03/17, 10:15pm
iWatch could replace iPhone if Apple solves battery problem
The recent media trend of negative news on Apple is just a phase that will pass according to analyst Gene Munster and pundit MG Siegler, both of whom agree that the coming months will see Apple getting its groove back with a refresh in its product lines, as well as perhaps some new products. Siegler and Munster spoke on a panel along with TUAW's editor-in-chief, Victor Agreda, with all parties agreeing that Apple's sales figures fly in the face of the negative coverage the company has been receiving of late. Part of the problem, Siegler contended, was the considerable success the company has achieved over the past few years.
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02/13, 11:20am
Broadcaster first took stance in 2010
UK broadcaster ITV has written a new letter to Apple warning it not to use the name "iTV" for its upcoming TV set, claims The Telegraph. The newspaper notes that ITV CEO Adam Crozier first raised the issue with Apple when he took office in 2010. At the time, Apple is said to have reassured ITV that it wouldn't use the name, at least not in the UK.
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01/16, 10:35am
Lovefilm to begin streaming ABC TV show seasons
Online UK movie service Lovefilm has signed a deal with Disney UK to bring a library of TV series from ABC Studios to its subscribers. Branded as ABC TV On Demand, the portal will give members access to full seasons of shows such as Lost, Castle, Desperate Housewives, and more. Shows will air as full seasons soon before the next one airs on UK paid or free TV networks.
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09/01, 10:50am
Apple using iPod event as test for NC data center
Apple's decision to stream its event live is actually a cover for a test of eventual iTunes streaming, a rumor asserted today. The first-ever Apple stream in eight years is reported by Apple contacts to be a practice run for the North Carolina data center to see how well it copes with a heavy traffic load streaming to iOS devices. Cult of Mac speculates that the Maiden-based facility might be used for 99-cent iTunes TV rentals that would be unveiled at today's event.
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09/01, 10:25am
May leave device absent from Wed. press event
People should not expect to see a new Apple TV shipping immediately after today's Apple press event, sources for the Australian edition of Macworld claim. The people moreover say that the device is retaining the Apple TV moniker, instead of switching to the iTV name as has been reported. The product code for the new hardware is allegedly "Apple TV - USA MC572 LL/A."
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08/31, 9:45pm
Sony may use PS3 to launch iTunes-rivaling service
Late tips this evening suggest Sony could temporarily upstage Apple's special event tomorrow with the long-awaited launch of its own media subscription service. Sony's pre-IFA keynote tomorrow morning is believed to be kicking off a music and video subscription service that would start first on the PS3 and PSP but spread to all Sony devices, including its home theater line, PCs, Sony Ericsson phones and Walkman players. The Financial Times sources claimed would be just an early preview and that the plan would go live only in 2011, once content deals had been lined up.
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08/31, 9:20pm
ABC and Fox lined up for iTunes TV rental pilot
Apple has managed to line up two major TV networks for its 99-cent iTunes TV rentals ahead of tomorrow's event, a late leak may have confirmed this evening. Previously undecided Fox as well as ABC have reportedly agreed to offer at least some of their shows. The WSJ sources warned that Fox might only offer rentals for a short time as a trial balloon and that it wouldn't include shows where rights aren't uniformly in its favor, like American Idol.
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08/31, 5:15pm
Late leak says Apple iTV to handle Netflix video
Apple's expected iTV media hub launch tomorrow is real and should include some form of Netflix support, a last-minute leak contended this evening. Three unidentified sources claimed Netflix's Watch Instantly would be "available" and carry its usual, separate subscription fee. Bloomberg didn't confirm whether it was an app or built-in, though it's much more likely that it would be a variant on the iPad/iPhone app and simply used as a showcase for third-party support.
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08/30, 5:00pm
Roku makes preemptive strike vs Apple with price
Roku today hedged itself against Apple's media event by cutting prices for its Internet Player across the board. The prices drop $20 to $30, putting the Roku SD as low as $60 while the Roku HD costs $70 and the HD-XR is now just $100. The SD may be in clearance pricing since it's listed as "out of stock" through Roku itself.
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08/29, 6:55pm
Google plans global paid movies through YouTube
An inside news tip this evening has hinted that Google plans to significantly expand its YouTube movie rentals to a full-fledged, worldwide service. Several contacts told the Financial Times that talks are underway for a service that would stream major movie releases and which would be tied into both Google's search engine and YouTube. Movies would cost $5 to rent and would be available at the same time as on Blu-ray, DVD and Internet services.
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08/26, 9:45am
New, old Touches would coexist
As with last year, new and old versions of the iPod touch may coexist following a September product announcement, according to Kaufman analyst Shaw Wu. Sources are said to indicate two main models being in production: the first is the expected major update, with iPhone 4 features such as a Retina Display, video recording and FaceTime video calls. The other is described as an "entry-level" player, little changed from present third-generation Touches, likely selling for $199.
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08/25, 2:20pm
Apple surprises with early Sept iPod, iTV event
Apple today up-ended expectations and said it would hold a special music event on September 1. The invitation provides few details but has the photo of a guitar with the Apple logo as a cut-out, signalling that Apple will once again focus primarily on music. It comes about six days ahead of a rumored September 7 date.
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08/25, 1:30pm
Mobile TV should be real emphasis, says source
Contrary to some expectations, the iTV set-top will only play a small part at an Apple press event in September, a source for BusinessWeek claims. The company is instead expected to place the emphasis on 99-cent TV show rentals, with the idea that people can watch them on iPads, iPhones and iPods. An essential component may be the introduction of an iPod touch with a Retina Display, allowing Apple to say it has HD (or near HD) resolution on every device.
