At today’s Apple Media Event, Tim Cook announced the next generation of the Apple TV, which now supports 1080p video output and a new streamlined interface.
The kick off the Media Event, Tim Cook started talking about iTunes, movies and TV shows, and how they are now in 1080p. That led right into the announcement of a new Apple TV. 1080p output includes the UI, which is looking more and more like an iOS device, with your apps looking like the home screen of your iPad.
The new Apple TV will also have your iTunes playlists, from iCloud, and Photostream. We don’t have any tech specs yet, but we’ll update you after Apple updates their website, later today. We do know that it will be available next week for $99 with pre-orders starting later today.
Here’s the tech specs, from the Apple website:
- Height: 23 mm (0.9 inch)
- Width: 98 mm (3.9 inches)
- Depth: 98 mm (3.9 inches)
- Weight: 272 g (0.6 pound)
- Apple single-core A5 chip
- Wi-Fi (802.11a, b, g or n) wireless network (wireless video streaming requires 802.11a, g or n) or 10/100BASE-T Ethernet network
- iTunes Store account for buying or renting movies and buying TV shows
- Netflix account for streaming Netflix content
- For streaming media from a Mac or PC: iTunes 10.6 or later; iTunes Store account for Home Sharing
- MLB.TV subscription required to watch live and archived games
- NHL GameCenter Live subscription required to watch live and archived games
- HDMI2
- Optical audio
- 10/100BASE-T Ethernet
- Built-in IR receiver
- Micro-USB (for service and support)
- Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
- H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High or Main Profile level 4.0 or lower, Baseline profile level 3.0 or lower with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats
- MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats
- Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format
- Compatible with high-definition TVs with HDMI and capable of 1080p or 720p at 60/50Hz,2 including popular models from these manufacturers: Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse
Is the A5 chip faster then the previous model? Because the ATV2 had a hard enough time streaming 720p withough studdering..
Can’t decide if it’s worth upgrading my current 2nd gen Apple TV’s or not. Hard to say if the 1080p is really worth it, especially if rumors are true about a full Apple television set in the works.
Would be worth it if your TV is large and 720p is not good enough. But other than that…not a big deal for small and medium sized TVs. Could sell the used one for cheap, and subsidize the new one 🙂
I didn’t even think about that!
…Hey Gary, wanna buy two Apple TV’s on the cheap? lol
Anyone on the new A5 Chip? Is this faster then the ATV2 processor?
I thought Apple was expanding iCloud to purchased movies? Is it just for the U.S cause I tried looking in the purchased section of my Apple TV after I updated it and it still only shows TV shows and none of the movies I purchased in the purchased section.
OK, I thought it was only me. Good to know I’m not the only one. They (Apple) must be doing the iCloud movies thing just for the United States. Bummer.
Anyone else having problems updating their ATV2?