VLC’s media player app will launch on Apple TV
Plex isn’t the only one bringing a fan-favorite media app to the new Apple TV. Jean-Baptiste Kempf has quietly revealed that VLC, VideoLAN’s signature media player, will reach Apple’s latest set-top box. It’s still early, but this could open up your playback options for music and video — you may have more choices for formats and sources than you get out of the box. While you aren’t going to get total freedom (you certainly won’t be playing DVDs on an Apple TV), this beats having to rely primarily on streaming services.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Apple
Via:
VentureBeat
Source:
Jean-Baptiste Kempf
Tags: app, apple, appletv, hdpostcross, internet, streaming, videolan, vlc
VLC and Plex Apps Coming to New Apple TV
Apple’s latest fourth-generation Apple TV includes a dedicated App Store, which will allow users to access many apps and features that were not previously available on the older Apple TV. Popular media streaming apps Plex and VLC, for example, are both coming to the Apple TV, with tvOS versions already in the works.
The developers behind VLC announced their work on a tvOS app this morning, though few details have been given. “Some code to build VLCKit for the new tvOS was merged,” reads a blog post. “It’s very early though, but we have video playback!”
For those unfamiliar with VLC, it’s a cross-platform media player that’s designed to support multiple audio and video file formats and act as a streaming server. VLC is available on streaming devices that compete with the Apple TV, such as the Amazon Fire TV, but on Apple’s platform, it’s been limited to Macs and iOS devices.
Similarly, popular media organization and streaming app Plex is coming to the Apple TV. A tvOS version of Plex is in development, Plex co-founder Scott Olechowski told ITworld last week. Like VLC, Plex is in the early stages of development, so few details are available
There is no question we will be able to offer Plex on the platform. There are multiple ways to go about it, based on the tvOS SDK we now have access to. We are now evaluating the best path for Plex and will begin work in earnest once we have evaluated the options. The ability to access great and proven iOS frameworks on the device is great for developers like us — we know the stuff is solid and will perform really well. Our goal is to enable people to enjoy Plex on the hardware platforms of their choice, and there is no doubt this will be a top platform for us.
Currently, Plex works with set-top boxes like the Chromecast and the Fire TV, and it is a popular choice with jailbroken Apple TVs, but it is not available to Apple TV users in any official capacity. Plex is designed to organize personal media libraries consisting of video and music files, allowing them to be easily streamed to TVs and other devices, either locally or remotely.
Plex on the Amazon Fire TV
As of today, developers are beginning to place their orders for Apple TV Developer Kits, so we may soon be hearing a lot more about these two apps and other apps that will be coming to the Apple TV.
Apple Allowing Developers Who Won Apple TV Lottery to Place Orders
The new Apple TV won’t be available to consumers until the end of October, but some developers are able to get their hands on one of the devices early in order to begin preparing and testing apps for the tvOS App Store.
Following last week’s “Hey Siri” media event, Apple gave developers an opportunity to sign up for a lottery for an Apple TV Developer Kit, which ended today. Developers who won the lottery are now receiving invitations allowing them to purchase an Apple TV kit, and the first Apple TVs could be in developer hands by the end of this week.
Developers who were selected for the lottery are required to order by Wednesday, September 16, with orders beginning to ship out one to three days after that. Apple is providing Apple TV Developer Kits to developers at no cost, with a $1 fee being charged to verify billing and shipping addresses.
With Apple TVs in the hands of developers in just a few short days, we may learn a lot more about the device ahead of its official October launch date, and we’ll almost certainly get a glimpse at what kind of apps we can expect on it. We’ve already seen an unboxing of the new Apple TV, which gave us a look at the set-top box itself and the new touch-based Siri remote included with it.
Apple’s new Apple TV represents a massive overhaul of the existing set-top box, which has been left untouched since 2012. In addition to a much more powerful A8 processor, 2GB RAM, and more storage space, the new Apple TV includes a whole new operating system, tvOS, that supports a full App Store, allowing apps and games to be played on the device for the first time, and Siri, for full voice-control abilities in countries where it is supported.
