iOS Applications Running At 720p On Apple TV

[Anthony Bouchard]

Developers are getting closer to letting you use iOS applications on Apple TV.

Yesterday, we reported on how developers Steve Troughton-Smith and TheMudKip were joining forces to bring iOS application functionality to the Apple TV - a Wi-Fi entertainment system for your television set by Apple that can now be jailbroken untethered with the new seas0npass. The project was to let you use iOS applications natively on the Apple TV like they were meant to be there in the first place and to try and spike Apple's interest into making an App Store for the Apple TV. As you can see from our last article, the mirroring appearance was a little sketchy.

As shown in the image above, the developers working on this porting process are able to run iOS applications in 720p on the Apple TV - which is much more attractive than looking at it in a little window which was in yesterday's article. In case you didn't know, 720p has to do with video quality, resolution, and things of that sort. The higher the 'p' the more preferred it is. 1080p is the highest that Apple has managed to squeeze into their devices to far and it's available on the iPhone 4S's camera. These 720p applications mean that they can fill the whole TV screen. This of course is a more desirable effect because instead of looking at a small window on a huge screen, it's more spread out.

This has been done by completely re-writing SpringBoard to work in their favor. With the ability to run applications on an Apple TV at full screen - you can actually do a lot with it, but due to the fact that this process is only being tested and not commercially available for jailbreakers yet, we probably won't see anything done with it until other developers get hands-on with it. It opens the door for jailbreak developers to actually write 720p applications for the Apple TV itself. This meaning that we won't need to port over from one iOS device over the Apple TV to use it. That is the ultimate goal of this project; to spike Apple's interest in an App Store of 720p applications for the Apple TV - as Steve Troughton-Smith said, "Remember how the unofficial iPhone apps back in ’07 forced Apple’s hand in creating an App Store? I’d like AppleTV to get the same treatment."

They've even managed to make iOS applications run side-by-side on the same screen:



We will continue to update you on the progress of the Apple TV application porting project. What are your thoughts about running iOS applications on your Apple TV in 720p? Share in the comments.

Sources: 9to5Mac

[ozpkchris]

this may be something that get me interested in an apple Tv

[mustard05]

I honestly don't see Apple making an "App Store" for the ATV. Especially if they are planning( if the rumors turn out to be true LOL) on making an actually television set. An app store for the current ATV would detour customers from buying a full size Apple Television, and in the end would be counter productive for Apple.

Apple is not about giving customers choices, they are about making the choices for the customer, and though an App Store for the current ATV would be nice, Apple would never give customers the choice of buying a current ATV with apps for a 100 bucks, vs an actual television set able to run apps for whatever the price point would be. Lets be realistic, if apple did that, then there really wouldn't be a need for Apple to actually release a TV. Just my thought on the subject

[ohthatguyagain]

Agreed. After my old apple tv was rendered useless by my ps3, Xbox, and wii, I retired it. Definitely would buy an atv3 or an itv if it had apps!!

[Zokunei]

How do you actually control the apps with the remote?

[iPod]

This could be like google tv...for better or worse....lol

[A3gOwner]

How do you actually control the apps with the remote?

I'm thinking wireless trackpad type device with a slide out 5-row keyboard.

Next it would be cool to see iMessage and FaceTime ported over too. Of course an external webcam or something would have to be used for FaceTime. I'd imagine that the tv they release will include both and more.

[Zokunei]

I'm thinking wireless trackpad type device with a slide out 5-row keyboard.

That might be a good idea. I wonder how these devs are controlling it right now.

[DnBKiD521]

Correct me if I'm wrong... But in the second picture isn't that a pic of the app store icon on the dock?

[A3gOwner]

Yep even says AppStore under it. I was trying to make out the white ones up top but can't.

[inappropriate response]

I honestly don't see Apple making an "App Store" for the ATV. Especially if they are planning( if the rumors turn out to be true LOL) on making an actually television set. An app store for the current ATV would detour customers from buying a full size Apple Television, and in the end would be counter productive for Apple.

Apple is not about giving customers choices, they are about making the choices for the customer, and though an App Store for the current ATV would be nice, Apple would never give customers the choice of buying a current ATV with apps for a 100 bucks, vs an actual television set able to run apps for whatever the price point would be. Lets be realistic, if apple did that, then there really wouldn't be a need for Apple to actually release a TV. Just my thought on the subject

i'm not sure why they can't do both, if there are going to be ATV apps, they could combine both platforms like the ipod and iphone markets, and the bigger the market, the better the apps, which then spurs more purchases.

i'm sure their new tv will include siri - hence the new form of control that was being discussed. If you can get your tv to display the weather, train information etc etc , that could require different apps.

[wRagan17]

I'm honestly the apple tv doesn't have an app store, my grandparents new LG 3D TV has an app store even. You navigate it with the remote similarly to the wii.

[z3r01]

How do you actually control the apps with the remote?

remote hd app. it has a mouse , keyboard, all in the app. or even airmouse. these too extensions are available for jailbroken atv

[Imahottguy]

I would hope that we will eventually see the ATV get the App Store. I use my ATV2 for all content on my TV, with the help of FireCore's flash, and would love to think that Apple's black box is better than Logitech's!

[cuzz501]

That might be a good idea. I wonder how these devs are controlling it right now.

you do have the ability to control your apple tv2 with a tracpad now I use my iPad or and iPhone 4 to control mine now.