Cord-cutting Attitude? In MicroVision's Favor

From Motley Fool -- trust me. When this company gets on the Motley Fool Radar(and it will), it will go MUCH higher.

"After years of being ignored, cable cord-cutters and streaming-TV consumers are now more popular than the homecoming queen. Individual TV networks are offering, or soon will offer, streaming-only services to woo the cord-cutting lot. CBS' All Access and Showtime and Time Warner's HBO are joining incumbent Hulu Plus (collectively owned byComcast/NBCUniversal, 21st Century Fox, and ABC/Disney) to offer streaming content for a monthly fee."

Further down the article they state this:

Fortunately -- there will be new products on the way, and we know that SONY has an ace up their sleeve on this one.

One must also consider the "equipment costs" associated with the new product. While Dish's Sling TV only needs a computer and the Internet, Sony's offering requires users to have the PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4 in order to get the service. The Wall Street Journal reported the service is set to come to iPads as well, but isn't available yet.

A New Apple TV & Roku 4 -- UPDATED

READ THIS FIRST:

I don't think the first mass-market PicoP-enabled device is going to be an Apple TV. I don't like spiking on rumors - especially unfounded ones. What you are reading here is my own due-diligence that remains open for others to read. (When I started this it was literally a place for me to contain my research so I wouldn't lose it. I was quite surprised that it gained a following.) 

Whatever investment decisions you make, you do on your own. And I do not think that AppleTV is going to be the first mass-market PicoP device.

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There is suddenly a LOT of reporting on a potential new Apple TV device coming to the market this summer. As a MicroVision investor this can't be ignored. Even if we're dubious that we'll be included, it is a possibility, however remote.

There is a particular reason to keep this on watch... at some point, someone will make a portable "DVR / TV-tuner / portable media / PicoP" device. I say this only because it's so logical that someone has to do it. Description HERE

( You can get a 1 terrabyte flash drive that's slightly larger than a cell-phone. Double it, and you could put a PicoP enabled projector, tv tuner and web cast device inside as well. -- then your whole season of Breaking Bad fits in your pocket, purse or overnight bag. )

Roku4 & Apple TV

Apple / Sony Timeline -- Apple and SONY do already work together (background)
Sony SMALLEST TV Tuner


KimKomando 

"Sources are saying that Apple is reading a new Apple TV for launch. It won't just be a video-streaming box like the current Apple TV, but will function as an entertainment centerpiece.

Hardware-wise, the new Apple TV is expected to have similar specs to the current iPad. So it's no surprise that it's also expected to run iOS apps (similar to the way Google's gadgets can run Android apps) and included Siri voice control. It might even include Apple's HomeKit framework for controlling your smart appliances.

There's no word on pricing, but I wouldn't be surprised if Apple put it back at the $100 price point with the old Apple TV serving as the "budget" option. Most likely Apple will make an official announcement in June at its World Wide Developer Conference. When it does, I'll let you know.

MacRumors

Apple plans to announce its next-generation Apple TV set-top box at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, according to BuzzFeed News. The report, citing sources familiar with the plans, claims that the new Apple TV will be a "significant overhaul" of the streaming TV box...

FastCompany

In June, the Apple TV set-top box will reportedly get a substantial refresh, according to BuzzFeed. The updated device, which will be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, is expected to sport the usual boost in specs: a faster chip, more storage, and presumably a different external design.

GuardianLV

The technology company will be debuting its new release, with its sleeker design, brand new operating system, and added features in San Francisco, at the upcoming World Wide Developers Conference this June. Included in its update is Siri voice support, increased storage in addition to the 8GB currently on its systems, and an A8 processor to match its popular sister product, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

BGR

According to John Paczkowski, who has been deadly accurate with Apple product reveals in the past, Apple is going to unveil the next-generation Apple TV set-top box at WWDC this June, where it will also show off some brand-new features that we’ve never seen on an Apple TV box before.

Apple Event Monday

First -- I am NOT trying to start an Apple rumor. 

