New Apple TV sets a very high bar

Yesterday’s “Hey Siri” event went impossibly well. Apple revealed one phenomenal new shiny after another. Since the original iPhone release back in 2007, I don’t remember an event with as much heft, as much magic, and with such terrific stage presence. To me, this was Apple in absolute top form.

Though there were a number of moments that vied for second place, by far my favorite part of the event was the announcement of the new Apple TV. Before the event started, I thought the only way a new Apple TV could differentiate itself from competition like Chromecast, Roku, etc., would be via new exclusive content, some blockbuster deal with TV networks and movie studios that could create a new ecosystem, walled off from the competition.

Somehow, Apple hit the ball out of the park, created a must have product based purely on the product itself, without the helping hands of a 3rd part content deal.

This from John Gruber, writing about the event for Daring Fireball:

The new Apple TV seems great for both video consumption and casual gaming. The MLB At Bat demo during the event was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Not just because I’m a baseball fan, but because it presented a revolutionary way to watch live events, period. I think Apple TV might be the most disruptive product from Apple since the iPhone. Not the most lucrative, necessarily, but the most disruptive — in the sense of defining how all TVs will work in a few years.

Just so. This is the first TV experience that treats the content as an embedded element, sitting alongside search results and other embedded content, much like the windowing system on a computer. This is a big leap forward for TV interfaces, and I expect this approach will only get better, more sophisticated, over time.

As to gaming, I don’t see this as a direct challenge to the consoles, in that the new Apple TV controller is better suited to casual gaming than hard core first person shooters. That said, Apple TV will support 3rd party controllers that adhere to the MFi (made for iPhone/iPod/iPad) standard.

Short term, I’d expect Xbox, Playstation, and Wii to keep their place (and HDMI slot), working alongside the Apple TV. But there is already some creep between the two universes. For example, this from the Activision blog:

Guitar Hero Live is also coming to a wide array of devices, including consoles, mobile devices and Apple TV. Guitar Hero Live’s GH Live mode brings you closer to the live stage experience with live-action, first-person gameplay with crowds and bands that react dynamically to how you play. There’s also GHTV, the world’s first playable music video network, which lets you play along with a continually updated collection of official music videos spanning a variety of genres. Guitar Hero Live for Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices will come with the redesigned six-button guitar controller, which connects through Bluetooth so it be used across all supported Apple devices.

This post appeared yesterday, clearly in response to the Apple TV announcement. Short term, the consoles are safe. Long term, I’d expect there to be a slow migration, as developers explore Apple TV compatibility. If a complex, rapid fire controller is required, MFi compatible controllers already exist and are making improvements with each new release.

Bottom line, the Apple TV is definitely tops on my Christmas list, right alongside an iPhone 6s Plus and an iPad Pro. I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a banner sales year for Apple, Inc.