Though released along with iOS 8, the 7.0 update for Apple TV is essentially just catching up with what iOS 7 offered on iPhones and iPads. Apart from the flat design, the new iCloud Photo Sharing feature is a perfect exhibit.

Not sure if you guys have ever used it, but in the Share sheet in iOS 7 Photos app, there is an iCloud option which can be used to share photos, videos or albums with friends and family. Up until now, the other guy could see the shared media only on an iOS device or a Mac/PC.

With the 7.0 update, Apple TV has also picked up this feature.

Your photos and videos – As seen on TV
With iCloud Photo Sharing, invitations to view your photos and videos can be sent to friends and family who also have Apple TV, so they can share in the fun. And uploading the photos and videos from a summer vacation or any other event is as easy as doing nothing at all.

So if your parents don’t have any iDevice, but have an Apple TV 3 at home, you can send an invite to them. This notification can be opened to view your college photos or baby videos on the big screen.

Talking about videos, you will now be able to watch your iMovie projects on Apple TV without the need of syncing or sending them to iTunes. This is a really cool feature, especially if you’re making a casual or personal video. iCloud Photo Sharing combined with the new peer-to-peer AirPlay, will let you show off your creations anywhere, with just a tap.

Read more on the Apple TV 7.0 update.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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When iOS 8 was announced, we could find only a handful of new features that had their counterparts on Apple TV. One of them was the peer-to-peer AirPlay capability which could transform your Apple TV into an anywhere-streaming device rather than being confined to the connected indoors.

Peer-to-peer AirPlay enables you to connect your iPhone or iPad to an Apple TV, without requiring them to be connected to the same Wi-Fi Network. Your iOS device itself turns into an ad-hoc Wi-Fi hotspot to which your Apple TV can connect (similar to Wi-Fi Direct) and AirPlay videos, photos and music.

However, this feature has a huge caveat that it is only available to Apple TV 3 devices, post the revision in March 2013. That is, 3rd generation rev A model A1469. If you don’t know your model number, just look under your Apple TV (Apple reference image).

If you do have a supported Apple TV 3, here is how peer-to-peer AirPlay works.

For my test, I went to Wi-Fi settings and “forgot” the router, both on my Apple TV and iPhone. I found that the AirPlay option was still present in the Control Center. Then I tried completely turning off Wi-Fi on my iPhone and… surprise, I could still AirPlay!

I started mirroring OceanHorn and the stream was par perfect. To be honest, I felt that the visuals were much better now, probably because an intermediate device, the router, was removed from the loop.

So, you’ll now be able to carry around your Apple TV and stream to projectors and televisions in your classroom or office without asking around for the Wi-Fi password. Do try this great new feature and let us know how peer-to-peer Airplay works out for you.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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You might remember one of our recent posts where we discussed how Apple TV and Apple Watch could do wonders by working together. Now, Aaron Tilley from Forbes is confident that Cupertino has much greater plans for its set-top box, as it will play an integral role in creating Apple’s ultimate smart homes. This doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has read one of our post-WWDC14 opinion articles:

The ability to control home alarms, thermostats, and lights is very powerful. Having the ability to leverage this information in your home from the largest screen you own would hopefully be an area of expansion as this technology is adopted, and combined with Siri would be an even more powerful offering.

(WWDC 2014 and the invisible Apple TV; Apple TV Hacks, June 10, 2014)

Now, an insider has told Forbs that last week’s 7.0 update, which brought the iOS 7 themed channels to Apple TV, also silently added support for the HomeKit.

In case you don’t know, HomeKit is Apple’s developer kit to enable communication between home appliances and iOS devices. This unknown messenger has confirmed that Apple TV would serve as the central hub of all of HomeKit’s functionalities.

Apple TV likely won’t be the only way to communicate with Apple-certified smart gear. But with 20 million Apple TVs out in the world, it certainly makes sense that this would serve as a centerpiece of Apple’s smart home plans. And many speculate that a more powerful Apple TV is soon on its way.

You know what? It makes sense too.

Apple has already announced that HomeKit devices would communicate via Bluetooth and WiFi, and Apple TV comes packed with both of them. Besides, of all Apple products, Apple TV is the one which is always connected to WiFi and almost exclusively lives within your home. So wherever you’re, you can interact with your Apple TV via an iPhone app and thereby control your house’s lighting, open the garage door, sprinkle the garden and so on.

