Genius for video has finally been flicked on in iTunes 8.1 as promised, but is this a sign that the recommendation tool is about to be expanded Apple TV? If you dream of turning Apple TV into TiVo for on-demand, you’d better read on.
Apple promised that the Genius recommendation feature for music would expand to video with the launch of iTunes 8.1 earlier this month, but the tool was strangely absent on release. Now though, it’s up and running on iTunes 8.1, and that set us to wondering: is Genius for video for Apple TV next?
It’d certainly make sense. Apple added Genius for music to Apple TV just a few weeks after iTunes 8 landed, and we know how much Apple loves symmetry across platforms. And Apple would dearly love to replicate the near monopoly of the iPod + iTunes set up with iTunes TV shows and movies and Apple TV. But despite a rapid growth in Apple TV sales, Apple still admits the set top box is just a “hobby”. Could Genius video recommendations change that?
It could help. In America, TiVo has long used user ratings to recommend programs, it’s got on-demand services with Netflix and Amazon already, and just today it announced a new on-demand scheme with BlockBuster in the US. If Apple wants to rule home entertainment like it does portable audio, it needs to play keep up and more, and Genius for video is the obvious first step.
Apple’s saying nothing yet about Genius for video on Apple TV, but don’t be surprised if it pops up on board sometime soon. As always, we’ll be on hand to let you know if it does.
Out TBC | £TBC | Apple (Via MacRumors) (Apple TV available at Apple)
