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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.
So they are no longer supporting something that is now 11 years old, and didn't really sell that well in comparison to the numbers they are shifting of the newer models which are far more capable and based on standard (at least, for Apple) hardware that is a close relation to the hundreds of millions of phones and tablets they've also sold. Should this really be a surprise? I'm surprised they were still supporting it.
What other OEM set top box has been supported that long? Is anything even close?
Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
What about my 160GB 6th Gen iPod.
That's from 2008. If they shut that off they no hardware to replace it
While I love to bitch about corporate shenanigans I cannot in good conscience keep bitching about people screwed by MS or Apple.
You knew they were abusive when you entered the relationship, you were warned repeatedly, your friends family and everyone tried to tell you your with an abusive a-hole and you worshiped them and stayed with them against all logic and common sense.
Reap what you sow
As is not news, or should not be, if you outsource your IT to another company, you are at their mercy. Storing your data (music, movies, business data, whatever) somewhere else makes you depend on whomever owns "somewhere else". And yes, putting your personal music in "the cloud" counts as outsourcing your IT. This isn't necessarily bad as the benefits may outweigh the costs, but be sure to go in with open eyes, especially if the initial "cost" appears to be zero and even more so if you don't have a written contract that spells out how the deal can change over time.
Apple never used to force obsolescence.
They do now, and it's constantly pissing me off.
But it also gives me good incentive to switch things to linux and other open alternatives.
This recent article claims the the Apple TV 1,2,3 and 4 all run Kodi:
https://www.kodiinfopark.com/i...
In fact, it claims:
"Apple TV 1 works extremely well with Kodi compared to other generation Apple TV because of the High storage capacity of Apple TV 1."
Unfortunately, the upgrade is rather complex -- you need to install the Apple Xcode behemoth ;-(
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.
Several years ago, I purchased an episode of a TV show on my XBox, and also purchased a movie on iTunes. Neither of them was transferable to any other devices that I own. Apple only works with Apple and Microsoft only works with Microsoft. I quickly made the decision to no longer purchase a) garden/walled hardware or software devices, and b) digital media that is completely tied down by DRM. My original reason was to avoid having movies/TV that can't be played on devices outside their respective "garden".
However, I never predicted shit like this coming: "Hey, buddy, we've decided to discontinue your hardware. If you'd like to continue using your digital media, you'll HAVE to purchase a new device from us." HOW FUCKING CONVENIENT for Apple.
So, when do they start doing this with TVs, washing machines, automobiles, etc?
But the Roku 1 has been more or less disabled for a year or two. But Netflix still has not dropped support for the ancient release of their app that's still available for it. At least last I knew before I stopped using that Roku last fall.
Washing machines it's going to be hard. If they try, after-market "repair" services will pop up just like that. Won't even need to get into circumvention/DMCA issues. Just rip out the original electronics and put in a new set for 70% of the cost of paying the original manufacturer. Can't really do that with media delivery, but with durable goods it's cake.
Already happens with things like old elevators and cranes and HVAC and such where the original manufacturer folds and a-guy-in-his-garage companies fill in the void to service and refurbish old equipment with newer electronics.
I have two iMac G4's. They are sort of cute, but Apple pretends they are worthless.
Having been on Slashdot and using hardware that runs for more than 20 years, I don't think it's scare quotes. Of course, to kids, this is puzzling.
Fantastic, asshole coward.
comcast still has DCT 2000 in use well 1.5-2 hours of guide data and slow VOD menus = $10 /mo for the cons at concast.
If it has no tuner, it's a glorified monitor, not a TV. Sucks for people who don't want to bend over and be butt-farked for $200/mo for cable when over-the-air TV is frrrrreeee!
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.
The issue is that it's something that you bought, which is yours, and Apple is turning it off. They're not ceasing support, they're prohibiting it from connecting to iTunes. Apple is deliberately all but bricking your device. That doesn't cause rage and anger?
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
Has it really been supported the past years? Just because something still works it doesn't mean it is still supported by the manufacturer.
According to wikipedia:
> On September 9, 2015, Apple officially classified the first generation Apple TV as being obsolete/vintage [..]
So support was ended over 2 years ago. And now they are changing their walled garden even more making the device which was still usable for that period to a paperweight.
You said "your" modem as in the modem you own, in that case I'm sorry but it's your job to make shoreyou keep it updated (and eventualy replace it( to be able to keep up witch the service you pay for. If you lease it from the isp call them and sey that you want a new one, and point to the facte that the one they nov lese you can't actually make use of the service they get payed for. Of coures it is possible that thay ar scumbags and use the upto 300Mbps excuse, there network might just be to congested.
