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Apple To Suspend iTunes Store Support For 'Obsolete' First-Gen Apple TV (arstechnica.com)
The original Apple TV, first introduced in 2007, will no longer be able to connect to the iTunes Store due to new security changes to be implemented by Apple. The news comes from a support document, which also mentions that PCs running Windows XP or Windows Vista will lose access to the most recent version of iTunes. Ars Technica reports: According to the document, the "obsolete" original Apple TV won't be updated in the future to support access to the iTunes Store. After May 25, users will only be able to access iTunes on second-generation Apple TVs and newer streaming devices. The same security changes affecting the first-gen Apple TV will also affect Windows XP and Vista machines. Users on such devices can still run previous versions of iTunes, so they should still be able to play their music library without problems. However, affected users won't be able to make new iTunes purchases or re-download previous purchases. Only machines running Windows 7 or later after May 25 will have full access to iTunes, including the ability to make new purchases and re-download older purchases.
The garden's walls have been moved. If you wish to remain in the garden, please pay another entrance fee.
If you look at pictures of it you'll see the real reason they're killing it: it still does analog out, and they're killing the analog hole. This is all about ensuring the DRM of the Apple Walled Garden, nothing else.
Dont try and confuse this with repair.
These devices are in no way failed, they are having their operational status revoked. By Apple. For their own advantage.
BTW, Stop making examples up. I regularly source Toshiba parts older than 3 years - and usually no problems with parts older than 10 years.
You would also have the options of going gray-market, or finding a second hard part.
Want to try that here?
How do you think Apple would react to a request to release the required encryption keys to allow 3rd party support of this device to continue?
No, there is a damn good reason Apple is fighting tooth and nail to block right-to-repair, Loves the DMCA, etc.
Once they have people on the hook, they expect them to keep paying, or suffer the consequences. It is device based Catholicism.
And no, your examples of software cost do NOT apply. The only reason they need to do additional work is because they wish to add new features
to OTHER, NEWER products - there is no direct costing being created by the existing devices - so it is in no way similar to the cost of keeping
a physical inventory of parts.
What other OEM set top box has been supported that long? Is anything even close?
Nothing else is even close. Every other device attached to my TV except for the Bluray player is far older than that. Please stop applying the retarded mobile trend to every damn appliance in the house.