everyone
-
Russian Underground 101
This research paper intends to provide a brief summary of the cybercriminal underground and shed light on the basic types of hacker activity in Russia. It discusses fundamental concepts that Russian hackers follow and the information they share with their peers. It also examines prices charged for various types of services, along with how prevalent the given services are in advertisements. The primary features of each type of activity and examples of associated service offerings are discussed as well. Read this paper. -
Endpoint Security and Virtualisation
Besides form factor, virtual systems are not really that different than physical systems. They both use the same operating systems and applications. They both present users with computing resources such as RAM and hard drives. Consequently, the ability to exploit vulnerabilities in a physical environment will present a significant threat to virtualised environments as well. This paper examines the different endpoint security methods for virtualised environments and presents how Endpoint Protection security provides optimal performance, protection and manageability. -
Clearing the Clouds for Midmarket Businesses
Cloud computing promises to help midmarket companies reduce cost and complexity in the IT equation – and gain the flexibility and agility they need to thrive. Yet charting a clear course to the cloud isn’t always easy. In this paper, we aim to clear the clouds. We examine different cloud computing models, discuss the types of requirements that each can best address, and consider what midmarket businesses should look for in a cloud solutions provider.
Get exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis. 
