Apple TV took the third place position in 2015, based on revenue in the overall global set-top market, according to the recent research by IHS. That’s up from ninth place in 2014.

The research finds that more than 10 million Apple TVs were shipped in 2015 — the fifth largest volume in the world — following Arris, Technicolor, and Skyworth and ZTE.

According to Daniel Simmons, director of connected home for IHS Technology, “Apple TV’s particular success is a result of translating consumption habits from across Apple’s wider device ecosystem onto the TV screen.”

In 2015, global set-top box shipments grew 4.8 percent, year over year, to reach 353 million units, according to IHS

This growth was driven by internet-protocol television (IPTV) in China, where telecommunications companies are pushing IPTV services to generate returns on their investments in fiber to the home (FTTH), which connects buildings with high-speed internet access.

Revenue increased by 3.4 percent to reach $5.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to the previous quarter, partially driven by next generation device launches of Apple, Amazon, and Roku. Revenue for 2015 fell 5.4 percent to $22.2 billion, due to reduced demand for high value STBs in North America, primarily caused by poor pay-TV performance in the region.

Simmons said that the new positioning of Apple at the top of the set-top box market reflects several trends:

1. Pay-TV specific set-top boxes are becoming less important for consumers to access premium content, because Netflix, HBO Go and other OTT video platforms now offer top-tier content to retail OTT STBs.
2. As retail STBs have grown in the market, traditional pay-TV set-top vendors have been forced to re-position themselves, with significant consolidation at the top of the market, diversification toward software and services in the middle, and low-end vendors moving toward broader volume.

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Tim Cook shed some light on the phenomenal growth of Apple TV at the stockholders meeting held last Friday. According to the stats provided by him, Apple grossed over $1 billion last year just from the set-top box sales and with our superior math skills, that turns out to be 10 million devices. That is double the sales in 2012 and quadruple that in 2011. And talking about a device showing such a geometric growth, Tim Cook has accurately said, ‘It is getting more difficult to call it a hobby these days’.

What is more exiting is that all new purchases of the Apple TV 3 will fetch you a free $25 iTunes gift card. If past is any guide, this offer could be considered similar to Apple starting the sales of refurbished pieces of Macs and iOS devices before a refresh. Analysts are confident that Apple is trying to clear off the shelves to make way for the next Apple TV.

Recent rumors suggest that the Apple TV 4 could be announced anytime now and in no way will it be stretched later than April. However, the availability for purchase will be much delayed and we won’t have our hands on it until Christmas. It is speculated that the box will come with a fresh iOS-based firmware with support for games and third-party controllers. A public SDK for developers and an associated Apple TV App Store is also said to be in works. You can read everything about Apple TV 4 here.

[UPDATE]
The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple denied the possibility of an imminent Apple TV launch. He has a great track record in exposing Apple’s plans and is said to have strong connections within the Apple backbone. However he keeps mum on the other rumours we’ve heard, which does restore some hope.

More on Apple TV 4:

• Bloomberg: Apple to introduce new Apple TV in April
• Apple TV 4 references spotted in iOS 7 builds
• New rumors on Apple TV 4 surface as Apple TV gains special profile at Apple official website
• Opinion: Where is Apple taking the TV in 2014?
• Native gaming on Apple TV could soon become a reality as a new Apple TV with its own App Store is on the way, sources say

Stick around here at Apple TV Hacks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) for more coverage on the new Apple TV.

The post Apple TV purchases to come with $25 iTunes card as Tim Cook says Apple TV is no longer a hobby [updated] appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

The fact is that Apple is tooling up. They are aware of the growing competition in the TV market. With almost every player out there working hard to connect their goods to our televisions, it would seem that Apple is positioning themselves to out do, out last, and out with their competition. Leave it to Apple to bide their time and release a game changer after everyone else releases their version of the next high-tech, yet ultimately unsatisfactory, TV gadget.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the rumored new Apple TV/Apple TV set.

The post Apple sold 2 million Apple TV’s last quarter, up 60% year over year appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Black Friday has long been a great way to get insane deals on all things, especially when it comes to high-end tech and accessories. Thanks to Amazon.com, and others, we no longer have to deal with the clear downside of Black Friday… lines, lines, and more lines. Knowing there are likely to be many deals out there that will benefit you and your Apple TV setup, we thought we would collect some of the best Black Friday deals and put them here, for you. So whether looking for an Apple TV, a mount, a stand, a TV, cables, remotes, or some AirPlay devices, we have you covered. Though Amazon is not the only place to go, we have to admit they have clearly got the most going for them from pricing to delivery. That said, we will focus primarily on Amazon.com deals.

WHY AMAZON.COM (straight from the source)

You shouldn’t have to stand in a long line to get a great deal. We’ve been searching for the best Black Friday deals everywhere–including Black Friday deals other stores are planning–so we can bring them to you even earlier. These limited-supply deals will go quickly, but we’ll add new ones throughout the day, every day, so you can skip the long lines and still save a bundle.