The Apple TV also has deep search capabilities that will make it possible for users to search for content across multiple apps to find television shows and movies, and its aforementioned touch-based remote doubles as a motion-supported gaming controller for games that will be found within the new App Store.
Job Listing Lends Further Credence to Apple’s Acquisition of Faceshift
Earlier this month, we reported that Apple likely acquired Swiss real-time motion capture firm Faceshift, based on the company’s corporate directors stepping down in August and being replaced by Martin Frey, a mergers and acquisitions attorney at Baker & McKenzie. Apple has frequently used Baker & McKenzie’s services around the world, including management of some of Apple’s Swiss trademarks.
Lending further credence to the rumor, Apple has posted a job listing for a PhD-level Software Engineering position within its Camera and Media Algorithms Group. The listing provides a generic location of Apple’s Swiss corporate headquarters at Löwenstrasse 29 in Zurich, Switzerland, but the highly technical skills and experience required for the job suggest it may be located at nearby Faceshift.
This engineer will work to create cutting-edge imaging algorithms for both mobile and desktop photographic applications. The ideal candidate will have experience with advanced imaging techniques such as multi-scale, wavelet, or gradient-domain processing. In addition, experience with processing video for computational information is desired including experience with image registration methods. Also, experience working with multi-spectral imaging systems is desired. 5+ years algorithmic development for general image processing, computational photography, color and image quality. Strong understanding of digital imaging/camera pipelines. Strong computational and imaging for information experience. Excellent coding skills in C, C++, and MATLAB Ability to optimize/debug imaging algorithms. Familiarity with common development and debugging tools, ideally for both mobile and desktop applications. Strong verbal and written communication skills in English. Ability to manage multiple tasks and self-prioritize. PhD in image processing or computational photography field required.
Faceshift launched in 2011 out of the Computer Graphics and Geometry Laboratory at EPFL in Lausanne, also known as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and a source working in a similar field told MacRumors that Apple may be working with Switzerland’s other technical university ETH Zurich on image segmentation and characterization at a secretive location in Zurich.
Nevertheless, the acquisition still cannot be proved beyond circumstantial evidence.
Faceshift has demoed its motion capture technology several times in the past few years, including at GDC 2015.
There are numerous ways in which Apple could use Faceshift’s technologies, should this acquisition rumor prove true, ranging from real-time avatars for FaceTime video chats to biometrics for unlocking devices or authorizing payments via facial recognition. Apple’s past acquisition of 3D body sensing firm PrimeSense and Swedish facial recognition firm Polar Rose make it clear the company is interested in the space.
iPhone 6s Plus in Short Supply Due to Backlight Module Production Issues
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a note to investors that claims the iPhone 6s Plus is facing supply shortages after pre-orders began due to backlight module production issues at Japanese supplier Minebea. Kuo says that Apple is looking to resolve the problem by transferring backlight module orders to alternative supplier Radiant.
We believe Minebea’s (JP) backlight module production issues in supplying iPhone 6S Plus (6S Plus) is one of the main factors in the model’s supply shortage. To tackle this issue, we believe Apple (US) has been increasingly transferring high-ASP 6S Plus backlight module orders to Radiant (6176 TT, NT$106.5, OP), boosting its sales momentum.
While shipping estimates for the iPhone 6s Plus have slipped to 3-4 weeks or later for most models, Kuo believes the primary reason is because of supply chain problems rather than strong demand. The analyst expects Apple to prepare 1.5 to 2 million iPhone 6s Plus units for sale on September 25 launch day.
The switch from Minebea to Radiant should help improve iPhone 6s Plus supply through September.
To accelerate availability, we believe Apple has been transferring substantial 6S Plus backlight module orders to Radiant. As such, we estimate the company’s iPhone 6S Plus backlight module orders to increase by 70-80% to 4-5mn units in September, boosting its order allocation from 35-45% to 70-80%.
