Remote iTunes Streaming to iPhone or iPod Touch?
A new patent application (as detailed by AppleInsider) by Apple reveals that Apple has been working on the ability for iPhone and iPod touch owners to wirelessly stream content from their at home iTunes library for use on the road.
At present, iPhone or iPod touch owners must selectively sync content from their Mac or PC's iTunes library. This transfers those items to the mobile device for later playback. Apple is proposing that mobile device owners could instead access their entire collection over Wi-Fi or cellular networks:
Apple presently offers similar functionality through their Apple TV and Airport Express, but these are limited to local Wi-Fi networks only. As with all patent applications there is no word on when or if Apple will implement these features.
At present, iPhone or iPod touch owners must selectively sync content from their Mac or PC's iTunes library. This transfers those items to the mobile device for later playback. Apple is proposing that mobile device owners could instead access their entire collection over Wi-Fi or cellular networks:
New versions iTunes and the iPhone Software could theoretically eliminate this problem by syncing only the metadata -- or tiny files containing the barebones attributes of each media item or playlist but not the content itself -- from a user's iTunes library to their portable devices.
Only a directory of the content would be copied to the device itself. When selected for playback, the device would remotely access the owner's Mac or PC to stream the content.Apple presently offers similar functionality through their Apple TV and Airport Express, but these are limited to local Wi-Fi networks only. As with all patent applications there is no word on when or if Apple will implement these features.
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46 months ago
If only Wi-Fi networks are more easily accessible. yes its easy to set up one at your house, or go to coffee shop/airport etc... but seriously its still so limited...
46 months ago
I was just thinking about how cool this would be, just a few hours ago. At the time, I also thought the power draw with the WiFi being in constant use would be just too much to make it uesful.
46 months ago
i would LOVE to see a cheap new ipod touch/iphone with no internal storage, because you just stream whatever you want to the ipod.
brilliant idea apple!
brilliant idea apple!
46 months ago
Storage capacity rendered meaningless! (For song storage at least.)
Yeah, who would have guessed that in the future (when fast, wireless networks really ARE everywhere) all iPods will only have 512 MB of memory and they'll wonder why ANYONE would have wanted a 32 GB cell phone!
46 months ago
This would be great. Although my 16GB Touch has enough space for me, I hate having to pick and choose what I take. The only problem is that there aren't enough Wi-Fi hotspots.
P-Worm
P-Worm
46 months ago
This would be a lot like SlingBox capability, would it not? I'm all for it, too, since I have, to date, been unsuccessful in my attempts to cram 59GB of music and videos onto my iPhone.
46 months ago
Hope it works better than back to my mac, which doesn't work.
This idea is really only great if it can work over the cell networks, as wifi is not widespread enough.
What would be also great is wireless streaming of content to the Apple TV.
This idea is really only great if it can work over the cell networks, as wifi is not widespread enough.
What would be also great is wireless streaming of content to the Apple TV.
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