The fact that Amazon is price comparing makes this search much easier on us but to ensure you are getting the best deal possible, we will compare each price with that of other sites. If we find a better deal, we will post it!

Apple TV 1

The box that started it all! We all have fond memories of this silver box, and for some (myself included) we still find them a vital part of our entertainment system thanks to OpenElec and CrystalBuntu! 

• 160G HD New – As low as $368.50
• 160G HD Used – As low as $128.74
• 40G HD New – As low as $400
• 40G HD Used – As low as $90

Apple TV 2

Though the Apple TV 1 started it all, the Apple TV 2 is the best Apple. Television, connected product out there. Considering the fact that there is still no jailbreak for the Apple TV 3, the 2^nd gen puck offers all the goods along with the ability to have XBMC installed on top of it!

• New – As low as $200
• Used – As low as $126

Apple TV 3

Perhaps the worst Apple TV to buy, the Apple TV 3 is seeing its own deals right now as well. Keep in mind that there is know way, as of now, to unlock this device meaning it will be the most expensive addition to your setup, in the long term.

• New – As low as $89

Now that you have you device figured out, let’s look at all the goodies that can go along with them:

Apple TV Mounts

• H-Squared TVTray – As low as $19.48 (30% off)

• NuStand – As low as $17.50 (35% off)

• Total Mount – As low as $17.55 (40% off)

• Out of Sight – As low as $14.99 (25% off)

AirPlay Devices

• iHome iW1 AirPlay Speakers – As low as $144.99 (50% off)

• Philips Fidelio SoundAvia with AirPlay – As low as $104.99 (48% off)

• Panasonic Audio System with iDock – As low as $157.68 (25% off)

• Altec Lansing inAir 5000 AirPlay Speakers – As low as $249.00 (50% off)

Apple TV Remotes

• Official Apple TV 2 & 3 – As low as $14.49 (25% off)

• Official Apple TV 1 – As low as $7.49 (50% off)

Logitech Harmony 700 – As low as $55.12 (60% off)

Acoustic Research ARi3G – As low as $25

Apple TV Audio Cables

• Amazon basic Digital Optical Audio Toslink Cable – As low as $5.49
• LQP  Premium Optical Toslink Audi Cable – As low as $3.33
• MediaBridge Toslink Optical Audio Cable – As low as $4.59 (70% off)

Apple TV HDMI Cables

• Amazon Basics High-Speed HDMI Cable – As low as  $5.49
• Official Apple HDMI Cable – As low as $17.99 (36% off)
• eForCity HDMI Cable for Apple TV – As low as $4.79

HD TV’S

• LG 42-Inch 1080p HDTV – As low as $479.00 (24% off)
• Toshiba 50-Inch 60Hz LED-LCD HDTV – As low as $499.99 (44% off)
• Seiki 46-Inch 1080p 60hz Slim LED HDTV – As low as $349.98 (50% off)
• TCL 55-Inch 1080p 240Hz LED HDTV – As low as $699.99 (36% off)

TV Stands

• 3M Adjustable Stand – As low as $23.36
• Screen Deck – As low as $24.94

Well, there you have it. We hope that this list helps you find some great deals for your entertainment system… and more importantly for you Apple TV! We personally enjoy more than a few of these products and look forward to hearing about the deals you are finding out there as well. Make sure to leave a comment with your thoughts or perhaps other deals that we missed!

Happy Holidays from Apple TV Hacks!

More deals:
Black Friday 2012: Deals on iPhone, iPad and iPod Accessories!
Best Black Friday Deals on iOS Apps

The post Black Friday 2012 Best Deals For Your Black Box appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple has sold record 1.4 million Apple TVs during the last holiday quarter but, interestingly, the company didn’t reveal this figures in yesterday’s press release in which it proudly details record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs. The record figures for Apple TV were revealed during the Q1 2012 earnings live call: asked about Apple’s strategy for the living room, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said “the Apple TV product is dealing very well,” and he gave the numbers: in the last fiscal year – ended in September 2011 – Apple sold 2.8 mln Apple TVs, and in December quarter – record 1.4 mln units.

However, Cook added that “if you dollarize it… we still classify it as a hobby,” but he also said that Apple continues to “add things to it.”

Apple’s CEO also admitted that he “couldn’t live without the Apple TV” and said:  “We continue to pull the strings to see where it takes us.”

Since the Apple TV 2 launch in September 2010, Apple has sold over 4.2 million of the set top boxes.

Apple has been long rumored to be working on an Apple TV set that, according to Gene Munster, could be introduced around WWDC 2012.

You may also want to read:
AppleTVHacks Best of 2011
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2
Apple TV 3 or Apple TV set?

The post Will record 1.4 mln Apple TV sales take Apple to iTV? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.