Apple has begun surveying new Apple TV owners to get an idea for what customers usage habits are surrounding the digital media appliance. The email sent to some Apple TV owners reads:
Please take a few minutes to complete this survey to help us understand how you use your Apple TV. Your responses will remain completely confidential and results will be viewed only in aggregate. We value and appreciate your input.
The questions of the survey asked about what sources video content came from, what hardware equipment that the Apple TV was used with and what other equipment the users own. It also asks the open-ended question of "If you could change one thing about your Apple TV, what would that be?". AppleInsider speculates that this information will shape the future of the Apple TV.
It certainly will help Apple profile the individuals who are buying their product. The Apple TV has long been described by Apple management as a "hobby" product rather than a serious revenue stream as the iPod, Mac and iPhones are.
Apple's plans for the Apple TV have always been a bit of a mystery, and, as a result, we have not featured it on our Buyer's Guide. As it stands, the Apple TV acts as a set-top iPod and has enough horsepower to play all the content required from the iTunes store. As a result, no regular updates are required to fulfill this basic need. When and if Apple decides to transition the Apple TV into a separate product on its own, we may then see more regular updates with additional features to drive sales.
Speculation about future Apple TV updates include the usual laundry list of suspects: DVR, Blu-Ray, DVD, App Store support and more.
