It's nice to see Apple come to terms with it's competition. I would've guessed for Apple to approve/release a Google Voice app before an app for Rhapsody, but only 64kbps? Go figure.
They might simply mean the ability to back up your iTunes library to Blu-ray Disc. Why would iTunes support Blu-ray Disc movie playback when it doesn't even support DVD movie playback?
The sheer complexity that would have to be added to iTunes in order to support Blu-ray Disc movie playback makes it even more unlikely in my eyes: Concurrent video decoders, BD-J interaction, AACS decryption, BD+ support, 7.1 high-bitrate audio and VC-1 decoding. That last one seems particularly unlikely since it would open up potential support for WMV playback in iTunes, and we know Apple can't have that.
Of course, iTunes 9 will likely be based on QuickTime X, and such a major QuickTime upgrade might bring all those Blu-ray support features with it. But if it did, surely Apple would have promoted it as a part of Snow Leopard...?
@uchendunwachukwu: AACS decryption is the biggest barrier to Blu-ray adoption, in my opinion. There is no way that Apple wants to have to recode their entire OS just for Blu-ray streaming, just like what Microsoft did with Vista, and which added only more pain to the problems of that OS.
@AnalysisDialysis (Countering the Zombie Invasion!): I'm not so sure adding a Secure Video Path to OS X would be that difficult for Apple, given that they only have to deal with a limited set of video hardware and drivers.
My belief is they could simply update Core Video to support a Secure Video Path, and require their hardware vendors' conformance with the new protocols. Any application that supported Core Video (including QuickTime X and iTunes) would then get access to the Secure Video Path and could thus play AACS-encrypted content.
@uchendunwachukwu: Nah, I don't think that it's the difficulty hindering them. (Like you said, they might be able to code that one easily.) I think it's more of the fact that Apple has to implement DRM code to continually watch the stream into their OS, just like what Microsoft did. Even though they may show otherwise through iTunes, believe me, they do not want to put DRM baked right into the OS just like Microsoft did.
---------
I think, rather, they'll try to convince Sony to drop the requirement for baking DRM into the OS, actually.
We're decided skeptics on a Blu-Ray/Apple union, because it doesn't really make a lot of sense for Apple's business model.
If their business model includes preventing frustrated Mac users from abandoning them in disgust, then I'd say it does make sense.
/frustrated Mac user
"...Apple's making boatloads of cash from digital media, and supporting a physical format that they don't make a penny from just doesn't feel like a smart move..."
Actually this is incorrect. Apple is a large license holder and a one of the 19 board members of the BDA.
Why does Apple+Blu-Ray not make any sense?
I know alot of folks with Blu-Ray equipped laptops that'll hook it up via HDMI to TV(which I suppose Apple use of Displaylink might scupper that)
And BD burners in the Mac Pros would be pretty damn useful too. Especially for back-up, then I don't need to trim down video files to fit across several DVD's.
I know Apple may be wanting to push folks toward their iTunes store, but not everybody wants that. And the whole sharing thing goes out the window compared to BD.
@deanbmmv ([k]): Well... "The sheer complexity that would have to be added to iTunes in order to support Blu-ray Disc movie playback makes it even more unlikely in my eyes: Concurrent video decoders, BD-J interaction, AACS decryption, BD+ support, 7.1 high-bitrate audio and VC-1 decoding."
Mandatory AACS decryption is one of the reasons why Apple doesn't want to add Bluray support: because then they'd have to recode their entire OS to check for the video streams and such, just like what Microsoft did with Vista in order to add Blu-ray support.
@G-Ram: Spelt, chiefly of British dialect, is not considered incorrect, by and large. Although "spelled" is in more popular usage, the "spelt" variation is not deemed incorrect by grammarians or English language scholars. It appears in many comprehensive dictionaries, but also with its alternate meaning of a species of wheat.
Thanks for playing "Comment Grammar Cop," but you're going home empty handed today.
I think the more and more users have a "seemless" internet experience, it really wont matter where a song is stored (locally, cloud) so long as its instantly accessible.
Just hope commenting on Gizmodo learns a valuable lesson on "seemless" commenting...
@Grendel: Yeah there is no doubt that once we move to the cloud the whole game is going to change. Its funny when you think that really the iPod set up that has dominated for the last 10 years or so is going to be gone.
As long as the consumer doesn't notice it doesn't matter. I've been looking forward to cloud based media for a long time.
@tande04 mile island in the sun: I think an interesting concept for the ipod/musicplayer in general (including phones I guess) could carry on the tradition in a non-traditional way: vis a vis, faster wireless internet tech.
Perhaps like their TV cousins (i.e Tivo, DVR) they may be able to cache a streamed (less so streamed) song/clip and offer the playback on that specific device?
@tande04 mile island in the sun: Yet somehow I doubt the net result will be any cheaper. The exact amount of money we pay now for individual use and ownership of media is the very same amount we will be paying to get uninterrupted access to the cloud.
Once suppliers figure out the max we are willing to pay for goods or services it is very unlikely that they will ever go below that number.
@Grendel: Comcast just won a big suit for a cloud based DVR where "your" shows are on their servers but then you get instant access to other similar shows too.. Apple has been rumored to be adding "your" music library to their MobileMe service for awhile.
Yeah I'm sure apple will still have an "iPod" of some type but its not going to be the hard drive or flash based 8, 16, 32 GB system. Its just going to be an iPod/iPhone and any content you want is going to be there. Your library will instantly converge with the cloud based iTunes store. You can be listening to a song you "own" get in the mood for an older track and access it instantly.