Apple-certified smart gadgets haven’t been officially rolled out yet. But when HomeKit was first announced at this year’s developer conference in June, there were a number of big-name connected gadget companies listed as official partners, including Honeywell, Philips , August Smart Lock and others.

We haven’t received any verification from Apple regarding the story. However, with Apple TV 4 launch getting unduly delayed like this, it surely shows itself as a bright possibility.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Along with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple announced an entire new product line up today morning. Like many had speculated, its a watch; not called the iWatch though, its the Apple Watch (learn morn about Apple Watch). And among the hundreds of features Apple boasted to be stuffed into this tiny metal square, the Apple TV also made its mark.

It all started with something Tim Cook said during the event, “I use mine [Apple Watch] to control the Apple TV”. We din’t have much idea until the official Apple Watch subsite started showing off the below image and a description.

Apple TV and iTunes. Navigate Apple TV and control the iTunes library on your Mac or PC from Apple Watch. Swipe around the main menu, scroll through lists and collections, select movies, listen to iTunes Radio, and more.

From the looks of it, one of those colorful dots on the home-screen will bring up a remote like interface, which can be tapped or swiped to navigate the icons, scroll through menus, select options and to seek on videos.

The Apple Watch probably does this with the Wi-Fi connection rather than an IR blaster (like the iPhone remote app), which means it wouldn’t be limited by the field or obstructions. And a watch remote makes sense because you needn’t go looking for the pesky little remote every-time, because it is always on your hand.

Also somewhere along the Apple Watch demo, I remember seeing an AirPlay button on the interface, but they failed to mention anything regarding this. Maybe you can AirPlay the Fitness and Workout apps to your Apple TV, and get a live feedback on your exercise on the big screen. Maybe.

Read more on the Apple Watch.

Leaving the Apple Watch behind, the mention of Apple TV in such an important event itself shows how much Apple is concerned about its set-top box and that it has surely been promoted from the hobby status. If you’re really as optimistic as I am, you can see a massive Apple TV refresh coming soon.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Remember the Apple TV 6.2 software update which we reported last week? We had inferred that it just included some general bug fixes, basic performance improvements and that it was probably intended to be used by developers for testing out the new features on iOS 8.

But as it turns out, Apple had much deeper plans. With the 6.2 update, Apple TV had gained the ability to show iTunes Extras on movie pages and the feature is now rolling out to all users.

While adding videos to iTunes, creators have an option to use Apple’s templates to create an iTunes Extras page and upload related contents like cut-scenes, making of the movie, trailers etc. These will be available exclusively to HD buyers as a complement to the purchase.

With iTunes 11.3, Mac OS X has gained this feature and it will be available on iOS 8 too, when it gets released this fall.

“iTunes Extras can include behind-the-scenes videos, short films, high-resolution image galleries, director’s commentary, scenes, and more. These immersive iTunes Extras can also be enjoyed on Apple TV with Software Update 6.2 now, and will be available on iOS 8 this fall.
New iTunes Extras will be automatically added to your previously purchased HD movies as they become available – at no additional charge.”

Also be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Apple has been really busy in the past couple of days. In addition to seeding the second betas to iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, Apple also rolled out the Apple TV 7.0 beta, intended to support the new peer-to-peer AirPlay and Continuity features. In the hardware domain, Apple introduced some price cuts in its Mac line up and alongside, Apple TV 3 also got a 20% cut on its tag.

However, the cost cut is to be seen only across Europe. In the UK, the Apple TV 3 can now be bagged for £79 (previously £99) and in the rest of Europe for €99 (previously €109). The price in United States and other international markets seems to be unchanged.
[Update: The Apple TV 3 got a price drop in India too as reported by NDTV Gadgets]

Of course, if past is any guide, such a slash in price could mean only one thing – The current generation Apple TV is nearing the end of cycle and Apple is quickly clearing the shelves to make room for the much speculated Apple TV 4. Rumors have been suggesting that the next Apple TV will be unveiled sometime in August-September and from this move by Apple, everything looks to be moving according to the schedule.

