Apple Press Conference Thoughts

[Scott Greczkowski]

I was hoping to get excited and order a new iPhone this week, but I got to admit I was underwhelmed.

They have an exciting looking new Apple TV that I want and they have a new iPhone 6S which can shoot 4K Video... but you have no easy way of watching the 4K video you shot on your 4K TV as the new Apple TV can not display 4K.

As an Apple Watch owner I feel that the new 3D touch is a gimmick, as in reality its not how hard you are pressing on the screen, its how long you are pressing on the screen. To me there is no reason why any iPhone can not support the 3D touch now.

The live Pictures are cute but I can see them eating space and battery life.

The new specs are nice, but are they really needed? I think I am going to wait and see what the iPhone 7 has in store before I upgrade.

The iPad Pro was just blah. If you could use iOS and Mac OS apps on it then it would have me, but for a giant iPad its not for me. Love my iPad Mini, Love the pen, but at $99 and the way I lose things no thanks, that is an expensive pen to lose.

I will get the new Apple TV but am disappointed no 4K support even though the chip supports it. Would have been great to airplay 4K videos from the phone to the TV... but sadly it cant.

I guess the rumors that there would be no October Apple event were true with some of these products launching in November.

 

[navychop]

I suspect down the road the iPad Pro will support some apps that current iOS devices won't or can't.

 

[harshness]

Would have been great to airplay 4K videos from the phone to the TV... but sadly it cant.

Can you imagine the load on the Wi-fi if people started streaming UHD? Pity those using MoCA and HomePlug.

 

[nelson61]

The reviewers are panning the new stuff. Sounded like they got their review feed from Scott.

I'm thinking the days of rapid improvement are fading away along with the desire to get your hands on the latest model.

Same thing applies to the Android machines.

I do have to say that the latest Surface tablets running windows 10 are impressive, but also are probably the last big jump for Microsoft.

Now I have started looking at the various competitors costs for cloud storage and cost of music or video subscriptions. I'm guessing this is where the future action will be. The cloud makes it possible to break away from being locked into the iTunes system. It's anybody's guess where things are going to end up in a couple of years.

 

[klang]

I found the demonstration of 3D touch compelling. I have skipped the 'S' models in the past but I may be tempted this time.

Disappointed the TV doesn't support 4K. I would have bought one immediately if it did.

iPad Pro too big for what I use one for but I imagine there is a market for them.

I've been underwhelmed with my Apple Watch, we'll see what the new OS2 does.

 

[king3pj]

I really like my Apple TV 3rd Gen. It was my primary streaming device for years. Just this summer I finally took it out of my entertainment center and moved it to our lake house. It wasn't that the Apple TV was doing anything wrong. I just found that I prefer my Tivo Roamio for it's ability to output streaming content in it's native 24p instead of the 60p that Apple TV and just about every other streaming device uses. This get's rid of the judder I always saw on panning shots in Netflix and Amazon Instant.

Everything I use that I can't get on my Tivo I can get from my Xbox One so the Apple TV was kind of redundant. It gets a ton of use again now that it's in our summer cabin where we have internet access but no cable/satellite. I do miss having airplay from time to time though.

Even though I have already said that a dedicated streaming device in my living room is kind of redundant now the new Apple TV is the product I'm most likely to get from today's press conference. I like the idea of the Apple TV UI paired with an App Store that can equal or surpass all the options available on Roku. Apple TV users may finally get the ability to watch Amazon Prime content directly, without using airplay from an iPhone/iPad.

I also find it interesting that the tech specs say the new Apple TV supports Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound. The previous Apple TV only supported Dolby Digital 5.1 (no plus). Dolby Digital Plus is the surround sound format used by all other Netflix streaming devices. They had to have a separate set of encodes with standard Dolby Digital just for Apple TV users before. I'm not sure it will make any difference in sound quality but supporting DD+ will make the Apple TV easier to work with for streaming companies like Netflix, Amazon, and Vudu.

This may also mean that iTunes movies will start supporting 7.1 sound when available just like Vudu and Blu ray.

 

[Ronnie-]

The apple tv is the only device that I will consider, and only if the streaming tv service gets the green light in the future.
The 6s is nice enough, but unless I lose or break my 6, I will not be upgrading.

