Switched On: The iPad could succeed Apple TV
By Ross Rubin 
posted Aug 4th 2009 5:35PM
posted Aug 4th 2009 5:35PM
Much of the speculation around an "iPad" -- a rumored 10" Apple tablet -- has portrayed it as an Amazon Kindle-killer or a large-screen iPod touch, but there's a strong case that such a product could effectively serve as a replacement for – or a compelling complement to -- Apple's non-platform sleeper Apple TV.
Apple faces a dilemma in moving iPhone apps to a larger screen size or higher resolution. It must either scale them (ugly), ask developers to create a large-screen version (cumbersome), or run them in a window (which would beg some level of multitasking at least beyond what the iPhone OS does today). Not only that, but a 10" device is simply inconvenient for some of the iPhone's apps. Just try focusing on the road with a 10" navigation screen suctioned to your windshield.
The base version of Apple TV is 40 GB, just a bit over the 32 GB that has been offered on the iPod touch and iPhone. By the end of the year, a 64 GB flash product could be well within reach for a flash–based iPad. That would easily store many consumers' photo libraries and a Netflix queue's worth of movies. Rumors about the "Cocktail" music experience notwithstanding, the tablet would make an excellent platform for watching and displaying video and photos. a 10" screen would be a fine fit for 720p video and the small size would mask artifacts that could show up on the 50" television. But the iPad would be even more versatile than Apple TV.
Perhaps the most popular digital tablets that are in the market today are digital picture frames. They've sold well because they've been cheap, but even companies that have had success with them believe the key to greater utilization is in connecting them. TV is becoming a more personal experience, especially for video downloaded from the iTunes store. The iPhone delivers an okay video experience (fine for YouTube) given its screen size, but it's not something most people would ideally like to watch a movie on.
Having full-time access to the screen would allow Apple to, for example, put Dashboard-like widgets on the display when it wasn't being actively used. That's something that Apple TV's walk-on role in the home theater makes more challenging. Like Apple TV, the iPad could serve as an Apple "media center extender."
The iPad would also be a great opportunity for Apple to introduce support for desktop Flash as its larger case could accommodate a more powerful processor and larger battery. Hulu's content partners would also be less likely to rally against supporting such a device since it would not compete as directly with the large-screen cable TV experience (although, that said, HDMI or DisplayPort would be a natural port for such a device).
The iPad could also be a great fit for in-vehicle video viewing. It would take about ten minutes for one of the iPod accessory companies to announce a case that allows it to be slung over a drivers' seat as an alternative to the portable DVD player. And Apple's recent embrace of stereo Bluetooth could enable backseat listening without headphone cables.
Finally, it would help Apple test the waters of the television market without having to compete head-to-head with Sony, Samsung and Vizio. An Apple television could simply be an iPad with a tuner, inputs, and programming guide. The integrated display of the iMac has made it far more more successful than the Mac mini. There's a clear opportunity for the iPad to similarly show up the Mac mini's living room cousin.
Ross Rubin is director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.
But...but...but....
I want a full copy of OSX on their, with full freedom to download whatever I want, like say a torrent client.
Don't you have the full freedom on XP/Vista/Linux? Or no hack=no fun?
yeah who knows what the internal specs are going to be.... but it would not be surprised in the least bit if it was running just a larger version of the iphone os ... in which case what a joke.
@Shinigami
You don't have to hack OSX to do whatever you want, he was talking about Apple not approving a torrent manager app for the iPhone :/
sorry - you will need to jailbreak it.
Or just use the transmission web ui from safari on iphone. Works very nicely!
Agreed about the full version of OSX. If this is a full-fledged tablet computer with something like a 1366x768 display that runs on a laptop or ULV processor and could work with a wireless keyboard and dual-book into Windows... then I'd see myself as being their target market. Otherwise, I don't.
the name makes it sound like a product for those "heavy flow days". Not sure if I will buy this one!
I don't know but after reading the article all I get is that this is gimmicky at best and is for the die-hard apple fans.
