The AppAdvice tech week in review: It's almost time to buy an Apple TV
It was a busy week in technology as the Apple TV launch date grew closer. Also making news was the arrival of a new YouTube service called Red, Instagram’s latest app, and more.
The biggest story of the week: Get ready to order the Apple TV
Apple’s newest set top box will be available for order in more than 90 countries, beginning tomorrow, Oct. 26. The fourth-generation Apple TV will begin shipping by Friday, Oct. 30, and is expected to be available in 100 countries by the end of the year. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Tim Cook claims that the new device “lays the foundation to change the TV viewing experience—even though Apple hasn’t secured all the content deals necessary to match the offerings of cable and satellite providers.”
First introduced in September, the new Apple TV comes with a new operating system and interface. It features Siri, an App Store, and a newly designed remote. The Apple TV is priced at $149.
See also:
- Are these 4 new Apple products worth the higher price?
- CBS All Access, NBC and Made to Measure channels added to the Apple TV
Also making news: YouTube is seeing red
YouTube’s long-rumored subscription service is finally here. Named YouTube Red, it will be available starting on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
For iOS users, the premium service will be available through the YouTube app. It can also be accessed from the Apple TV or Mac. But there is a substantial catch for Apple fans. While it will be available on Android devices, the desktop, and mobile Web for $9.99 per month, you’ll have to shell out $12.99 monthly to receive the features on your iPhone or iPad. Because Apple takes 30 percent of any subscription revenue from apps, YouTube is passing the buck (and the bill) directly to consumers. (Hint: Order the service on a non-Apple device to save some cash.)
Touted as the “ultimate YouTube experience,” the service allows users to view videos in an ad-free environment. You can also download videos to watch later without an Internet connection.
Other industry news:
- Review: The Philips Hue Bridge 2.0 brings Apple’s HomeKit bliss to the popular lighting system
- Misfit unveils the Shine 2, a fitness tracker with a powerful twist
- Apple speaks out against cybersecurity bill
- One emoji in Apple’s iOS 9.1 represents a new anti-bullying campaign, I Am A Witness
- Apple removes more than 250 apps that accessed personal data without permission
Big app news: Instagram releases Boomerang
Do you want to add animation to your Instagram social media feed? Say hello to Boomerang from Instagram. The free iPhone app shoots a one-second burst of five photographs that are then turned into a silent video playing forward and backward in a loop. The app automatically saves these videos to your camera roll, where you can share them however you like. It also provides you with buttons to share to Instagram, Facebook, and more options using the Share Sheet extension.
Other app news:
- Facebook begins to fix iOS app issues with a recent update
- The day is finally arriving when you can explore Lumino City
- When you need inspiration, a new app can Spark it
- Prepare for survival mode in the updated Fallout Shelter
- The new controller for Guitar Hero Live is crippled by a bug
What’s coming up? The week ahead
IBM Insight2015 begins today, Oct. 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Apple’s fourth quarter results conference call is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, beginning at 2 p.m. PDT.
Verizon will hold a Droid-centered event on Oct. 27 from New York, New York.
What will be happening in the week ahead? Visit AppAdvice to find out.
