Apple makes big push into social networking
San Francisco: Apple unveiled a smaller, cheaper version of its web-to-TV device on Wednesday, stepping up a battle with Google and Microsoft for control of the digital living room.
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs also rolled out a completely overhauled lineup of iPod media players and the latest version of iTunes, with a new logo that does away with the outdated image of a CD. The new Apple TV device, which accesses content from the internet and plays it on a TV, will sell for $99. It is a quarter the size of the original, which cost $229.
The 4-inch-square device allows users to rent TV shows and first-run films. Earlier models, which allowed users to only buy shows, failed to find a major audience.
"Consumers are already terrified of hooking anything up to their televisions, so unless you can make it crystal clear why they should and make it super easy for them to do so, you're limiting yourself to a niche market," said Avi Greengart, research director for consumer devices at Current Analysis. The biggest shift to iTunes is the introduction of a social networking feature called Ping, which allows users to recommend songs to followers or their chosen circle of friends.
"It's Facebook and Twitter meets iTunes. It's a social network all about music," Jobs said at a presentation to unveil the products on Wednesday. But the centrepiece of the event for reporters and investors was Apple TV, which the company introduced in 2006 but which never became a big hit. Jobs once referred to Apple TV as a hobby, but made clear that the company is now ready to seriously focus on marrying the web to TV, a combination that is also in the sights of some of the world's most creative and deep-pocketed companies, including Google, Microsoft and Amazon.com.
Alongside renting TV shows and movies, Apple TV users will be able to stream content from video rental site Netflix. Rival Google is taking a slightly different path with its latest offering of Google TV, which allows viewers to search and watch programs, DVR recordings and the internet in one fell swoop. Some new TVs will come Google TV-ready, though plans are in the works to market a separate stand-alone device in the fall. Google is working with the cable and satellite distributors.
Jobs spent most of his presentation on a snazzier line of its iPod, which dominates the music- and media-player market with 275 million units sold, but has suffered moderating sales in recent years. Jobs has turned his attention toward the iPhone and more recently the iPad, which became an immediate success when it was launched in April. The company has revamped its product line ahead of the key holiday sales season. Jobs called it the "biggest change in the iPod lineup ever."
The revised iPod shuffle has been updated to include playlists and buttons to navigate the volume, and is smaller than the previous model. REUTERS Steve’s On The Job
Ping | New Facebook-like iTunes software that will help users recommend songs to friends and followers iPod Touch | Costs $229-399, has a front-facing video camera for video chats iPod Shuffle | $49 device brings back buttons that Apple did away in earlier version Apple TV | $99 4-inchsquare device that accesses content from the Internet and plays it on TV will sell for $99; allows users to rent TV shows for 99 cents and first-run films for $4.99
iPod Nano | The new square shaped $149-179 iPod nano is button-free and users can control it with swipes across its touch screen
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs also rolled out a completely overhauled lineup of iPod media players and the latest version of iTunes, with a new logo that does away with the outdated image of a CD. The new Apple TV device, which accesses content from the internet and plays it on a TV, will sell for $99. It is a quarter the size of the original, which cost $229.
The 4-inch-square device allows users to rent TV shows and first-run films. Earlier models, which allowed users to only buy shows, failed to find a major audience.
"Consumers are already terrified of hooking anything up to their televisions, so unless you can make it crystal clear why they should and make it super easy for them to do so, you're limiting yourself to a niche market," said Avi Greengart, research director for consumer devices at Current Analysis. The biggest shift to iTunes is the introduction of a social networking feature called Ping, which allows users to recommend songs to followers or their chosen circle of friends.
"It's Facebook and Twitter meets iTunes. It's a social network all about music," Jobs said at a presentation to unveil the products on Wednesday. But the centrepiece of the event for reporters and investors was Apple TV, which the company introduced in 2006 but which never became a big hit. Jobs once referred to Apple TV as a hobby, but made clear that the company is now ready to seriously focus on marrying the web to TV, a combination that is also in the sights of some of the world's most creative and deep-pocketed companies, including Google, Microsoft and Amazon.com.
Alongside renting TV shows and movies, Apple TV users will be able to stream content from video rental site Netflix. Rival Google is taking a slightly different path with its latest offering of Google TV, which allows viewers to search and watch programs, DVR recordings and the internet in one fell swoop. Some new TVs will come Google TV-ready, though plans are in the works to market a separate stand-alone device in the fall. Google is working with the cable and satellite distributors.
Jobs spent most of his presentation on a snazzier line of its iPod, which dominates the music- and media-player market with 275 million units sold, but has suffered moderating sales in recent years. Jobs has turned his attention toward the iPhone and more recently the iPad, which became an immediate success when it was launched in April. The company has revamped its product line ahead of the key holiday sales season. Jobs called it the "biggest change in the iPod lineup ever."
The revised iPod shuffle has been updated to include playlists and buttons to navigate the volume, and is smaller than the previous model. REUTERS Steve’s On The Job
Ping | New Facebook-like iTunes software that will help users recommend songs to friends and followers iPod Touch | Costs $229-399, has a front-facing video camera for video chats iPod Shuffle | $49 device brings back buttons that Apple did away in earlier version Apple TV | $99 4-inchsquare device that accesses content from the Internet and plays it on TV will sell for $99; allows users to rent TV shows for 99 cents and first-run films for $4.99
iPod Nano | The new square shaped $149-179 iPod nano is button-free and users can control it with swipes across its touch screen
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