Apple informed the media this morning that iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders are “on pace to beat” last year’s record-breaking 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus units sold on launch weekend in September 2014.
Eric Schmidt: Apple Music’s human curation is ‘elitist’
Every now and again, executives from the world’s largest tech companies like to throw some thinly-veiled shade in the direction of their rivals. Depending on who you ask, Eric Schmidt’s editorial for BBC News can be taken as a stinging attack on Apple Music, which he calls “elitist” and out-dated. The Alphabet chief was writing about the benefits of artificial intelligence, specifically talking about how machine learning can benefit various projects including speech recognition and self-driving cars.
“In the future, we need to do even more blending of AI research with solving real-world challenges.
In the next generation of software, machine learning won’t just be an add-on that improves performance a few percentage points; it will really replace traditional approaches.
To give just one example: a decade ago, to launch a digital music service, you probably would have enlisted a handful of elite tastemakers to pick the hottest new music.
Today, you’re much better off building a smart system that can learn from the real world – what actual listeners are most likely to like next – and help you predict who and where the next Adele might be.
As a bonus, it’s a much less elitist taste-making process – much more democratic – allowing everyone to discover the next big star through our own collective tastes and not through the individual preferences of a select few.“
After a while, the executive gets onto the subject of a digital music service (quoted) and how “a decade ago,” it would have required hiring a “handful of elite tastemakers” to build it. You’ll get no prizes for guessing the approach that Apple took when constructing Beats 1, snagging elite tastemakers DJs like Zane Lowe to curate Beats 1’s selection. When the channel launched, Eddy Cue spoke of his distaste for internet radio, saying that it was merely a “playlist of songs,” and praising human curation.
Of course, Schmidt may have the excuse that he was only reacting to provocation, since Tim Cook threw a sharp elbow towards Google Photos back in June. The CEO was speaking at a privacy non profit about a product that took your family’s photos and “sold [them] off for god knows what advertising purpose.” The big lesson here, folks, is that even two of the tech world’s most powerful people can’t resist in a little bit of high school drama every now and again.
[Image Credit: AFP/Getty]
Filed under:
Portable Audio/Video, Internet, Apple, Google
Via:
Re/code
Source:
BBC News
Tags: Alphabet, apple, AppleMusic, EricSchmidt, google
Apple Says iPhone 6s and 6s Plus Pre-Orders ‘On Pace’ to Top Last Year’s Record 10 Million Sales on Launch Weekend
Apple has informed the media that iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders are “on pace to beat” last year’s record-breaking 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders sold on launch weekend in September 2014.
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders started on Saturday at 12:01 AM Pacific. While most iPhone 6s Plus and Rose Gold models are now shipping in 2-3 weeks or later, many iPhone 6s models remain available for delivery on September 25.
Apple:
Customer response to iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been extremely positive and preorders this weekend were very strong around the world. We are on pace to beat last year’s 10 million unit first-weekend record when the new iPhones go on sale September 25.
As many customers noticed, the online demand for iPhone 6s Plus has been exceptionally strong and exceeded our own forecasts for the preorder period. We are working to catch up as quickly as we can, and we will have iPhone 6s Plus as well as iPhone 6s units available at Apple retail stores when they open next Friday.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders started on a Friday at 12:01 AM Pacific last year, which likely explains why Apple said pre-orders are “on pace” to top last year’s first weekend despite it being Monday. Apple will likely count iPhone 6s and 6s Plus pre-orders through the end of today to account for a full three days of availability.
“Last year, it started on a Thursday night at midnight. This year, because of a late Labor Day, is was Friday night,” tech analyst Walter Piecyk told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” in an interview. “So we don’t know the comp is, whether they have to wait through the end of Monday to find out exactly what the acutal number is going to be.”
Last year, Apple announced that it received a record-breaking 4 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders on the first day alone, and later confirmed that opening weekend sales topped 10 million. A month later, it was reported that iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders topped 20 million in China through carriers and e-commerce site Jingdong Mall.