I think the barrier to all of it is the current wireless system as you said. As much cloud based stuff as they're trying to do now, its just not going to really work even with 3G. Once we get ubiquitous 4G service (and VZW's 700mhz spectrum that goes through walls so well) thats when this stuff is going to start but even then it may take the 5G standard before it becomes common place.
@MisterWho Cares: No, I'm sure you're right. In fact its probably going to be more expensive just because its going to further erode a need for physical media.
Thats the part that I don't really think about to be honest with you. There are going to be the obvious data costs the provider charges as well. I think that its impossible to guess on any level what any of that is going to be though. The wireless providers seem to realize they're going to have to change from what they do now on some level but I doubt its going to benefit the consumer in the end.
Its the "Buy on iTunes/Amazon" links all over. I here something I think I like and I click the link. Found some great artist that I've gotten whole albums from that way, found some that I have to think twice about where, when, and why I got the track in the first place.
I don't think it's going to cost anything. If it does, it will likely be something added to the LastFM account, not XBox Live. The $3.00 subscription isn't even something they really push, you have to really look for it and it only offers a few things that wouldn't otherwise be available.
@xrikazen: I agree with you. I very rarely play against other people online, but I would like some of the other features, which could easily be brought to Silver. But MS has decided to use every way possible to enhance the value of Gold over silver, so every interesting new feature becomes gold only. I almost wouldn't be surprised if Facebook and Twitter integration is Gold only too.
09/10/09
08/08/09
08/08/09
08/08/09
alt+tab
facebook.com
I am a douche
was too much effort.
08/08/09
The sheer complexity that would have to be added to iTunes in order to support Blu-ray Disc movie playback makes it even more unlikely in my eyes: Concurrent video decoders, BD-J interaction, AACS decryption, BD+ support, 7.1 high-bitrate audio and VC-1 decoding. That last one seems particularly unlikely since it would open up potential support for WMV playback in iTunes, and we know Apple can't have that.
Of course, iTunes 9 will likely be based on QuickTime X, and such a major QuickTime upgrade might bring all those Blu-ray support features with it. But if it did, surely Apple would have promoted it as a part of Snow Leopard...?
08/08/09
08/08/09
My belief is they could simply update Core Video to support a Secure Video Path, and require their hardware vendors' conformance with the new protocols. Any application that supported Core Video (including QuickTime X and iTunes) would then get access to the Secure Video Path and could thus play AACS-encrypted content.
08/09/09
---------
I think, rather, they'll try to convince Sony to drop the requirement for baking DRM into the OS, actually.
08/08/09
If their business model includes preventing frustrated Mac users from abandoning them in disgust, then I'd say it does make sense.
/frustrated Mac user
08/08/09
Actually this is incorrect. Apple is a large license holder and a one of the 19 board members of the BDA.
08/08/09
I know alot of folks with Blu-Ray equipped laptops that'll hook it up via HDMI to TV(which I suppose Apple use of Displaylink might scupper that)
And BD burners in the Mac Pros would be pretty damn useful too. Especially for back-up, then I don't need to trim down video files to fit across several DVD's.
I know Apple may be wanting to push folks toward their iTunes store, but not everybody wants that. And the whole sharing thing goes out the window compared to BD.
08/08/09
Mandatory AACS decryption is one of the reasons why Apple doesn't want to add Bluray support: because then they'd have to recode their entire OS to check for the video streams and such, just like what Microsoft did with Vista in order to add Blu-ray support.
08/08/09
08/08/09
08/08/09
08/08/09
08/08/09
08/08/09
08/08/09
Thanks for playing "Comment Grammar Cop," but you're going home empty handed today.
08/08/09
07/16/09
Just hope commenting on Gizmodo learns a valuable lesson on "seemless" commenting...
/shakesfist@greytext!
07/16/09
As long as the consumer doesn't notice it doesn't matter. I've been looking forward to cloud based media for a long time.
07/16/09
Perhaps like their TV cousins (i.e Tivo, DVR) they may be able to cache a streamed (less so streamed) song/clip and offer the playback on that specific device?
/ponders
07/16/09
Once suppliers figure out the max we are willing to pay for goods or services it is very unlikely that they will ever go below that number.
07/16/09
07/16/09
Yeah I'm sure apple will still have an "iPod" of some type but its not going to be the hard drive or flash based 8, 16, 32 GB system. Its just going to be an iPod/iPhone and any content you want is going to be there. Your library will instantly converge with the cloud based iTunes store. You can be listening to a song you "own" get in the mood for an older track and access it instantly.
I think the barrier to all of it is the current wireless system as you said. As much cloud based stuff as they're trying to do now, its just not going to really work even with 3G. Once we get ubiquitous 4G service (and VZW's 700mhz spectrum that goes through walls so well) thats when this stuff is going to start but even then it may take the 5G standard before it becomes common place.
07/16/09
Thats the part that I don't really think about to be honest with you. There are going to be the obvious data costs the provider charges as well. I think that its impossible to guess on any level what any of that is going to be though. The wireless providers seem to realize they're going to have to change from what they do now on some level but I doubt its going to benefit the consumer in the end.
07/16/09
Its the "Buy on iTunes/Amazon" links all over. I here something I think I like and I click the link. Found some great artist that I've gotten whole albums from that way, found some that I have to think twice about where, when, and why I got the track in the first place.
07/16/09
07/01/09
07/01/09
maybe i'm still upset about Netflix. i'm already paying for the service, don't double charge me.
@tok3ninja - gigabit won't make a stink of difference
07/01/09
You're paying a fair market value for a service that offers goods and services in a convenient package. It's that simple. Welcome to capitalism 101.
07/01/09