Apple TV: Meet the Beatles. New channel celebrates 50 years since US debut

Apple has created a dedicated channel for The Beatles in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first U.S. appearance of the 60s pop group on The Ed Sullivan Show. The show footage is available “for a limited time,” and you can listen to the U.S. albums which are also available on iTunes for the first time … 

While Apple was able to secure iTunes deals with five major music labels when it launched in 2003, it was not able to reach agreement with The Beatles’ record company, Apple Records, because the two had been involved in a long-running dispute over ownership of the Apple brand.

The dispute was settled in 2007, but The Beatles catalog didn’t come to iTunes until late in 2010, when the launch was an immediate success, at one point making up a quarter of the top 200 songs on iTunes, and helping reverse a decade-long decline in music sales.

Apple used a clip from that first performance in its ad announcing the arrival of the group on iTunes.

Steve Jobs was a noted fan of The Beatles, even describing them as a model for Apple’s business.

My model for business is The Beatles: They were four guys that kept each other’s negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are never done by one person, they are done by a team of people.

It had initially looked like The Beatles wouldn’t feature on iTunes Radio, eventually being added just a few days before the launch of iOS 7.

- 9to5mac.com

Amazon’s long-rumored Apple TV competitor to launch next month?

Amazon’s TV box, which the company is believed to have been working on for around a year, is to be launched next month, according to unnamed content distribution sources cited by re/code - ahead of the new version of the Apple TV box expected to be unveiled in April.

People I’ve talked to who are partnering with Amazon believe the company is aiming for a March rollout [...]

Sources tell me Amazon’s box will be powered by Google’s Android operating system, which is also not a surprise — Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets use a “forked” version of Android … 

The box is expected to provide access to Amazon Instant Video and Amazon’s own music catalog, but there are also strong rumors that the device will double as a games console.

While it’s unlikely that the more tech-aware Apple owners would be tempted away from Apple TV, Amazon’s broad customer base does mean that the device is likely to generate significant sales. A strong marketing push by Amazon could see it make some headway among more mass-market Apple customers unaware of the full benefits of Apple TV.

Apple for a long time described Apple TV as a hobby, but recently promoted it to full product category status in the online store ahead of the new version we’re expecting (and which has since been corroborated by both Bloomberg and the WSJ).

It’s not known what Amazon plans to charge for its box, but it has been suggested that the company may even make the hardware free to Amazon Prime members as a vehicle for selling content. A free offer might also be used as a way to lessen the blow of increases in the annual subscription cost of Prime membership, hinted at in the company’s recent quarterly earnings call.

- 9to5mac.com

Bloomberg launches on Apple TV globally with 24/7 live news stream, on-demand content, iOS integration & more

Following Apple’s steady release of new content and features for its existing Apple TV platform in recent months, this week it adds yet another as Bloomberg becomes the first channel to live stream business news 24/7 to Apple TV customers. We spoke with Bloomberg’s head of mobile Oke Okaro who told us all about the new Apple TV app.

The majority of the content you’ll find in the new app is the same Bloomberg TV content you’ll find on its website and in its mobile apps but specifically optimized for the larger screen. That includes a live stream of business news, on-demand content with a mix of full TV show episodes and clips, and a special live stream that will appear only for events and breaking news. While there is similar news programming already on the Apple TV through apps like The Wall Street Journal and SkyNews, Bloomberg will be the first to have a 24/7 live stream of business news. That’s compared to the WSJ app which often only live streams content on certain hours throughout the day. It’s also going beyond the other news apps by offering all of its content for free in full-length form in addition to integration with its iOS apps coming in a future update.

While it won’t be available in the initial launch this week, in the coming weeks an update to the app will bring a playlist feature that’s integrated with Bloomberg’s iOS apps. You’ll be able to sign-into your Bloomberg account on any device (including the Apple TV), create playlists, and quickly pick up where you left off on another device by signing-in and accessing your playlist. There isn’t a sign-in or account creation process needed to access Apple TV content, but when playlists roll out users will have the option to create an account and sign-in to access the feature.

Another feature it’s working on is notifications. Bloomberg will allow users to opt-in to alerts for specific shows or events right from on the Apple TV. Users will receive the notifications on their iOS device, but there will eventually be a way to display notifications on the Apple TV itself. It’s also toying with the idea of a second screen experience for Apple TV via mobile devices, interactive ads, and an iTunes Genius-like feature that recommends content. Currently the app has pre-roll video ads on some of the content.

After success with video content in its iOS apps and a 113% YOY of growth of video streams consumed online, Apple TV is Bloomberg’s first move into connected devices, set top boxes and smart TVs, but the company hinted that it’s considering bringing its content to other similar devices in the future.

The app is launching globally, just about everywhere Apple TV is available, and users will automatically get a live stream depending on their location. Users in the UK visiting the app will automatically be served Bloomberg TV’s UK stream, for example.

Apple has been adding new content partners to the Apple TV just about every month ahead of what many rumors suggest will be a refresh to the hardware in the near future. Since pushing out an update back in June that included HBO Go, WatchESPN, SkyNews and more, it’s added channels from Vevo, The Weather Channel, Disney, Yahoo, PBS, and Major League Soccer.

In addition, Apple has added a number of its own services including iTunes Radio, the iTunes Music Store, iMovie Theatre, and new features such as the ability use your TV as a second display through its wireless AirPlay Mirroring feature on the Mac.  Apple is expected to soon introduce integration with Time Warner to bring its TV shows to the platform.

In addition to Bloomberg, Apple TV picked up Crackle, Watch ABC, and more.

Written by: Jordan Kahn @JordanKahn December 11, 2013/7:23 am - 9to5mac.com