Prince McLean
The new iTunes interactive media content formats are built using open web standards: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, using a new framework Apple calls TuneKit. The new media authoring framework is referenced repeatedly within the iTunes Extra component files.
Similar to Apple's use of the SproutCore JavaScript framework to build its MobileMe web apps, TuneKit provides media developers with a familiar JavaScript framework for creating interactive bonus materials. TuneKit, like SproutCore, proves that a proprietary middleware runtime plugin such as Adobe Flash or Microsoft Silverlight is simply unnecessary to deliver this kind of interactive media content, thanks in part to rapid advances in JavaScript rendering engine optimization.
Apple's new TuneKit is also much easier to develop for than the complex specifications involved with DVD and Blu-Ray disc authoring, and lacks the "bag of hurt" associated with licensing issues that Steve Jobs a year ago predicted would hold back Blu-Ray adoption.
Apple TV written all over it
Even more interesting is the evidence that Apple developed the new media packages with HDTVs in mind. For starters, the content is designed for a 1280x720 resolution. That means it's too big to play back on Apple's mainstream 13" MacBook Pro without entering full screen mode or scaling down to fit the screen available within the normal iTunes playback window.
The native resolution exactly fits the HDTV output of Apple TV, however, and would even work when scaled down to its standard definition 480p display. It wouldn't work so well the old TVs that only accept S-Video or composite video inputs however, the very type Apple made no efforts to support on Apple TV even though its hardware had the innate capacity to deliver a composite signal.
Even more telling is the discovery that the iTunes content files reference the HTML meta tags "hdtv-fullscreen" and "hdtv-cursor-off." While the content packages currently require iTunes 9 on a Mac or PC for playback, these discoveries not only indicate that support for Apple TV is in the works, but suggest that the content was created specifically for it.
Apple hasn't dramatically updated the Apple TV software since the "Take Two" 2.0 firmware was released at Macworld Expo in January 2008. The next major update is expected to incorporate features of Snow Leopard, including QuickTime X and its HTTP Live Streaming protocol.
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59 Comments
I think that only a few people will actually use iTunes LP, as the whole benefit of digital music was the ability to buy only those songs you wanted. This will be mostly for the enthusiasts. This means that apple has a new corporate hobby to indulge, along with apple tv.
iTunes LP is a neat idea but I don't see it being any major selling point to the iTunes Store. I think if Apple was smart here they would have opened the format and tried to push it as a standard for all digital music distributers. Betting on their own ability to implement it better in the iPod than its competitors can in their products. If it remains some weird iTunes Store exclusive it's really not going to be anything more than a niche feature only available on some cherry picked albums.
I'm surprised that full screen mode for the 13" laptops doesn't already exist. Hmmm, what could they be waiting for? Apple TV? Yes, that's obvious, but what other rumored product would be perfect for viewing 1280x720 full screen iTunes LP and iTunes Extras enabled movies?
If you said the tablet, give yourself a cookie.
I absolutely hate owning a physical item like CDs and DVDs. I like the concept of having them on my hard drive but I feel somewhat cheated with the price of digital downloads specifically for movies. The quality is awful, it's priced the same as normal DVDs, and there's nothing extra you'd find with a blu-ray or DVD like commentaries. I own an Apple TV and I've only used the thing to transfer movies from my computer to the big screen and also some rentals. The fact that they are developing movies with extras on them for the Apple TV has me very excited. What would be very cool is if these movies were also connected in some way to online features as well.
I just bought the new Muse cd from iTunes, I only got it from iTunes as it's the LP version, I always felt cheated by the price of downloads as I could buy the cd from a shop for the same price, however considering all of the extras in the LP version I feel that I have gotten a fair deal.
I like the extras and feel it boosts the album, well done Apple and of course Muse.