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.
You write this as if it's Apple that cares if you use the analog output to store movies. They don't own the content. If anyone's pushing for this, it's the movie producers who are demanding more concrete guarantees that someone can't rent a movie from Apple and immediately upload the torrent to the Pirate Bay, or keep a copy around for unlimited re-watches. Apple is going along with it because it lets them license more content at lower cost, which makes 99.99% of their consumer base happy.
With washers, it may be another key part besides the software/electronics.
My Kenmore front loader from 2004 had a warranty replacement on its control board and the technician said the only part I had to worry about was the drum bearing. He said if those quit under the initial warranty, they just replace the entire unit because the bearing itself is too expensive and there's no supply of them. Even with an extended warranty, they red tag the unit and only offer a pro-rated refund towards a new washer.
On the good side, I have heard from a boating forum I read that there is a small company that actually will refurbish analog and control boards for some fridges and washer/dryers. You have to open the device up, remove the board and mail it to them to have this done. The boat folks like it because in some models the washer/dryer and fridge are basically stuck. Due to some dumb engineering decisions that equipment is too big to remove and replacements require creating an opening in a bulkhead to bring in replacements.
Have you even used a gen 1 apple TV? Most everything it can do, it can do with or without the iTunes store.
Who cares about the analog hole? I can rip the DRM right out of their content on an old PC with an out of date copy of iTunes and do it regularly. I'm not fucking around with some stupid analog out on an 11 year old device I replaced 2 generations ago.
Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
So, when do they start doing this with TVs, washing machines, automobiles, etc?
Washing machines, never. TVs, also probably never, because we are used to connecting other devices to our TVs. But automobiles will move from being owned to being provided as a service, because people won't be able to afford autonomous vehicles. For the immediate future, the added price tag of the hardware will be enough to keep their ownership out of the hands of the masses.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I have two iMac G4's. They are sort of cute, but Apple pretends they are worthless.
They are, because the processor architecture has been abandoned by everyone but IBM. It was only competitive with the x86 for one brief moment, and that moment has passed. It's actually cheaper to include another x86-64 processor and the necessary glue logic and board space in a design than to use a POWER processor, which is why virtually all supercomputers are x86-64 clusters running Linux, not POWER and AIX or POWER and Linux.
Today, you can't even get a modern javascript engine on PowerPC, so you can't even have a modern web browser. I'm about to give away my last-generation dome-type iMac for just this reason. It's just worthless because nobody is coding for PPC.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
But this hardware is being sold like an "appliance" and it isn't failing as an appliance - it's being effectively remotely disabled.
Lots of appliances have a lifespan of 10-15 years of effective use. My last hot water tank for example lasted 12 years before failing and that is typical for that and many other appliances. Not really so different in this case.
There are DVD players still going strong after 20 years of use.
The maker of that DVD player isn't being asked to support it after 20 years either. Apples to grapefruits my friend.
And TVs that are still going strong after 40 years!
Are those TVs being actively supported by the manufacturer? No they are not.
Roku or Kodi or Firesticks are less expensive in every way. Also more supported.
I don't hate Apple. Apple makes some great stuff, if you don't mind paying 4X as much as similar tech from competitors.
But I see no good reason to use Apple TV.
Maybe I'm missing something?
But automobiles will move from being owned to being provided as a service, because people won't be able to afford autonomous vehicles. For the immediate future, the added price tag of the hardware will be enough to keep their ownership out of the hands of the masses.
Renting is more profitable. Auto companies will try forcing rental anytime they have the leverage to force it. They inflate the cost of replacement parts and restrict repair tools to their dealers which also inflate labor costs to increase the cost of ownership vs leasing. That'll last right up until a maker of autonomous cars gets into financial trouble and sells to attract more customers. If that works, the rest will follow suit, but they'll certainly collude to delay that as long as possible if they can.
You're right, but if a mechanical part breaks, that's one thing. If the control board breaks it can be refurbished. If the control board breaks because it came with a vendor-installed self-destruct timer...you're in the latter case and not the former.
Renting is more profitable. Auto companies will try forcing rental anytime they have the leverage to force it. They inflate the cost of replacement parts and restrict repair tools to their dealers which also inflate labor costs to increase the cost of ownership vs leasing.
And the corollary here is that EVs require much less maintenance, so they're going to have to have some other revenue-generation model anyway.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Could enough users united and sue them for breaking their working devices ?