Apple has an app ready for the Apple TV that will allow users to watch its content on their big screen without having to AirPlay it from an iOS device, reports 9to5Mac.
The app has been ready for ‘at least a month’ and its development is said to be ‘on hold’.The app’s arrival is apparently being delayed because of fears that it will cannibalize the sales of iTunes TV shows. Hulu runs current episodes of TV shows the day after broadcast, much as the iTunes store offers episodes very quickly after they air.
Currently iPad 2 and iPhone 4S devices can utilize ‘full screen mirroring’ to play Hulu content over AirPlay and HDMI cables, but this provides you with an SD picture. Presumably a Hulu app for Apple TV would allow you to play back HD content.
Hulu is currently available on Roku, as well as iOS devices and some Android devices and is listed as ‘coming soon’ on Boxee. Its other TV-based offerings include the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Wii. Adding the Apple TV seems like it would be a no-brainer, so any delay may very well be on Apple’s part, rather than Hulu’s.
The Apple TV 4.3 update brought streaming capability that allowed you to watch any of your TV shows previously purchased at any time on your Apple TV from iCloud.
Apple was briefly rumored to be purchasing Hulu, but we saw little point in that and it is likely that these talks never made it beyond the basic preliminary stages.
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