
Apple’s First Foray into Original TV Is a Series About Apps - jackgavigan
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/business/media/apples-first-foray-into-original-tv-is-a-series-about-apps.html
======
bishnu
I find the concept of a TV show that can only be seen on certain devices and
OSes to be sad.

I guess we've been trending in this direction for a while (no Amazon Prime
Streaming app on Apple TV, for instance).

~~~
Cthulhu_
I find the concept of a TV show that can only be seen with certain cable
subscriptions equally sad. It's just exclusivity contracts, just like pay-per-
view and channels like HBO and sports channels, and video game exclusives, and
applications only being available on specific operating systems, etc.

~~~
smt88
> _just like pay-per-view and channels like HBO_

It's not like that, because HBO doesn't cost as much as an Apple device. You
can subscribe to HBO, watch whatever you want, and unsubscribe. You _only_
paid for the content.

> _sports channels_

The most popular sports in the US are available on the networks. Minor
sporting events are available for a small extra fee, regardless of your cable
or satellite provider. Many are streamed over the internet by ESPN. Again, you
can watch what you want without spending as much as an Apple device would
cost.

> _video game exclusives_

It costs far more to port a video game than it does to simply stream your
video content to other devices.

> _applications only being available on specific operating systems_

Again, much more expensive and time-consuming than just opening up streaming
options for users.

~~~
jacobolus
HBO’s online streaming thingy is $15/month. For someone who doesn’t have a
cable subscription, that would be pretty steep to watch one or two shows.

> _You can subscribe to HBO, watch whatever you want, and unsubscribe. You
> only paid for the content._

You can buy a used Apple TV on ebay for $20–30. You can buy one, watch what
you want, and then resell it for approximately the same price you paid for it.
On balance, you’ll be out the cost of one-way shipping. (This is assuming it
doesn’t break in between. If it breaks, you can still resell it for $5–10 for
parts.)

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kingnight
Ew. This sounds very tasteless.

How about doing something creative and that's not navel gazing or better yet
use this money on OS X.

~~~
j2bax
Why is this tasteless? App discovery is a huge problem in the app store with
the amount of apps out there. I don't know the premise of the show, but I
could see it being really cool if they brought some of the small teams behind
apps to light and told their stories. Who cares who the host is if he does a
good job? I for one think it has the potential to be an interesting show that
is different from whats out there already.

~~~
kingnight
I think this is a good counter to my gut reaction. I think that would be an
interesting show to watch as well but I don't think that'd appeal to a broader
audience at all and the particular host also speaks to that direction being
unlikely. I'd love to be surprised.

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askyourmother
If they want ideas for shows, how about life at uni, in the us, for the year
2016. Over here in Europe, we either get the view that it is like back in
revenge of the nerds movies, or worse, stuff like this:

Http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-03-24/emory-students-scared-pain-after-
safe-space-violated-word-trump-written-chalk

Hopefully it is not like revenge of the nerds in 2016, and hopefully it is
also not full of students crying in "safe" spaces.

Might even be interesting!

~~~
DiabloD3
You're getting downvoted because Trump is anti-intellectual, anti-small-
business, and anti-American.

 _Everyone_ should feel violated by even knowing he exists. He is everything
America isn't. If he becomes President (very unlikely), say goodbye to the
Valley, say goodbye to every startup scene in this country, and watch the
money flee to pro-business nations.

Side note, I expect to be also downvoted for my view (and for discussing
politics on HN at all), but I don't really care.

~~~
imron
> Side note, I expect to be also downvoted for my view

If anything, I expect you're likely to be downvoted for your statement that '
_Everyone_ should feel violated by even knowing he exists', rather than
because you don't support Trump.

I don't support Trump, but I don't feel violated for knowing he exists.

~~~
lostlogin
It's hate speech. Misogynist, racist, anti-intellectual and isolationist with
bonus lying and flip flopping. If you don't feel violated, do you at least
feel offended?

~~~
imron
I feel offended by a lot of what he says.

He is not the first, and neither will he be the last U.S. politician (or even
presidential candidate) to make me feel that way.

In any case, the answer to offensive speech is _more_ speech that educates,
not shrill denunciations of the person making that speech.

------
mmanfrin

      Apple announced on Thursday that it was working with the 
      entertainer Will.i.am
    

Welp, this is going to be a trainwreck.

~~~
Someone1234
I don't follow music pop culture, can anyone explain why? Has Will.i.am been
in scandle or been unsuccessful in the past?

~~~
mmanfrin
In my opinion, he's used often as a prop by companies who want to try to
inject 'hip'-ness in to a product, and it screams r/fellowkids. He has tried
to promote a bunch of products that have ended up complete failures (2
smartwatches so far), but is bandied about as this 'tech celebrity'.

Intel made him a "director of creative innovation" for no reason whatsoever.
3D Systems made him "Chief Creative Officer".

He tried to sell a $475 iphone case that added a lens and made it look like an
old digital camera:

[http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/feb/01/william-
ip...](http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/feb/01/william-iphone-
camera-accessory-macworld)

Basically, he is used to confer some artistic legitimacy to stogy corporations
(not to say he isn't an artist, he has done very well in music) and in return
these companies confer unearned tech legitimacy upon him, creating this cycle
of forced legitimacy.

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robertwalsh0
Why can't Apple just stick with what it's good at?

~~~
smt88
I'm not sure what Apple's good at anymore. Hardware, I guess? Maybe?

~~~
jessaustin
Apparently they can push FBI around like it's a little baby. The list of
entities who can do that is pretty short...

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samstave
I'm reminded of the incredibly bad "Silicon Valley" (not the HBO one, which is
amazing - but the one by Randi Zuck...) and how REALLY REALLY bad that was - I
doubt Apple will fail that bad, but we will see.

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ismail
Will.i.am got Apple boom boom pow.

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johansch
If this isn't Apple jumping the shark I don't know what it would be....

