New day, new details on the upcoming Apple TV 4. 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman this time reveals some new information about the next-generation Apple TV’s hardware:

• he confirms that it will run a A8 chip;
• Apple is said to be planing to release two models with 8GB and 16GB of storage (although it’s still possible it will only release the 16GB model);
• the new box will include the same ports as the current Apple TV: HDMI, optical audio, Ethernet, micro-USB (for service and support) and a plug for power;
• Apple TV 4 will not support 4K video streaming;
• the new remote with touch support and motion sensors will be a dark gray/black color “to better match the new box’s aesthetic”

It will still be made of metal. Below the touchpad are a pair of tactile buttons (for Siri and the Home button), in addition to rocker buttons assumed to control volume levels.

BuzzFeed’s John Paczkowski corroborates the information that was first revealed by Gurman, that the new Apple TV will start at $149.

Paczkowski also reports that the Apple TV 4 will have a ‘universal search’ feature that will lenable searches across multiple streaming video services as well as Apple’s iTunes Store when you search for a show or movie:

Instead of searching the catalogs of multiple video services one at a time for a particular movie, you’ll now be able to search all — or most of them — at once and then choose the service on which you’d like to watch it.

You’ll also be able to search for actors and directors, and run other more targeted searches as well — all with Siri.

While Apple’s intelligent personal assistant is core to this feature, sources say there’s another engine driving it as well — Matcha, the video discovery startup Apple acquired back in 2013. iOS 9’s“Proactive” search is also likely part of the mix here, as 9to5Mac reported.

Learn more about Apple TV 4:

• Apple TV 4: big focus on gaming and Siri, support for Bluetooth game controllers
• Apple TV 4 will cost $149-$199, available in October
• New details about Apple TV 4 revealed

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

The post Apple TV 4 specs and price revealed appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

According to sources cited by 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman, Apple TV 4 will be priced below $200 and is “on track to become available in October”:

Apple executives are apparently still finalizing the price of the revamped living room device, but the latest options call for a starting price point of either $149 or $199 (…)

The previous models – Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3 – were originally priced at $99. This March, Apple dropped the price of the current model to $69.

The same sources also claim that the Apple TV 3 won’t be discontinued and will get the long-rumored Apple streaming service next year:

As soon as next year, Apple plans to release a cable-replacing streaming TV service that bundles multiple television channels for a price as low as $40 per month (…)

According to our sources, the software update that enables Apple’s cable-replacement service is currently planned to also become available for the third-generation Apple TV. However, the current model will not receive support for the upcoming App Store, nor will it be directly controllable by Siri.

It is widely expected that the new Apple TV model will be announced during Apple’s September 9th event.

Apple TV 4 is expected to be be thicker and slightly wider than the current-generation model and feature Apple’s A8 chip, a new, “drastically improved” remote with touchpad, more on-board storage, an improved operating system with support for Siri voice control and a long-awaited App Store.

More about Apple TV 4:

• Apple TV 4 hardware, software, release date detailed by Mark Gurman
• Multi-touch Bluetooth remote for Apple TV referenced in El Capitan beta 2
• Apple working on its own web TV service
• WSJ: Apple to launch $30-$40/month online TV service in September
• Reading between the lines of WWDC 2015 keynote

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

The post Gurman: Apple TV 4 will cost $149-$199, available in October appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

We are open for submissions: if you find anything related to Apple TV and you think it may fit here, send us a tweet or a Facebook comment and we’ll post it the coming week.

Edition 2:

1. The Apple Logo
2. Kicking in, Steve Jobs
3. The Mighty Jonathan
4. Pricing, Pricing
5. Cool!

The Apple Logo

Apple’s logo is probably one of the most easily identifiable. It has gone by several iterations [1] but has been easily recognised since the colour strips in the 80s. Designed by Ron Janoff, not by one of the company founders or designer, but by an advertising man [2]. Of course, being so distinctive ensures quick lawsuits if someone has a similar logo… Or even not a very similar logo, like this poor company in China has found out [3]. One more reason to be happy with our awesome new logo!

[1] Neven Mrgan’s Tumbl, The Apple Logo, Neven Morgan
[2] Creative Bits, Interview with Ron Janoff, creator of the Apple Logo,  Ivan Raszl
[3] GoChengDoo, Apple Tells Chinese Food Company To Change Its Logo, Staff

Kicking in, Steve Jobs

We’ll be seeing these kind of posts for a while. Remembrances of one of the technological leaders of our time, satyres to make us laugh, comics. What it feels to be Steve’s neighbour? It means seeing him almost every day, doing business in his garden. Walking around the street. And you also get to see how his sickness gets worse [1]. Sad story, about someone who has seen Steve very often. There are a lot of lessons we can get from Steve, and some of them are best seen in this short and sweet infographic [2]. And in case you missed, you can always watch the ever famous Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish Stanford’s Commencement Address [3]

[1] Palo Alto Patch, My neighbour, Steve Jobs, Lisen Stromberg
[2] The Daily Beast, The Ten Commandments of Steve Jobs [infographic], Leander Khaney
[3] Youtube, Stanford’s Commencement Address 2005: Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish, Steve Jobs

The Mighty Jonathan

Jonathan Ive, Apple’s chief designer starts a new battle [1]. One of Apple’s strong points is design. Nice design, sleek design, perfect design. And Jobs and Ive share parts of the pie for doing Apple’s products the most brand-clear, sleek and sought after. Now “Jony”, as he is known will have to face the struggle for the perfect design (ignoring focus groups, market research and anything else as before) without Jobs’ support. Alone.

[1] LA Times, Apple Designer Jonathan Ive Enters a New Era, Jessica Guynn

Pricing, pricing

Apple gadgets are overpaid? A lot of people think so. But once you make the numbers, a MacBook, iPad or iPhone are cheap. You have top notch hardware, and a software capable of getting the most of this hardware without hassles. And if you are not convinced, check this [1] about managing supply chains to lower costs. Or compare a generic tablet with an iPad.

[1] Splatf, The New Apple: The Best Gadgets, but Also the Best Prices, Dan Frommer

Cool!

• The magic numpad, a sticky addition to your Magic Trackpad to turn it into a… numpad!
• Beta 7 of aTV Flash (Black): we’ll be following with a full blown post about this soon… Stay tuned!

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