A couple of weeks ago Tim Cook revealed at the shareholder meeting that its set-top box Apple TV generated more than a billion dollar in revenues for the first time in a fiscal year, selling more than 10 million units.
The fourth generation of Apple TV could be introduced this spring; we layed out our concept of an Apple TV touch a couple of weeks ago. But it doesn’t actually take a full blown set-top box to invade the living room as Google’s widely successful dongle Chromecast which debuted last week in Europe has proved.
CURVED/labs is one step ahead and mused about how Apple TV could evolve as an HDMI stick: Welcome to Apple TV Air!
- Apple TV Air is the cheapest possible way to watch Apple TV
- It consists of two parts: the HDMI ‘dongle’ (the actual Apple TV) and a small remote control, both sold together in one box for aprox. 49 $/EUR.
- The dongle is powered through HDMI, while the remote has a small changeable battery like the current Apple TV remote
- Connection over Bluetooth (IR not possible due to fact that the box will always be out of sight)
- Made from plastic materials to keep costs down but maintaining Apple’s trademark quality (think back to the first generation Apple iPod shuffle)