The ipad pro......I have little interest in a tablet with a mobile OS, and especially at that price. I am sure many will jump on them, but to me the surface line is far more capable in that price range.

 

[klang]

Apple TV users may finally get the ability to watch Amazon Prime content directly, without using airplay from an iPhone/iPad.

Was there any mention of Amazon? If there was I missed it. It would be good news but I suspect the reason they aren't there now hasn't changed.

I do have two of the latest generation Apple TV's and they work just fine. I get Amazon from the app in the TV.

 

[king3pj]

The apple tv is the only device that I will consider, and only if the streaming tv service gets the green light in the future.
The 6s is nice enough, but unless I lose or break my 6, I will not be upgrading.

The ipad pro......I have little interest in a tablet with a mobile OS, and especially at that price. I am sure many will jump on them, but to me the surface line is far more capable in that price range.

I didn't even read up on the 6S. I'm way past the days when I used to upgrade my phone every year. The 6 will be my phone at least until the 7 comes out and it could easily stick around until the 7S or 8.

I'm still rocking my iPad 4 with Retina display from 2012 and see no reason to upgrade. I use it daily and haven't found anything to make me think I need to upgrade to a newer model. For general web browsing and the apps I use it handles everything fine. The iPad Pro just seems silly to me. You can get a MacBook Air for about the same price and have a more useful device.

 

[king3pj]

Was there any mention of Amazon? If there was I missed it. It would be good news but I suspect the reason they aren't there now hasn't changed.

I do have two of the latest generation Apple TV's and they work just fine. I get Amazon from the app in the TV.

No I don't think so. I didn't watch the conference but I think the summary I read would have made a big deal of it if they mentioned Amazon and I haven't seen anything. I'm just thinking that if they actually have an App Store now they will be more open to services like Amazon. They did allow it on iPhone/iPad.

I would even be happy with an Amazon App that only allows Prime content. They can block all the PPV and purchase options if they want people to use iTunes instead. That's not the reason people want Amazon on Apple TV anyways. All the PPV/purchase content is essentially the same on both services and so is the pricing.

 

[klang]

No I don't think so. I didn't watch the conference but I think the summary I read would have made a big deal of it if they mentioned Amazon and I haven't seen anything. I'm just thinking that if they actually have an App Store now they will be more open to services like Amazon. They did allow it on iPhone/iPad.

I would even be happy with an Amazon App that only allows Prime content. They can block all the PPV and purchase options if they want people to use iTunes instead. That's not the reason people want Amazon on Apple TV anyways. All the PPV/purchase content is essentially the same on both services and so is the pricing.

I'm guessing Apple wants payment but you are correct they allow if on iPhone and iPad.

I suppose if the Amazon app does show on the new Apple TV it would be enough to entice me to buy. It would be nice to have it all in one place.

 

[nelson61]

No I don't think so. I didn't watch the conference but I think the summary I read would have made a big deal of it if they mentioned Amazon and I haven't seen anything. I'm just thinking that if they actually have an App Store now they will be more open to services like Amazon. They did allow it on iPhone/iPad.

I would even be happy with an Amazon App that only allows Prime content. They can block all the PPV and purchase options if they want people to use iTunes instead. That's not the reason people want Amazon on Apple TV anyways. All the PPV/purchase content is essentially the same on both services and so is the pricing.

Don't think we will see it happen. Two different models: Amazon, price to get market share (slim margins) and Apple, price for perceived or actual premium quality (very large margin). Both are great models but are not compatible with each other. I'll put my money on Amazon in my 10 year plan.

 

[king3pj]

Don't think we will see it happen. Two different models: Amazon, price to get market share (slim margins) and Apple, price for perceived or actual premium quality (very large margin). Both are great models but are not compatible with each other. I'll put my money on Amazon in my 10 year plan.

But what's the difference between Amazon's Prime video and Netflix? They are the exact same type of service and Apple let Netflix onto the Apple TV. I can understand why they don't want a competitor in the PPV market but I still think they could allow Prime streaming in an Amazon video app. Just don't allow the PPV stuff.

The big 3 subscription streaming services are Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. Right now Apple TV only gets 2 out of 3. I prefer Apple TV to Roku but if they want it to take the throne as the best all around streaming device from Roku they really need Amazon Prime support.