So as tempting as the price-cut may sound, we advice our users to hold your pockets for a couple more months and let Apple unveil what is dubbed as the revolutionary new Apple TV, before you jump to a purchase.

Read more on Apple TV 4 and be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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One of the unique announcements Apple made at its WWDC, 2014 was the new Continuity suite of features for iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, which will enable users to easily switch between any of their Apple devices. For instance, you could start typing an email on your iPhone and just open your Mac and continue typing there, right from where you left. And as it turns out, Apple TV will also receive a piece of this innovation just like we predicted.

As reported by 9to5Mac, notifications like below are popping up on Macs of developers who are connected to the same network as Apple TV running the latest 7.0 beta firmware. Hence it’s been confirmed that Apple TV will carry a portion of the Continuity suite in the next major public update, but it’s still unclear as to what features are being introduced.

At this time, only speculations and guesses by developers are out in the web and they expect Continuity on Apple TV to be AirPlay taken to the next level. No need for manually connecting to your set top box every-time you need to airplay; Apple TV could sense whenever you’re in the vicinity and if you’re watching a video or listening to a song or viewing some pics, “Presto!”, its now showing on your HDTV. Even Apple TV channels may be able to work along side their corresponding iOS apps, like Netflix. Start watching Breaking Bad on iPad in your bedroom and walk into the living room only to see that it automatically pops up on your TV. Sounds exciting!

The fact that Continuity needs Bluetooth 4.0 to work with and that the latest Apple TV 7.0 beta has dropped support for Apple TV 2 (no Bluetooth 4.0) also reinforces our assumptions. Anyway, Apple is always full of surprises and only a couple of months through the calendar will tell us what they’re actually planning.

Read more on the other new iOS 8 features for Apple TV – Peer-to-peer AirPlay and iCoud Family Sharing
So what do you guys thinks about Continuity on Apple TV? Let us know in the comments section below. And be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Released earlier today, the new Apple TV software beta brings iCloud Family Sharing to the big screen, 9to5Mac reports. That’s in line with our predictions on how the future Apple TV may look like.

Introduced at WWDC 2014, Family Sharing allows family members to share purchases from iTunes (music, movies, TV shows) and the App Store (games!), as well as family calendar and photos.

iOS 8 introduces Family Sharing, making it easier than ever to communicate and share purchases, photos and calendars within the same household. Family members can browse and download each other’s iTunes®, iBooks® or App Store purchases. Up to six members can participate, each with their own Apple ID. Parents can create Apple IDs for children, which includes Ask to Buy, requiring parental permission for purchases. Family Sharing automatically keeps everyone connected by creating a shared family photo stream, shared calendar and provides an option for locating family members and their devices.

Also read: WWDC 2014 and the invisible Apple TV

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest AppleTV-related news.

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AirServer for PC, one of the world’s most advanced AirPlay receivers, has been updated to version 2.0 which brings a long-awaited recording feature, allowing you to record whatever is happening on your iPad or iPhone with the push of a button. The new feature is available on all supported Windows platforms including Vista, 7, 8 & 8.1.

Screen recording with voice-over capability makes AirServer a great tool for iOS app developers, letting them to easily create video app previews that are coming to the App Store this fall along with iOS 8.

Here are the highlights of AirServer 2.0 for Windows:

● Get your App Store Developer bundles ready for iOS 8 with added audio commentary for your video previews. AirServer provides higher quality crisper videos than new USB method and has voiceover capability.
● Introducing super crisp Quad HD desktop mirroring *NEW FEATURE
● Introducing Recording for PC *NEW FEATURE
● 1080p Full-HD mirroring on all devices
● Side by side iOS gaming split screen functionality
● On the fly post processing
● Microsoft Certification for Windows 8/8.1 compatibility
● Lossless quality audio streaming
● Ad-hoc networking capability
● No jailbreaking required
● 1 licence per computer – unlimited devices
● Free 7 day trial

Check out this video to learn more about the new AirServer:

AirServer is sold at $14.99 for Mac and Windows version (there is a free 7 day trial, educational and bulk discounts are also available) and you can get it from here. The update is free for existing users.

Check out our review of the first version of AirServer and stay tuned for the review of AirServer 2.0.

