Apple gets weird and gives Roku exclusive integration with iOS and Mac

Video Beagle · November 3, 2020

16 hours ago, Commodus said:

I don't know what it would get out of that other than eventually knocking out a competitor. It's not going to keep the Roku hardware platform going, and I wouldn't count on Apple keeping up smart TV partnerships.

There has long been talk/speculation of Apple putting out an actual Apple TV, screen and all with TVOS in there...so that could be a way to get in there...BUT Apple could also just call up LG (who makes the iMac pannels, iirc?) and say "Let's make a TV" without the need for buyout games. (Apple also doesn't generally buy out a competitor just because they're a competitor, but to take on the tech and information and build from that....and I just don't think Roku has any of that to be on intererest. I think your speculation that it's just to put taste samples of Apple Tech in front of more people is right on.

jasonvp · November 3, 2020

For what little it may be worth to the non-Apple users here - it works fairly well. I updated my Roku this weekend, and was presented with a new setting for AirPlay. My Macbook Pro could see it via screen mirroring/expanding, so I chucked a YouTube video over to it. The video played flawlessly, audio and all.

The only annoying thing to keep in mind is, at least at this point: AirPlay is still limited to an amateur-hour 1080p. And that's across the board, as far as I know. I have no idea if they're ever going to try to allow higher resolutions.

Commodus · November 3, 2020

7 hours ago, Video Beagle said:

There has long been talk/speculation of Apple putting out an actual Apple TV, screen and all with TVOS in there...so that could be a way to get in there...BUT Apple could also just call up LG (who makes the iMac pannels, iirc?) and say "Let's make a TV" without the need for buyout games. (Apple also doesn't generally buy out a competitor just because they're a competitor, but to take on the tech and information and build from that....and I just don't think Roku has any of that to be on intererest. I think your speculation that it's just to put taste samples of Apple Tech in front of more people is right on.

I don't think Apple is really interested in TVs, and some of that was drummed up hype from one analyst, Gene Munster (the running joke was that you'd hear Munster ask a TV question on every Apple financial call).

It's just not a great market to be in if you aren't already there. Commoditization makes it very hard to stand out and charge a premium — that's why TV makers push features that either get no traction or are premature, like 3D and 8K. Apple's only real play, at least without a breakthrough, is that you'd get the Apple TV box's interface built-in. Maybe you'd get a slightly more accurate picture and a richer sound from the built-in speakers.

You're also right that Apple doesn't acquire companies simply to consolidate power — not even Beats. If you see Apple tech integrated directly in TVs at all, it might be through partnerships that lead to special models. And that might be difficult, since brands like LG and Samsung are often determined to tout their own platforms.