Hasta La Gadget!

At times, Apple’s hiring activities might come under the media spotlight. The company is usually quiet about the talent that it brings is, and the case is no different this time around. A former cable TV executive, Jean-François Mulé, was hired by Apple almost two months ago. Mulé has revealed this himself on his LinkedIn page. He mentions that he’s part of “something big,” while not offering any details about his role at the company. As usual, Apple has refrained from making any comment.

The reason why this hire is getting a lot of attention is because of the fact that it is related to the TV industry, one that Apple is apparently working on revolutionizing. There have been endless rumors about Apple’s TV plans, but so far this year, it hasn’t delivered anything on this front apart from a major software update for the existing Apple TV set-top box. Rumor has it that Apple is developing its new high-definition television set, though the company hasn’t said if such a product will be released any time soon. Analysts expect that the TV set might not be unveiled until next year. Before Mulé joined Apple, he worked as the senior vice president for CableLabs, a non for profit organization that works on new technologies related to TV.

Apple Hires Former Cable TV Executive To Work On ‘Something Big’ original content from Ubergizmo.

Today Apple has rolled out a content update over-the-air for the Apple TV set-top box. The update brings content from Major League Soccer and Disney Junior. Apple has been on a content binge lately, adding providers such as Vevo, WatchESPN, HBO-GO and more. This update comes a few days after Apple TV software update 6.0 was released, which brought a couple of new features such as Airplay from iCloud, iTunes Radio, etc.

Today’s update deals exclusively with content. The Major League Soccer app on Apple TV will let users watch free on-demand video highlights, view player profiles, game analysis as well as get advice for fantasy soccer. Full episodes of MLS 36 and MLS Insider will be available through the app as well, including videos created by individual soccer clubs. Latest league standings can also be viewed. Users with the $14.99 per month MLS Live subscription can also watch live streaming and archived versions of regular season games, though local and national blackout rules will apply. The Disney Junior channel is the third offering from Disney for the Apple TV. In order to watch content through this app, or any of the two other Disney apps, authentication through a participating cable provider is going to be required.

Apple TV Content Update Brings MLS and Disney Junior original content from Ubergizmo.

Apple continues to roll out its staged partner additions, with two new channels appearing on the streaming media player today. The Major League Soccer channel brings soccer (or “football,” depending on how European you are) and the Disney Junior channel adds a third outlet for that media giant’s content to invade your Apple TV.

The Disney Junior channel requires authentication via cable providers to ensure you have a subscription that allows access to its live programming and on-demand shows, which is the same et up that Disney Channel XD and Disney Channel on Apple TV use. That’s similar to how its HBO offering operates, and content providers in general seem keen on this kind of arrangement for bringing content to Apple’s streamer that used to be locked to cable company set-top boxes.

The MLS app provides scores and highlights for everyone who enjoys American and Canadian teams playing the sport where you kick a ball towards (or away from) a giant net on a big green field, whatever you choose to call that. It also offers access to live streaming matches via MLS Live, but you’ll need an annual subscription (starting at $14.99, with direct purchase through Apple TV available) to unlock that feature. The nice thing is that it covers an entire season’s worth of games, and also works on the MLS iPhone and iPad apps.

Apple is pretty much always adding new content and channels to the Apple TV these days, and clearly wants to make it a destination device for top-tier providers. It’s competing in a market that includes Roku and various built-in smart TVs from almost every OEM at this point, which have access to channel libraries that can number in the hundreds or even thousands, so building partnerships is a good idea at this point.

The Apple TV is getting lots of love lately from Apple, via a recent software update and a new feature that lets you setup a new streaming box with a simple tap of your iPhone or iPad thanks to the magic of Bluetooth LE. Rumors have been swirling about refreshed hardware coming soon, too, so it’s possible that’s why the company is lavishing so much attention on software of late.

You can set up your Apple TV through your iOS 7-running iPhone now thanks to the magic of Bluetooth. Just touch your iOS device to your Apple TV and your Apple TV will get all the deets on the Wi-Fi network, passwords and iTunes account details. [Apple]

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Have a third-gen Apple TV and an iDevice running iOS 7? If you’ve yet to set up Cupertino’s set-top box, you can do so now by simply touching your iPhone or iPad to the Apple TV. Okay, Apple’s take on Bump requires a few more steps than that; you’ll first need to enable Bluetooth on your iOS 7 device, then connect to the WiFi network you’ll use with the Apple TV. (Your machine also needs Apple TV software 6.0 or later.) Still, it sure beats the labor-intensive process of selecting letters on-screen with the included remote. Once you’ve tapped your iPhone to the set-top box, prompts should appear on both the phone and the TV screen, and you’re good to go. Give it a whirl for yourself — Apple’s directions are available via the first source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile, Apple

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