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WWDC 2014 is over, and noticeably absent from last week’s keynote and sessions was any mention of the Apple TV. For a billion dollar product, this silence from Apple means one of two things: it could mean the business isn’t important, or more likely, it could mean that there are big things coming that aren’t ready for public consumption. Taking the assumption for the moment that a mere billion dollars is important to Apple, let’s review the announcements made last week and see how they may apply to the Apple TV product line.

(Reading between the lines of Apple’s announcements is often very telling. For example, prior to the iPhone 5 announcement, at WWDC Apple announced “auto layout” for iOS apps. On its own, it was a well-received feature, but in light of different screen sizes of the rumored new iPhone models, that feature took on a whole new perspective.)

Announcements last week that show promise:

Metal

Possibly the most interesting announcement for future Apple TV potential is the announcement of Metal. Metal is a set of developer API’s that allow “bare metal” access to the full graphics capabilities of the underlying hardware.

The game demos that were shown were fairly incredible for an iPad, and showed the hardware that Apple ships is getting closer and closer to “console-level” graphics capabilities. Granted, the demo was shown on an iPad Air, which greatly out-performs the current Apple TV products, but the Apple TV is overdue for a hardware refresh.

With most consumer televisions supporting 1080 resolution, an Apple TV with equivalent hardware specs as the iPad Air would outperform the Air. Not until TV’s reach 4k resolution does a television surpass the Air’s resolution.

HomeKit

There was a fair amount of unsubstantiated rumor and buzz around HomeKit prior to the announcement, with some proclaiming that Apple would “own” the home automation market. Instead, what Apple did is much more powerful – they have created an underlying architecture and set of API’s that enable developers to standardize the interaction of their devices and integrate different vendors seamlessly.

The ability to control home alarms, thermostats, and lights is very powerful. Having the ability to leverage this information in your home from the largest screen you own would hopefully be an area of expansion as this technology is adopted, and combined with Siri would be an even more powerful offering.

Siri

There are a couple of interesting tidbits surrounding Siri. Obviously, expansions in supported languages and overall capabilities is always interesting, but also fairly expected. Song recognition would be a feature that could be interesting for home use, and the ability to purchase content via iTunes store lays even more groundwork.

But there is one feature that would be essential to have Siri become a core part of Apple TV. The announced “always on” feature is the one. “Hey Siri, let’s watch some football” would seem to be a very Apple-ish way of approaching the living room. It will be interesting to see if this feature moves to the TV.

Continuity and indoor location API’s

This announcement has the most “start into my crystal ball to see the future” around it. With Continuity, Apple is likely using Bluetooth LE (think iBeacon) capabilities in their devices to determine when you are typing an email on your iPad and walk up to your Mac, and transfer the document and state of one device to another.

Obviously this is a “cool” technology, but if you apply it to the Apple TV, the feature takes on a whole new perspective. Apple could expand this capability to allow you to transfer the viewing of a YouTube or iTunes video directly to the Apple TV rather than AirPlay it.

But even more interesting is the overall concept of location-awareness. If the Apple TV knew that your iPhone was in the room, when you launched the “Remote” app on your iPhone, it would pick the appropriate Apple TV rather than making you select.

AirPlay could default to the nearest device. Content on the TV could automatically be selected based on the current user. Age restrictions could be automatic based on the devices in range. Many, many possibilities.

Photos

Apple has “upgraded” their photos support from iOS devices, allowing photos to be hidden, storing all photos in the cloud, and streamlining the uploading and editing of cloud-based photos. As photos are already supported on the Apple TV using the current iCloud services, we can safely assume that the new capabilities will likely be supported as well.

Family Sharing that allows family members to share purchases from iTunes (music, movies, tv shows) and the App Store (games!), as well as a family calendar and photos looks very promising, too.

And let’s not forget that in iOS 8, AirPlay will use peer-to-peer to connect to the Apple TV, letting us share the content from the iOS device on the big screen much easier and faster.

Another WWDC, another year, and no Apple TV public API support. Yet Apple has continued to lay more and more groundwork so that if, and hopefully when, they do open up the Apple TV to developers, it will be with a set of mature and extensive capabilities.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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