Apple must be watched by all of us who are interested in mobile technology however, and the rumor mill is grinding away at various things Apple.

While I'm quite sure that the Apple Watch will be featured on Monday, I don't think it will be the main event -- they have already demonstrated it, announced its arrival, etc. While they have, in my opinion, over-hyped many of their recent events, I don't think they'd do this for something they've already unveiled.

The timing of this event - related to other recent events -- let's call it "curious."

Much speculation recently about AppleTV -- which if you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know was a focus of where PicoP® technology could really shine. There was a lot of speculation when Apple investment guru Gene Munster constantly expected an Apple TV update. He's been treated like MicroVision investors for a while -- thinking that the big advancement is right around the corner. 

You can search the blog for further information about AppleTV. 

One of the products I think must happen -- because it would be awesome, and I can imagine high-demand for it, would be essentially a portable DVR/TV product that allows people to carry their favorite visual media with them. It's explained at the link right here: PicoP Product Idea

Here are a few of the best "what to expect" links I've seen: 

Twitter "#springforward apple"  --- should get you the latest ramblings
Apple Insider
Macworld.uk
c|net

Interesting Future Potential Apple Products

Extracting what could be possibly related to PicoP.... not making any claims of connection, but these are places where PicoP will fit. There is a lot more At MacWorld.UK -- the potentially PicoP related items are here.

What Apple patents say about Apple Television

One of the most recent patents that could well relate to Apple's future venture into the living room is a patent that described a "desk-free computer" that uses a super-intelligent projector.

[This talks about a "depth sensor" which would be required to focus a lesser projector.]

The computer's projector contains an accelerometer, ambient light sensor and depth sensor to ensure the optimum image is projected onto any surface you choose. These qualities combined with the fact that it's wireless make it completely portable.

Speculation suggests that, if paired with a suitable controller, this patent could be used for the rumoured Apple television.

Apple future tech: Virtual reality head mounted display

Apple has been awarded two patents by USPTO that cover head mounted displays, one that would work in a similar way to the Oculus Rift, allowing users to play immersive games wearing the goggles, and another that takes a more Google Glass approach with a smaller design.

The first of the two head mounted displays described in a patent filed in 2006 is designed to provide optimum image quality using a laser light engine. The second patent, filed in 2008, describes Apple goggles with two adjustable screens that can be aligned with your eyes and adjusted for those who wear glasses.

Further still, the patent suggests that the goggles could identify users by tracking eyeballs, voice and fingerprints.

Apple future tech: Virtual keyboard

[Apple coming in behind Celluon.... ]

In February 2013, USPTO published a patent that describes a new depth perception technology that could be used to introduce virtual keyboards.

The application covers a "Depth perception device and system" which can determine the distance to an object or the depth of an object using a combination of image capturing sensors and lasers.

The technology could be used in combination with a projected control panel such as a keyboard to create a virtual keyboard. The technology would be able to determine the selection of a particular button or input of the control panel by determining the depth of a user's finger, a stylus or other input mechanism.

Apple future tech: Holographic touchscreen

This is another pretty cool patent from Apple that gives us a glimpse at what the future could hold. First spotted in September 2014, the patent covers an advanced display that combines lasers, micro lenses and sensors that enable it to put out a three-dimensional holographic image that's completely interactive. (I can't stop imagining this scene from The Hunger Games).

Apple getting into TV content business

At Variety

At Re/code

At Engadget

It’s unclear whether the new Apple idea would be available through the hardware giant’s existing Apple TV device or a brand new gizmo. There’s been endless speculation over the years that Apple would manufacture its own Internet-connected TV, but that product has yet to materialize.

Given the multiplicity of so-called “skinny” bundles, or virtual MSOS, coming to market–Sony and Verizon are also expected to launch similar services this year–it’s only natural that Apple would emerge as another possibility. But with the company’s hardware prowess and track record across a range of “i”-branded consumer devices, any entry into the TV world would be game-changing.

