The New Apple TV Includes The App Store, And It’s Going To Be Huge

Briefly: After five long years, Apple has finally revealed a powerful new Apple TV, and it’s going to be freaking huge.

Now, the event is still ongoing, so there’s still a ton of news coming through, but it’s pretty clear (and I’m not just saying that because I’m an Apple fan) that this is going to turn the Apple TV from a well designed hobby product, into a central hub for all of your media, be that television, movies, games, apps, comic books, and more.

In introducing the product, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that “Our vision for TV is simple and perhaps a little provocative. We believe the future of television is apps.”

The new tvOS features a gorgeous new design (and I absolutely love that Siri support), but the biggest game-changer that the new Apple TV brings to your living room is the App Store. Yep, that same App Store that has brought hundreds of thousands of apps to millions of phones, including console quality games, incredible sports apps, and other amazing experiences, is coming to your TV.

Apple showed off some pretty cool applications, but the thing that I’m most excited for? Local multiplayer games. Many of the games showed off on stage had multiple people playing at the same time, on the same screen, which is almost unheard of these days unless you’re playing on a Wii U.

One of the best gaming experiences that I’ve had with friends as of late has been playing Jackbox Games’ Xbox One titles, a series of party games that utilize your smart phones as controllers, and have a large amount of players playing at the same time in the same room. It’s a freaking blast, and I can see a myriad of titles with similar mechanics making their way to the new Apple TV.

I own multiple consoles, and have so many games, but have never found a need to buy another controller. With the new Apple TV, all of my friends have a controller in their pocket, all of the time, and that’s the thing that I’m most excited for.

It’s got a brand new remote, with a gyroscope and an accelerometer for motion gaming, and I’m sure that a lot of games will use your iPhone as a controller as well.

Developers can begin working on apps starting today, and Apple showed images from console ports like Transistor and Disney Infinity, and even noted that developers will have the opportunity to have one purchase cover the app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

Pretty freaking cool.

The new Apple TV will cost $149 for a 32Gb model, and $199 for a 64Gb Model, and will launch in October.

Cook said that “When you consume this way, you realize just how much better it can be,” and I cannot wait to try it out for myself.

Photos via TheVerge.