 

[nelson61]

The way I see it, Apple and Amazon are arch competitors in much more than video and would not want to send customers to their competitor.

For example; Watch Boardwalk Empire for the first three seasons on Amazon Prime at no cost (included in the Prime Fee). But, then expect to pay $40-50 each for the next two seasons - I did.. Would Amazon want to "give" Apple 30 percent off the top for those last two seasons. I think not.

 

[king3pj]

The way I see it, Apple and Amazon are arch competitors in much more than video and would not want to send customers to their competitor.

For example; Watch Boardwalk Empire for the first three seasons on Amazon Prime at no cost (included in the Prime Fee). But, then expect to pay $40-50 each for the next two seasons - I did.. Would Amazon want to "give" Apple 30 percent off the top for those last two seasons. I think not.

No they wouldn't and that is the exact reason you can't buy video from Amazon in the Amazon video app on iPad. If they allowed that Apple would get the 30% cut you are talking about. The Amazon Video app still exists on iOS though. If you want to buy PPV movies and TV shows to watch on the iPad you have to do it from a browser first and then it will show up as available to watch on the iPad. You can also use the app to watch Prime video.

The same thing is true for Amazon's Kindle app on iPad. You can't buy books directly from the app. Instead you have to buy them from the website and then they show up in your Kindle library.

I get the point you are making but Amazon and Apple have made it work on iPad. I think it's possible that they could do the same on Apple TV.

 

[nelson61]

Good points

 

[Foxbat]

But the App model makes it more likely that we will see Amazon come to the new AppleTV. No reason to reject one for the AppleTV since Apple allowed an Amazon Video App for iOS devices.

Edit: Grrr... Those responses weren't there when I was typing my response, which king3pj made, and now my point is moot.

I have not seen the whole presentation so I'm sure I'm missing out. The AppleTV NOT supporting 4K is extremely disappointing as I need to try out the new generation to see if it fixes the issue I have with the podcasts constantly freezing during playback. I don't have 4K today, but I can't rule it out in the near future.

 

[tigerfan33]

Can you imagine the load on the Wi-fi if people started streaming UHD? Pity those using MoCA and HomePlug.

The only way people get 4k is streaming.

I'll be sitting this iPhone out. I got the larger display last year and am very happy.
I am looking forward to the Watch update next week.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I did not get a chance to watch the event, but I know what they announced. The iPhone 6s has something very important to me, a much improved camera. No, I could care less about 4k video, I just want a 12MP camera. I use that thing all the time. The force touch is probably quite useful. I also am planning on a new Apple TV. The iPad pro never appealed. I use a mini 3. I sometimes mis the full-size, but I have no desire for the macbook sized tablet.

 

[dangue]

I did not get a chance to watch the event, but I know what they announced. The iPhone 6s has something very important to me, a much improved camera. No, I could care less about 4k video, I just want a 12MP camera. I use that thing all the time. The force touch is probably quite useful. I also am planning on a new Apple TV. The iPad pro never appealed. I use a mini 3. I sometimes mis the full-size, but I have no desire for the macbook sized tablet.

For me it's all about the camera as well. My nephew turns two next month and the better pictures that can be taken of him, the happier the grandparents and great grandparents are.

The other internal spec bumps are nice. But performance wise, I don't know that I need more for my usage patterns. I can see force touch becoming very useful once developers really start using it. Unlike Scott, I do not find it just to be a long press. The lease program is very interesting. It would free customers from cell contracts and could force wireless companies to compete more fiercely.

iPad pro seems to be very much targeting the professional. I work with someone who travels all the time. He swears by his iPad and keyboard case. The pro would be perfect for him from a productivity perspective. I like to sketch, so I've been using third party styli with my iPad for years now. I'll be very interested to see if apple can improve on the best Adonits.

Apple TV doesn't interest me yet. I get everything but iTunes from Dish, Xbox One and built into my TV. I just don't have enough iTunes content to justify another box. If Amazon was on the Apple TV and included in universal search, I would be much more tempted to get one. 4K inclusion was not something I expected. The spec is still quite young and apple tends to let those things shake out before jumping in.

Besides, many now and most 4K TVs going forward will directly stream from the services that offer 4K currently. The only compelling reason for Apple to include it right away is if they were planning on offering 4K content themselves.