Apple TV appeal to broaden as iPhone 6S is launched

An app store for third party developers should see Apple TV recast with new streaming services and hopefully broader Australian offerings.

Apple TV

An app store for third party developers should see Apple TV recast with new streaming services and hopefully broader Australian offerings at its September launch event this week.

And with apps, it’s likely Apple will also promote Apple TV as a gaming platform with a very long-term potential to rival Sony PlayStation and Xbox One. Apple’s voice recognition engine Siri is also expected to play a large role in the lounge room, a new remote is likely, and even support for third party game controllers.

Nothing is certain when it comes to predicting the content of Apple launches, but the publication of a new gaming Twitter account last week called @AppStoreGames shows the Cupertino company is seriously ramping up its presence there.

Currently there are more than 20 streaming offerings on Apple TV in Australia such as Netflix, Stan and Fox Sports, but it is thin on the ground when compared to apps available on smart TVs, and when compared to Apple TV’s US offering. However the breadth of Australian content should vastly increase over time with a new TV apps store.

Streaming other content had involved streaming it to Apple TV using AirPlay.

For years, Apple has held an early September event to announce an iPhone, and we expect an iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. It’s hotly tipped that Apple will debut the Force Touch feature it has already brought to the MacBook and Apple Watch.

Apple specialist site 9to5mac predicts there could be three levels of touch: a tap, a regular press and a deeper press. You get different menu selections when you press the screen harder than normal. Examples include looking up a point of interest on a map and then using a harder press to begin turn-by-turn directions.

The launch event is due to start at 5am AEST on Thursday at the Bill Graham auditorium in San Francisco and The Australian will be covering it from there.

Apart from Apple TV and an iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, announcements of an iPad mini 4 and larger 12-inch or 13-inch iPad Pro may occur among a swag of updates.

We’re likely to see upgraded iPhone cameras such as a front-facing camera beyond 1.2 megapixels, given the rise in selfie culture and that rival phones have 5 megapixel front cameras. A “selfie panorama mode” is on the cards too,

The back facing camera may have a larger 12 megapixel sensor and an ability to shoot 4K video. Last year Apple ignored 4K, but 4K is quickly becoming mainstream. A faster processor, a secure element for Near Field Communication to improve the potential of Apple Pay, and even a pink iPhone to match the rose gold Apple Watch Edition are among other leading rumours.

We are yet to see Apple Pay in Australia and it will be telling if there is no announcement reasonably soon about any local plans for it. Samsung has announced Australian availability of Samsung Pay sometime next year.

There’s some expectation of a 12 or 13-inch so-called iPad Pro being at least announced though shipping might occur much later this year. A larger iPad might target a similar market to Microsoft’s Surface 3 Pro.

A thinner iPad mini 4 has been rumoured for months as the iPad mini is behind in features when compared to the iPad Air 2.

The Australian will cover the Apple launch in San Francisco this week.