Yep.
Another Apple TV type of product in the making.
Nothing to see here, move on.
while i agree with you ... a lot of people said the same thing about the ipod when it came out. Of course replicating that success is difficult but if anyone can do it apple seems to have proved they can.
>> "all I get is that this is gimmicky at best and is for the die-hard apple fans."
The iPod Touch is just an iPod with a touchscreen.... but it's also got WIFI, a web browser and plays movies.
Is that gimmicky too?
Michael,
The iPod also didn't retail for $800+ (based on rumors) when it came out, especially not in a market that is DOMINATED by laptops that cost half that price, netbooks that cost a fraction of that price, and PC tablets that still can be had for much less than that.
This will be a niche product at best, guarantee it.
But Andrew and Michael the Ipod touch i can use and there is a need for it, but walking around with a tablet, to me that just too much. I mean, we got media players, net books, laptops, smartphones and handheld gaming devices, do we need this? Or like articles says is or (what i got from it) implying, this a front to try to push out apple tv.
It's going to be another MacBook Air... Awesome for those who can afford to have it in addition to a desktop/regular laptop, but not a standalone/main machine in its own right. I can't see Apple not putting Snow Leopard on it though, that OS is jam-packed with reasons it would be perfect for a small tablet (it doesn't take up much space when installed [6GB less than Leopard], it has handwriting recognition, multitouch is highly integrated, ect.).
Until Apple makes software that's on par with Windows Media Centre (feature wise), I'll have to agree. Just focus on making a great tablet I say.
Windows Media Center is in a league of its own though, it would be unfair to expect Apple to match it so soon. Give them a few years though and maybe.
@WindowsFTW >> "The iPod also didn't retail for $800+ (based on rumors) when it came out. This will be a niche product at best, guarantee it."
The 32GB iPod Touch started out at $500... well above the price of a netbook.
Now the 32GB Touch is $400... which is still higher than most netbooks. So should someone buy a netbook instead of an iPod Touch, based on price?
We don't know the full capabilities of the Apple Tablet yet. You can get an ASUS T91 convertible tablet netbook for $500. If the Apple tablet is $800, has a capacitive glass touchscreen, and is multimedia capable... it might still be a good buy. If it's a real Mac... running full OS, with USB ports and video out... it's a great buy. We just don't know yet.
Niche isn't a bad thing anyway. How many years was the old Ford Taurus a top ten car in America? And how many Taurus SHOs did they sell? The SHO wasn't devalued because they didn't sell as many as the regular Taurus.
I see many C-Class Mercedes wherever I go. But I rarely see any C63 AMGs... it's a special edition model. AMG is niche sub-brand of Mercedes... but that doesn't stop Mercedes from having AMG.
So what if the Apple Tablet is a niche product? Some consider the AppleTV to be a niche product. Does that mean the Popcorn Hour is a niche product too? And does it even matter?
@Michael
"Now the 32GB Touch is $400... which is still higher than most netbooks. So should someone buy a netbook instead of an iPod Touch, based on price?"
Bad analogy, the iTouch isn't competing with netbooks, this will be.
With Pine Trail and GMA500 even $299 netbooks should have the power for 720p playback, not to mention that the first Tegra and Snapdragon "smartbooks", which can do 1080p, will hit at the same time for $200 or less.
Considering the respective prices and features of the iPhone and the Macbooks. I can't imagine Apple adding the portability and durability that people would demand from this product to even the cheapest Macbook and still shaving $2-300 off the price.
More likely adding size and power to the iPhone, while adding $2-300 to the price.
As far as niche products go, there's a reason AMG was purchased by Mercedes, and why Ford hasn't made an SHO in 10 years.
@jon >> "Bad analogy, the iTouch isn't competing with netbooks, this will be."
I don't think they will. NetBOOKS and tablets are two totally different form factors. If someone had the choice between a notebook-looking computer or a tablet... they have to decide what they really want. Do they want a laptop with a keyboard, or a tablet they hold in one hand and poke at with a finger? The two don't occupy the same space.