Industry executives say Apple is in talks with TV programmers about deals that would allow Apple to offer an “over the top” pay-TV service, like the one Dish has started selling with its Sling TV product, and the one Sony is getting ready to launch.


It's been about six months since we heard significant rumors about Apple + television and as predicted, here they are again. Re/code is hearing whispers that instead of trying to work with pay-TV companies like Time Warner Cable or Comcast, Apple will have its own over-the-top streaming service in the vein of the just-launched Sling TV, or upcoming services from Verizon and Sony. 

WHY Apple TV on Hold

Very interesting comments and insights in here. 

Like many other articles about the topic, there is apparently no awareness of  the potential for a complete change of form factor.

At Mac Observer

Why Apple’s Next Generation TV Project is on Hold

John Martellaro 
@jmartellaro

Dec 12th, 2014 1:20 PM EST | Particle Debris

Sometimes a graph tells a story very nicely but it leaves it to our speculation as to the underlying cause and the implications for the future. Here's the chart: "There's A Reason It Seems Like Everyone Is Always Staring At Their Smartphones."

Credit:  Business Insider

To make my headline case, I need to backtrack and explore this graph with some context.

Off the cuff, this kind of share graph can be deceptive. People don't buy a new TV every year, but they're crazy about smartphones. A family may have one HDTV but a half dozen phones for home and work. TV ads can be annoying, and it requires a DVR to expunge them, sometimes without complete success—by their design. On the other hand, smartphone and tablet displays are smaller, but the kind of content consumed may be more pleasing in principle. So is it mobility that's key or the perhaps temporary inability to push bandwidth hogging ads over cellular? Customer toleration for a waste of their mobile dollars is low.

Given that, we can still move on and look at relative trends. The Print part of the graph is perfectly understandable and is a reflection of how a low-tech, under-funded industry can get into trouble quickly in this high tech era. The Radio part is also easy to understand because people can listen to their own music, a virtual radio station, with subscriptions on a smartphone. Finally, the Online graph is understandable in light of people moving away from complex desktops and towards tablets—which are more mobile but not always used in a mobile environment. For example, as second screens.

The takeaway from this graph is that there are seemingly unstoppable trends, and while we pay quite a bit of attention to the obvious trends in radio and print, the unstoppable trend on the TV industry side is often dismissed—along with cord-cutters.

Broadcast TV's Dirty Secret

The one thing I keep coming back to when I look at this chart is that no one really enjoys watching commercials when viewing conventional TV. There are now much better ways to communicate to customers. That's the most fundamental fact of our time, and yet the implications are always brushed under the rug in order to preserve the industry's cash flow.

The movement to mobile versions of movies and TV shows as well as Netflix and Amazon Primemeans that conventional Network TV shows will become more and more devalued. As a result, the networks will continue to haggle with carriers over carriage fees (and things like Dish's Ad Hopper). The whole thing is just going to break and break badly at some point because the video experience on mobile devices, especially phablets, is so much better. We don't need a DVR for our iPhone.  That sounds trite, but it's actually fundamental.

Given enough time, I believe the majority of TV viewers will generally abandon ad based network TV shows, and it's not because people love watching video on a 5-inch display. For additonal insight, see "TV IS OVER: Mobile Is Demoting TV To The Status Of Newspapers In Viewers And Ad Money." Like the iPod. iTunes and music, when an industry starts to come apart at the seams, Appleloves to jump in and create a disruption. Despite the content holders' extensive contracts, deals, protections, multiple delivery modes and efforts to cover all the bases, the danger from Apple is always lurking.

Perhaps the delay in Apple's next generation TV project is because Apple is waiting for key signs that the Networks are helpless to stop what's happening to them. When it's too late for a comeback, Apple can be poised to bring to bear a new technology that the networks never had the savvy or technical expertise to develop themselves. Then, Apple could slam the door of opportunity shut for good. 

Why go toe to toe when the opponent is already in self-destruct mode? Sometimes, as Sun Tzu said, lying in wait for the right moment can lead to victory.

Next page: the tech news debris for the week of December 8.

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