Some AT&T Next iPhone 6s Pre-Orders Showing Full Price Charge Glitch
As pre-orders began over the weekend for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, there was the usual amount of panic and excitement as shipping windows for the device were largely on the September 25 launch day for most users, with a few exceptions. Now, however, a handful of AT&T Next customers are facing an odd glitch on their Apple online store order page, which showcases an impending full-price charge on the smartphone while simultaneously listing their AT&T Next plan option.
The issue appears to be specifically hitting a group of customers who pre-ordered and chose the AT&T Next installment plan option at checkout. The affected users were shown the expected $0 down, $15 upgrade fee price (including tax) when initially checking out on pre-order night, but their order status page has begun reflecting the full-price cost of their chosen iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus. Some users began noticing the anomaly on Saturday, a few hours after their order initially read the correct charge, with a group of MacRumors readers heading to the forums to post about the issue.
A few users have contacted Apple support, and the company has acknowledged the issue and reassures customers who are being affected that a fix for the problem is currently being worked on. Still, as of writing, there has been no word from anyone suffering from the false price charge that they’ve seen a change back to the correct price of their order.
An Apple support representative voiced promise that all customers affected by the problem would begin to see it resolved over the next few days, and if they chatted with a support employee themselves, they could give the company their email address or phone number to be informed as soon as the problem has been taken care of. Since most customers will likely begin to be charged for their iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders in the days ahead of the September 25 launch, it’s still a scary hiccup for a handful of users to have to go through.
TSMC Said to Begin Exclusive Production of A10 Chip for iPhone 7 in March 2016
Less than a week after the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were announced, the overseas supply chain is reportedly already preparing for production and component certification ahead of the iPhone 7.
Taiwan-based China Times reports (via G4Games) that Apple supplier TSMC has secured exclusive orders for the A10 chip based on a 16-nanometer manufacturing process.
The report claims TSMC will begin mass production of the A10 chip in March 2016 ahead of the iPhone 7 launching in the fourth quarter. TSMC is also expected to start ordering more parts for the iPhone 7 in the second quarter of 2016.
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are powered by Apple’s new A9 chip, which is believed to be manufactured by both TSMC and Samsung, while the iPad Pro features a more powerful A9X processor.
The report adds that TSMC will continue producing the A8 chip, which is found inside the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, sixth-generation iPod touch and the new Apple TV launching in late October.
Apple Watch Expands to John Lewis and Currys Stores in the United Kingdom
After being sold at a few high-end boutiques around the United Kingdom in the Spring, it was recently announced that the Apple Watch would begin hitting some more mainstream UK-based department stores, including John Lewis (via Wareable) and Currys. Besides the high-end locations, prior to this announcement the only place for UK customers to purchase an Apple Watch was in an Apple Store.
Currys’ impending sale of the Apple Watch was discovered in late August, but no specific date was known at the time. With the announcement of the Apple Watch coming to John Lewis department stores, it appears that Apple’s new wearable will launch at both locations on the same day, September 18. Thirty-seven of John Lewis’ forty-four stores in the UK will be getting the Apple Watch, with four more confirming availability by Christmas.
“We believe Apple Watch will be one of the most sought after gifts this Christmas,” said Will Jones, head of buying communication technology at John Lewis. We expect a couple more British retailers to follow but Apple isn’t going to rush to remove the air of exclusivity around the Watch it is still just about maintaining.
Currys is a bit more proliferated in the UK than John Lewis, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores located in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. Both John Lewis and Currys will also provide online support for Apple Watch sales, with Currys letting customers put in a pre-order for the device on their website right now. As of writing, the John Lewis website just has a simple placeholder page with information for customers about the new device.
The expansion of the Apple Watch has been growing since its launch in April, with Best Buy stores now widely selling the device — and even AppleCare and a few of its accessories — in the United States and Canada. Fnac locations in France also began selling the Apple Watch in late August. The recent confirmation of John Lewis and Currys locations joining in the support of selling the wearable device on September 18 will come just two days after the release of watchOS 2, as well.
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