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08/25, 9:35am
Set-top might not run iPhone, iPad apps
There is still "some debate" at Apple as to what kind of apps the rumored Apple TV successor -- the iTV -- will run, according to sources quoted by Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu. The device is expected to run iOS, and use an ARM-based processor like the iPad and the iPhone 4. It should also support apps, but the company is said to be conflicted over allowing iPhone and/or iPad apps, or just ones meant for the iTV.
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08/24, 11:05pm
More details of 99c iTunes TV rentals emerge
Apple's ongoing discussions for 99-cent iTunes TV rentals were given support today by a pair of sources Tuesday evening. Anonymous contacts told the WSJ this evening that Disney was the closest to a deal and could agree to allowing some ABC shows soon. It's speculated that Apple chief Steve Jobs' position on Disney's board of directors would be a strong influence on the plan.
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08/24, 3:55pm
Fox negotiating 99-cent Apple iTV rental deal
Leaks of 99-cent iTunes TV show rentals gained credibility on Tuesday as a new source claimed that Apple is deeper into negotiations. Fox's parent company News Corp., as well as "other media companies," are understood by Bloomberg to be hashing out deals for the plan, which would give one or two days of viewing at half the price of a purchase. CBS and Disney, where Jobs has a seat on the directors' board, are also considering adopting the strategy.
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08/19, 4:15pm
iPod touch likely getting iPhone 4 trimmings
Apple is doing internal testing of iOS 4.1 with three new products, an AppleInsider source claims. As in other versions of iOS, the latest beta of v4.1 contains "configuration descriptors" for USB devices. One of the devices as listed as "iPod 4,1," clearly referencing a fourth-generation iPod touch.
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08/16, 1:40pm
Set-tops, live TV seen as obstacles
If legitimate, the rumored iTV upgrade of the Apple TV could still be just a bridge towards a full-scale HDTV, argues Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. Apple may try to launch one in the next two to four years, he suggests, using the company's North Carolina data center as a key anchor. The site could be used as a hub for an iTunes streaming service, making it possible to watch a catalog of movies and TV shows without having to keep local copies.
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08/13, 9:40am
Lawsuit threatened if iTV name is real
Executives at ITV, one of the UK's major TV networks, are said to be "furious" over rumors that the Apple TV is being renamed the iTV. Even though the rumors are not yet confirmed, The Mirror claims that ITV executives are already meeting with lawyers to plan legal action. ITV has a trademark on its name within Great Britain.
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08/11, 5:15pm
Rumored update would still lack 1080p
Apple is indeed making some major overhauls to the Apple TV, a source claimed this afternoon. One of the most significant is simply a name change, to the iTV. More important, though, is the addition of apps, Engadget said. Unmentioned is whether iPad or iPhone apps will be compatible with the new device, or even if iTV titles will be distributed through the App Store.
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06/25, 11:35am
BBC trust approves Project Canvas, due in spring
The BBC's controlling trust on Friday approved Project Canvas but imposed a few important conditions. These include free-to-air access, access to the platform for content providers and ISPs and industry consultation. Project Canvas is a joint web TV venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT, TalkTalk and Arqiva that would bring Internet content to the TV
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04/28, 4:50pm
Hulu may not reach Britain but will see Android
Hulu's plans shifted today with a pair of leaks, one of which is its own. A news tip from network executives alleges that the TV streaming service has been scrapped for the UK in the near future as they and Hulu have failed to reach deals. The Telegraph sources allege that ITV refuses to allow its content beyond its own web service and that both Channel 4 and Five object to Hulu having control over which ads are sold.
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03/11, 11:40am
TiVo making UK comeback with Virgin
As announced last fall, TiVo will return to the UK market after a seven-year absence. TiVo will partner with the UK's Virgin Media, which will develop the cable firm's next-generation set-top box. While details on the hardware are thin on the ground, TiVo chief executive Tom Rogers said it will be heavily based on the TiVo Premiere slated for other markets and confirmed for the US.
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05/20, 5:05pm
Hulu coming to the UK?
The free online video-on-demand (VOD) service, Hulu, may be expanding for the first time to a market outside of the US, with a launch in the UK as soon as September, the UK's Telegraph reported on Wednesday. Sources close to the negotiations tell the daily newspaper that Hulu is in talks with the UK's ITV and Channel 4 for content partners, and the service would bring over more than 3,000 hours of American TV content. Content from the BBC is also being negotiated.
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05/19, 11:15am
ITV video now Mac-ready
British TV broadcaster ITV is officially supporting Macs for web-based viewing, it has announced. The network lets users watch a number of programs online, such as Coronation Street, Britain's Got Talent and Pushing Daisies; until recently however users were forced to use Windows, and ideally Internet Explorer. The site now runs on Firefox 1.5 and 2, as well as Safari; the key difference is that these require Microsoft's Silverlight plug-in, which operates similarly to Flash. Mac owners must be running Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later.
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04/22, 11:50am
New TV at iTunes Can., UK
Programming from several TV networks has been added to iTunes Stores in Canada and the UK. ITV has signed a deal to bring a variety of "classic" TV shows to the UK iTunes Store, among them international hits such as The Prisoner and The Saint, along with more locally famous series such as Captain Scarlet and Brideshead Revisited. Downloads are priced at an average of £1.89 per episode, but not all shows and seasons are currently available.
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