Widgets – including iChat – Coming to Apple TV?
Apple TV looks to be getting a whole lot more interesting soon if some patent applications filed by Apple are any indication of where the device is headed. Uncovered by AppleInsider, these patents showcase a number of widgets that vastly expand the capabilities of the Apple TV and make it much more interactive.
The recently announced addition of the iTunes Movie Rental store has already made the Apple TV actually useful (I’ll be getting one when the update actually comes out), but these new ideas could potentially make the Apple TV the centerpiece of the living room. Not only does it layout ideas for possibly broadcasting events such as sporting events and concerts, but these events might come with their own widgets that would allow you to do things such as purchase tickets or see other box scores – all overlaid right on your television screen.
A lot of this reminds me of the best parts of Joost – except that it’s all on your television screen and would be designed I’m sure a bit more intuitively by Apple. Interestingly enough just a few weeks ago while questioning the possible death of Joost I wrote:
Joost on a stand alone device like the Apple TV I think would work well – though the navigation would have to change from its current mouse-based state
One of the best functions of Joost is the ability to have an instant messaging application overlaid on your screen when you are watching something – Apple TV apparently wants to do the same thing with an iChat widget. Interestingly as they describe it, it seems like it would be mainly for video and audio chats so no keyboard would be required – but obviously a camera/microphone would. There is even a layout for multiple person video conferencing where all parties are watching a sporting event in one window. This would be brilliant.
There is also talk of a new Apple Remote to facilitate all these new features. In the patent sketches it appears to have the same small form factor, but adds some ‘widget keys’ below the menu button. Could this remote one day house the camera/microphone for Apple TV iChat conversations?
It’s looking more and more like the Apple TV is going to be morphing into a full-fledged computer for your living room rather than just a streaming media hub. This is exactly what a lot of us have been writing about since its launch, something closer to an Apple TV/Mac Mini hybrid. It looks like we’re getting closer quickly.
More thoughts:
- Could 2008 Be the Year Cable Television Is Revolutionize Under Pressure from Tech Companies?
- BBC Is Interesting in Bringing It Content to the Apple TV for Free
- Apple and the Studios Need To Step Up With Rent-To-Own on iTunes
- No Apple TV Update Until 2nd Half 2008? To Include an LCD?
- Confirmed: Apple TV is Failing, 8 Easy Steps to Save It
- Mac Nano and Apple TV 2.0
- Microsoft Moves Closer to IPTV Big Time with Mediaroom, How Will Joost and Apple Repsond?
- Apple TV Upgrade: Better, Not Enough, Kind of Weird
- iTunes Movie Rentals To Save Apple TV, But They Need To Be in HD As Well
- Nintendo Slowly Transitioning Wii Into Living Room Killer App?
