Apple Considering Low Cost Apple TV Dongle to Provide Wider Access to Upcoming Streaming Service
Apple is considering creating a lower-cost Apple TV dongle that's similar to the Amazon Fire Stick or the Google Chromecast, reports The Information.
Apple has held discussions about introducing such a product, which would be priced lower than the Apple TV and would be able to be plugged into the back of a television set.
The company is said to be contemplating such a hardware device to promote an upcoming streaming service that's in the works. A lower-cost Apple TV dongle would make the service, which will be available only on Apple devices, more accessible to potential buyers.
Right now, Apple's only television product is the Apple TV, priced at $179 for the Apple TV 4K and $149 for the non-4K version. Current TV dongles from Amazon and Google are priced much lower, at $25 to $35.
Rumors have suggested Apple is planning to roll out a streaming service next year, perhaps as early as March, and it is set to launch in more than 100 countries in 2019.
Apple may offer the streaming service on a standalone basis, or bundle it up with Apple Music and an Apple News subscription that includes Texture, the magazine service that it purchased.
Original television content created by Apple could be made available for free to iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV users through the TV app. Apple is also negotiating deals to provide access to subscription channels like HBO and STARZ.
For its streaming service, Apple has more than a dozen original television shows in the works, and it has inked deals with production companies for movies. A full list of all of the projects Apple has in the works right now can be found in our Apple TV roundup.
Popular Stories
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie.
The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2.
iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software update.
There's no word yet on what's included in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, ...
Apple is working on a redesigned Magic Mouse that will address some "longstanding complaints," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple in recent months has been working on a "full overhaul" of the Magic Mouse with a design that "better fits the modern era." However, he does not expect the new Magic Mouse to be released in the "next 12 to 18...
Apple plans to release a second-generation AirTag next year with "considerably" longer range for item tracking, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new AirTag will use Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, or equivalent technology. The chip debuted last year in the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple said it offers up...
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year.
Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
Apple on Monday seeded the first tvOS 18.3 beta to developers for testing. The update will likely be released in January. So far, there are only minor changes for the Apple TV, with one new feature and a few code changes discovered.
Below, we outline what is new in tvOS 18.3 so far.
Robot Vacuum Support in Home App
First, tvOS 18.3 will add robot vacuum support to the Home app on the...
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker.
iPhone 17 Pro concept render
Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro...
('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/11/21/apple-tv-dongle-possible/')
