Roger Fingas
The lazy days of summer were in full effect this week, but there were some brief glances of plans for the Apple Watch — as well as a long-rumored Apple TV refresh.
Apple Watch coming to Best Buy on Aug. 7
On Sunday, Best Buy announced that it would begin selling the Watch on Aug. 7, both online and at select outlets — gradually expanding retail reach as the holidays approach. To date, the wearable has only been available through Apple's own online and retail outlets, as well as a handful of third-party luxury boutiques.
Canadians will also be able to buy the Watch from Best Buy, but only a week later. Neither Canadian nor American shoppers will be able to get a $10,000-plus Edition model from the retailer.
Apple Music subscribers up to 10 million
While Apple has yet to release any hard statistics, one rumor claimed that Apple Music is already up to 10 million subscribers. That would be a fraction of the numbers reported by rivals like Spotify and Pandora, but impressive for a service only four weeks old.
Apple Music users are still in the middle of a three-month free trial period though, and numbers could potentially fall off rapidly once a paywall takes effect in October. By that point, Apple may have expanded the service's reach beyond iTunes and iOS to Android and the Apple TV, as promised.
No 'iPhone 6c' due this fall
Though rumors and even parts leaks once appeared to back the concept, Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri noted that evidence of a low-cost iPhone 6c has largely vanished. The product might have been similar in size and concept to the iPhone 5c, but with an aluminum body.
Arcuri speculated that Apple may have scrapped the idea to avoid harming sales of a discounted iPhone 6.
Apple TV's rebirth on track for September
A Thursday report indicated that the fourth-generation Apple TV — originally anticipated in June — will finally make its debut in September. The device should have an A8 processor, more storage, and Siri support, as well as its very own app store.
The set-top should also be thinner than its predecessor, and come with a new remote with touchpad controls. Accordingly its operating system will be redesigned. One missing element though may be Apple's rumored streaming TV service, which could still arrive by the end of the year but is now forecast for 2016.
AppleInsider podcast
On this week's podcast, the AppleInsider crew talks about the Apple Watch, new iPads, and connections between BMW and the Apple Car.
Charles Martin
Wesley Hilliard
Marko Zivkovic
Malcolm Owen
Andrew Orr
Christine McKee
10 Comments
Considering the tens of millions of iDevices Apple sells every year, 10m is a very small numbet. I detest Apple's commercialisation of MY music collection. I stopped listening to the damn radio in the 80's. Apple Music and the Music app are a terrible turn for the worse.
I'm hoping the new ATV will eliminate performance flaws in the current one, most notably,
inability to maintain personalized photo streams while playing music or at rest...it's
annoying to look up and see that it's reverted to a generic National Geographic stream instead...
Also, navigation and list access could be smarter.
Lazy Days Of Summer, I wish ....here in Florida it's the Sloshy Days Of Monsoon! But for GTA V (running on my Mac Pro) I'd be going nuts.
[quote name="Brakken" url="/t/187450/this-week-on-appleinsider-apple-watch-at-best-buy-apple-music-numbers-apple-tv-news-more#post_2755456"]Considering the tens of millions of iDevices Apple sells every year, 10m is a very small numbet. I detest Apple's commercialisation of MY music collection. I stopped listening to the damn radio in the 80's. Apple Music and the Music app are a terrible turn for the worse.[/quote] commercialization of your music collection? what on earth does that mean? did you not engage in commercial business when compiling your collection? and are you being forced to use Apple Music? I'm so confused.
It means the way the new app reduces usability of the music I've collected and highlights subscription services. Try turning off the service and see what happens to all the music on your phone. I really wish we could choose between an iPod app and the Music app. The currently provided version is awful!