My whole point with bringing up the 32GB iPod Touch is that it was a $500 device that only did a few things. Sure, you can buy a full computer for less than that... but that didn't stop the iPod Touch from being a hot seller. There's a lot of other things you can buy for $500 too.
And Ford IS re-releasing an SHO... I just saw it on TV, which is what reminded me. If Ford can sell a few thousand special SHOs and make money on them... in addition to the regular bread-n-butter Tauruses... why not? A niche is a specialized market.
People say "niche" like it's a bad thing.
@Monkey with glasses
"I don't know but after reading the article all I get is that this is gimmicky at best and is for the die-hard apple fans."
Yeah of course. Just like the iPods, iPhone and Touch are gimmicky at best and for die-hard Apple fans.
No one really knows if this actually even exists, let alone what it will do.
To all you people complaining and saying this is a "niche" or "gimmicky" product: nothing has even been revealed yet.
It's all rumors and speculation. Were you the same people that were complaining about the iphone before you even knew Apple would release one, then waited in line when it came out?
Before you "guarantee" anything, maybe you should wait and see what the hell this thing really is.
@Fox
Yup. Just like Apple TV and the new Shuffle are for die hard Apple fans.
And this isn't the same as the touch, folks, on the basis that it's not going to fit in your pocket. Totally different device for a totally different market which, unfortunately, is extremely niche.
Do we really need more speculation?
Yes! But not here... Engadget should have another section on their site for speculation/getting their ideas out there. I prefer to see NEWS on their main page :p
Seriously!
btw, worst speculation EVER. I don't know where to begin.
What gets me is the speculating on the speculations. There is a whole industry seemingly dedicated to rumour mash-ups
I'd buy this just to use it as a universal remote.
An $800 remote? You must be rich.
@ Maddy
When did Apple say the product that they have never announced will cost $800?
This is an Engadget article on speculative info, don't forget that.
iPad?
Hmmm... I don't think I like that name...
MadTV did an episode on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjU0K8QPhs
i knew i heard that from somewhere hahahaha!!! firewall lol!!!
so yeah its decided "ipad" is a horrible name but then what should we call it???
Maybe call it the iT (itablet)... you see what i did there!
Well at least Apple is honest with their concept drawings. They even drew in the scratches that will inevitably adorn the device by the second day of ownership.
Let me know if you guys want to see pictures of my cat.
I think I speak for everyone here when I say.. YES! Bring them on!
MOAH!
Show us the kittehs!
iprod*
Wouldn't go down too well here in Northern Ireland...to half the population anyway....
Apple TV? People actually use that?
I think it's the same people who bought the Pippen -- they needed something to hook it up to...
Shhhh. It's referred to as "Apple's non-platform sleeper".
People just dont know they want it yet. Get it?
If it helps, I want to but the current price is nuts and I'm also not happy with the way that the iTunes Store delays the release of movies to rent for a month, plus removes titles from the catalogue while "cable exclusivity contracts" are in force.
I would use mine more if it didn't choke on 1080i files. It's a great box to order from iTunes as well as running Boxee or XMBC and link to your NAS or mac, etc. Otherwise, it's a nice network device linking my main tv/stereo to my computer/NAS.
Some of us don't want to mess with every bit of techwe buy. My AppleTV displays photos on my TV, allows me to rent movies and play back HD rented movies perfectly. I've not hacked it and it does everything it claims to do. Just what I wanted.
Even better, it's simple enough for others in the house to use.
For me it's one of the top gadgets in my house.
"...has portrayed it as am Amazon Kindle-killer..."
Another proofread fail...c'mon guise.
Well, as long as we are just throwing $hit against the wall and see what sticks, why stop at the iPad and it's features? To pass this article off as anything other than wild speculation is an insult to everyone's intelligence.
And they didn't?
eheh the guy has a mini pot belly going on.