Till a couple of days back, finding Apple TV‘s product page on Apple.com was a bit difficult thanks to its mysterious location in the Accessories section for iPods. Generally I used to resort on Google to find it rather than taking the pain in browsing through the website. However, that shouldn’t be a problem from now on, as Apple TV has been promoted to occupy one of the tabs besides Mac, iPhone, iPod and iPad at the Apple online store. In addition, Apple TV now has its own pages for accessories, community and refurbishes.

So why would that be – Apple graduating one of their devices from a mere ‘hobby accessory‘ to a ‘new product line‘ after seven years of initial release?

A lot of reports on the next Apple TV has been circulating lately. According to one of them, Apple TV 4 will be a complete revamp of the device, at least software wise. The new firmware will be iOS-based and will come with an in-built Apple TV App Store. This would open the doors of HDTV to third-party apps and games. A Bluetooth controller is also said to be in the works.

Now, the guys at 9to5mac have received new information on Apple TV 4 from a reliable source.

These claim that the next generation of Apple TV will come with integrated Airport Express components, i.e. they will have a router welded into the core. This makes a lot of sense, especially for those who connect the Apple TV via Ethernet, because they will no longer need another router for iTunes Home Sharing. Also Airplay Mirroring will be more stable and of better quality since the intermediary modem is eliminated.

Another report suggests that the games on Apple TV will be seamlessly linked to other iOS devices. Apple TV 4 games are expected to utilize the iDevice themselves as the controller. MFi controllers could be used as well. Maybe one more app will join the App Store under the Apps by Apple category – Apple TV Joystick?

And the last rumor claims that the Apple TV 4 will come with a TV tuner card for use with your existing cable subscription. This will again simplify the process of enjoying video content since you can use the same set-top box for online streaming as well as for cable channels.

The launch of Apple TV 4 seems imminent as the speculations are piling up. If  all the above rumors turn out to be true, we’re looking at a major deviation in the Apple TV lineup and we think it’s apt that the small black box has rose from being a simple accessory to a mainstream iOS device.

You might also want to read: Where is Apple taking TV in 2014?

The post New rumors on Apple TV 4 surface as Apple TV gains special profile at Apple official website appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

We’ve been waiting for the fourth generation Apple TV for quite sometime now. Initially we thought it would be announced in the iPad event in October, 2013. Later it was speculated that Apple will hold a separate event for the next Apple TV in November. And after the acquisition of PrimeSense, it was deemed that Apple will come up with gesture-recognizing control system for the same. Now, iLounge has learned something exciting and believable from their reliable source. Wait for it.. the next Apple TV will support native gaming!

Yeah, looks like another Christmas is upon us, Apple TV lovers.

According to the report, the Apple TV 4th gen. is already past the development phase and can hit the shelves as early as this March. We’re unaware of any changes in the pricing, design or 4K support but we’re told that it will ship with a revamped iOS-based firmware. An Apple TV App Store will be set up and will include native games.

Apple still seems to be working on Bluetooth controllers for the same but that doesn’t seem to be a great challenge as newer iOS 7 devices already support MFi controllers. And here is the best part for all you current Apple TV owners: the new OS is said to be backward compatible and that means your device can also be upgraded to access the App Store and all its goodies.

So here is what we think.

Unlike many of the previous Apple TV rumors (which we were a little skeptical about), this one seems close to true. Gaming on Apple TV has been rumored for a number of years and it’s become necessary for Apple to finally come up with an Apple TV App Store. However we’re not so positive about the backward compatibility part. In order to play the games on Apple TV you’d need to download them into the device first. The Apple TV 4 will probably come with 40GB or 160GB capacities like the first gen. and wouldn’t have much trouble dealing with this. But how this problem is tackled by the 2nd and 3rd ones has not been proposed by the reports. However, Apple may be preparing a cloud-based gaming system with iCloud, similar to Sony’s PlayStation Now or OnLive – we never know.

Anyway, only time will tell what Apple truly intends to do with their set-top box and hopefully, we needn’t rely on AirPlay mirroring anymore to play Asphalt 8 on the 40-inch screen. Vote below to let us know what you guys think.

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

The post 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 appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Have you ever been jealous of that Nintendo Wii controller or Playstation Move? It is really cool use a hand controller as a baseball stick or a lightsaber and jump into action. Feels much more realistic than common controls, too. Well now, with an Apple TV and an iPhone, you could have that too. This is not a hack, but an awesome concept in the form of an app.

Thanks to an India-based company Rolocule Games, and its rolomotion technology, your iOS device turns into a wii style controller while the AirPlay mirroring makes your Apple TV the screen. Proud as the first app of its kind, Motion Tennis rushed into the App Store yesterday, promising to rock your drawing rooms.

Connect the game wirelessly to your Apple TV. Load the Motion Tennis game, enable AirPlay. And just serve, literally! Use your iPhone or iPod as a racket and serve aces, do backhands and pretty much everything you would in real life.

There is more. If your friend shows up, you can pair up and dive into a doubles match. With Wimbledon going on, you can have a little action of your own.

Motion Tennis is now available in the App Store for $7.99. Device requirements are also important as iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5 are only supported and you’ll need an Apple TV, too. There is no need for extra sensory and gaming hardware.

Hopefully, Motion Tennis is only the first of a lot. The developers promise that “more games using this technology, specifically developed for Apple platform, will soon change the way you look at your Apple TV.” Oh, I can’t wait to use my iPhone as the sword in Infinity Blade!

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