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Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

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Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#161
Details: I own a Mac & no other Apple devices. My TV is an LG. I have the Apple streaming service on the TV, purely because they have some pretty good shows (Ted Lasso, Separation, Acapulco).

Is there something an Apple TV device would do for me? I'm not seeing it.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#162
post #111

Having worked at Apple I feel like this is a mortal risk they are taking. The Apple Watch could be the next big thing that replaces the smartphone, except they require an iPhone to use it. So instead of taking a short term hit and moving with the times they greedily hold on to their money maker and risk a competitor bringing out a standalone version and tanking the entire thing. Likewise the Apple TV is a great produ…

I gifted an Apple Watch this Christmas. I checked their site and saw that an iPhone was needed, but somehow thought any up-to-date iOS device would work. Since you can set up the watch for a family member (who doesn't have an iPhone) it has to work, right? Got the newest iPad? F*k you, buy and iPhone. That was a disappointing gift, I can tell you that. There is absolutely no reason to impose such a limit. I don't und…

I don't like this mandatory tie between the two Apple product lines any more than you do, but as an FYI nit on terminology:

> somehow thought any up-to-date iOS device would work. [...] Got the newest iPad?

iOS 12 was the last version of iOS where that name applied to iPad as well as iPhone. Starting with version 13, the version of the operating system for iPhone had been the only one called iOS, with the iPad OS called iPadOS.

So, yes, I suspect that any up to date iOS device does work, through the magic of terminology peculiarities, unless currently supported Apple Watches don't support all currently supported iPhones (I haven't checked if that is the case).

As for the operating system for Apple Watch, that has always been called watchOS.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#163
post #58

Last time I checked a parent needed their own Apple device to set up app limits, downtime, accept/reject app installation requests on child's device. Thanks Apple. Now I have an option to give my kid unrestricted access to their device and to the whole Internet, or buy another IPhone just because my child uses Apple product.

Why would you buy your child an iphone if you don't have one?

My kid wanted an iPhone, I prefer Android. Why is that confusing?

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#164
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think either can do it alone, but Watch + [ AR glasses or tablet + earbuds ] could more directly replace a smartphone.

Yeah, AR glasses are what will actually be the Next Smartphone, as far as rapidly attaining ubiquity. If they can fix the bulkiness and battery life issues, anyway. And sure, decent chance that'll involve tethering the glasses to some kind of watch where the actual brains and long-range radios live. Or to a smartphone or tablet that you can leave in a pocket or bag all the time (why wear a watch when the AR glasses c…

Until they have rainbows end tech I don’t think this will be true. Wearing glasses is a bug, not a feature.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#165
post #111

Having worked at Apple I feel like this is a mortal risk they are taking. The Apple Watch could be the next big thing that replaces the smartphone, except they require an iPhone to use it. So instead of taking a short term hit and moving with the times they greedily hold on to their money maker and risk a competitor bringing out a standalone version and tanking the entire thing. Likewise the Apple TV is a great produ…

I gifted an Apple Watch this Christmas. I checked their site and saw that an iPhone was needed, but somehow thought any up-to-date iOS device would work. Since you can set up the watch for a family member (who doesn't have an iPhone) it has to work, right? Got the newest iPad? F*k you, buy and iPhone. That was a disappointing gift, I can tell you that. There is absolutely no reason to impose such a limit. I don't und…

> There is absolutely no reason to impose such a limit.

regardless, I'm pretty sure that somewhere within Apple, they think it makes them more money this way, for the immediate term at least.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#166

Having worked at Apple I feel like this is a mortal risk they are taking. The Apple Watch could be the next big thing that replaces the smartphone, except they require an iPhone to use it. So instead of taking a short term hit and moving with the times they greedily hold on to their money maker and risk a competitor bringing out a standalone version and tanking the entire thing. Likewise the Apple TV is a great produ…

I would be more concerned about this if the competition in this space was not so disappointing this far. I think there are good smartwatches in the Android space, but none of them are great, and none of them have challenged the Apple Watch in terms of feature set and quality. And Apple hasn’t sat on its laurels here. They keep making the watch a more desirable device. To me, it seems like they know they can get people to consider switching if they want the watch. And the market keeps rewarding them. I had a Moto360 early on and loved it. It was a competitor to the Apple Watch only by virtue of being an electronic watch.

It would be nice if Apple would make the watch accessible to people without iPhones. I would certainly believe their rhetoric about the importance of health tech if they did that.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#167
post #58

Last time I checked a parent needed their own Apple device to set up app limits, downtime, accept/reject app installation requests on child's device. Thanks Apple. Now I have an option to give my kid unrestricted access to their device and to the whole Internet, or buy another IPhone just because my child uses Apple product.

Why would you buy your child an iphone if you don't have one?

Why wouldn't I? While I'm not surprised by Apple's shennenigans, I haven't foreseen this. I can spin up servers, manage smart home, check my car's fuel through browser, surely I should be able to set daily time limit on my kid's phone through browser too.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing's replacing the Smartphone unless it's got a camera in the same ballpark of quality and usability. Several use cases for a smartphone—including a couple major ones—don't really work with a watch, mostly for camera-related reasons. If it's not good as a camera, it's also not good as a scanner replacement, not good for remote check deposit, not good for things like the Measure app (or any other AR stuff), and s…

Cameras are doubtlessly vital to some users, but almost entirely superfluous to others. I can count the number of times per year I use the camera on my phone with just my fingers.

If those "others" are a small minority, then the parent's point still stands.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#169

Having worked at Apple I feel like this is a mortal risk they are taking. The Apple Watch could be the next big thing that replaces the smartphone, except they require an iPhone to use it. So instead of taking a short term hit and moving with the times they greedily hold on to their money maker and risk a competitor bringing out a standalone version and tanking the entire thing. Likewise the Apple TV is a great produ…

I’ve built my product career working on projects that present risks to the status quo for companies.

This isn’t unique to Apple. Not to defend them specifically, but a company willing to focus on long term is the exception.

Most companies have leaders that are given goals that constrain them to short term gains. It drives truly suboptimal long-term decision making, but it also usually aligns with their incentives.

Changing that view takes (1) an existential threat, (2) a lot of data, and (3) a team that can execute quickly and reliably once a window opens.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being an iPhone + Watch + AirPods user I can say the exact opposite. The Watch is the perfect iPhone companion but it can’t replace it. Its screen is so small it makes me want to complete interactions as quick as possible. I love leaving the iPhone at home when I go for a walk and still listening music and podcasts, but it’s something that requires minimal interactions. Receiving notifications is great, but replying?…

For people who want to use phone less (no social media etc, like what I'm doing now HNing at breakfast) Watch alone could replace the phone function (can call, take calls, message) and a couple other devices (map, audio player) completely.

The overwhelming majority of users have been voting with their dollars: they want bigger and bigger smartphone screens.

Look at what people do on their phones all day. Most of that makes no sense on a watch screen.

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