Rumours abound that the next version of Apple's mobile operating system will bring wireless bluetooth connectivity to the Apple TV. Further rumours suggest that apps may also come to the 99 pound set top box for the first time.
iOS5 is set to be launched when the new slimmer slightly better spec'ed iPhone hits the shops around October this year. And when you choose to upgrade your Apple TV around that time, the souped up operating system will activate bluetooth in the little box meaning specifically that you will be able to use a wireless keyboard with it.
Immediately this will make using the on board YOuTUbe application much easier; presently you have to take the cursor on a journey around the onscreen keyboard with up, down, left and right cursor action when you want to type a search term.
Blind orvisually impaired punters who use the native Voiceover screenreader may be particularly pleased as this is something of a long winded task if you can't see the keys. It is, however, perfectly doable without a physical keyboard.
Deliberately forgetting that the bluetooth keyboard connectivity is just a rumour at this stage, why might they decide to add a keyboard to this device? A hobbie device as Apple often refer to it.
The rumourmongers perhaps automatically jump on the idea that apps and browser inclusion are on their way.
Here's the rationale. Question: Why would you need a more natural way of inputting data to this device? Answer: because they must be adding more features that might need an easier and quicker input method. i.e. apps. IT's pure logic. And possibly a browser.
I nearly fell off my seat when I realised the implications of getting a keyboard and apps on my Apple TV box.
For UK users, this could mean that we can load the BBC iPlayer app and watch the vast amount of video you can grab on demand. Wow. This would make it the first ever device in the entire world to make video on demand accessible to blind people on a living room device, a 'sit back' experience if you prefer.
There is presently an iPad app for BBC iPlayer, said not to be altogether accessible at present. But with a bit of work, it could be a world beater and usable on Apple TV too. Amazing.
But added to this, there are apps with which you can watch Sky News and its related video, Sky Movies, Love Film (that's the UK's Netflix equivalent) and more video apps like the TED conference app. Whether ITV player, 4OD or Demand Five have yet got apps to watch their programmes through, I've not gone to the trouble of researching for this blog entry.
It also dawned on me that I would be more likely to purchase a Spotify subscription if I could have it coming through my TV set (which I link up to my hi fi) and thus have oodles of different kinds of music whenever I want it, in top quality and and in seconds.
Heck I could probably throw out my dusty CD collection that I've long since stopped bothering to dig out and listen to. How 1990s and how very time consuming if you can't see it and don't have a personal alphabetical filing system. I'd rather my music was virtual and accessibly findable via digital means rather than stacked up in carbon form in storage furniture that I had to purchase, and which takes up floor and wallspace, thank you very much.
So, getting apps and a keyboard on the Apple TV could be a living room game changer for this blind consumer in the UK. I'd like to add that I really love the little Apple TV remote control so would like the choice of using that with apps too.
Q: What other accessible apps would you like to see on your Apple TV and thus in your living room?
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