Topic: Prediction: iTunes Wii Channel

[Smash_Brother]

This is my prediction:

Around the time Nintendo releases the Wii firmware update which officially activates the two USB 2.0 ports on the back of the Wii, a press release will come out regarding the partnering of Nintendo and Apple to bring iTunes and iPod support to the Wii.

The circumstantial evidence:

1. All new iPods utilize USB 2.0. Iwata was once quoted as stating that most USB storage devices would indeed work with the Wii. Logically speaking, the ability to use iPods as storage devices for Wiis would work extremely well.

2. Nintendo has been flattering Apple recently, not only with the designs of their products but also with Reggie's comments about the iPod, Apple's ingenuity and how Nintendo hopes to accomplish the same feat with the Wii.

3. The Wii supports Quick Time media formats, something which requires the licensing of Apple's proprietary codecs to do. By contrast, neither the 360 or PS3 support Quick Time movies. This means that Nintendo and Apple have already sat down at the bargaining table at least once. Is there a second shoe waiting to drop?

4. Both the Virtual Console and the iTunes Music Store use the Akamai file distribution software to download media. This means that the infrastructure necessary to download iTunes media is already present on the Wii with BOTH Akamai support AND QT media formats for mp3s and movies.

5. It's a win-win, especially with MS and Sony each trying to push their mp3 players and services on their respective consoles. This way, Apple gains a spot at the console table and isn't left out of that market and Nintendo offers the largest mp3/movie download network on their console so they don't miss out on a selling feature their competitors offer.

I think it'll happen simply because it makes more sense to have it happen than not: Apple sells more movies/music and Nintendo gains even more non-gamer appeal and will no doubt receive money for music/movie sales as well.

Now we just need to wait a few months to see what happens...

[The Omen]

All of your reasoning makes perfect sense.  I actually believe it'll happen as well, because while Apple will likely never release a home console, Sony and MS are constantly trying to steal some of Apples home electronic market.  This gives Apple an inside avenue into video games, at least supporting an opponent of it's main competition.

I especially like the Quick Time/Akamia connection.  Good stuff.

[UERD]

Maybe Steve Jobs will announce this instead of/in addition to that rumored 'iPhone' thing during his conference in January.

I know Apple has that iTV media streaming box thing in the works...maybe there'll be some sort of connectivity there?

[BlackNMild2k1]

Apple iPod 30GB = $299(?)
Nintendo Wii = $250
iTunes movie download = $9.99(?)
Downloading that movie from iTunes through your Wii onto your iPod and watching it from the comfort of your own couch on the bigscreen TV = PRICELESS  

[NWR_pap64]

Could happen, but I think we first need the firmware upgrade that allows use of the USB ports of the Wii. Once that is set in stone, ANYTHING can happen.

Not saying that your logic is bad, I think it really good and the points are good, but the final decisions are in the hands of the Apple and Nintendo reps, and sometimes their views aren't the same as ours.

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: BlackNMild2k1
iTunes movie download = $9.99(?)

More like $13-15, at which point you just might as well get the DVD.

Anyway nice research SB, it sounds like a good theory and I would like to see it happen, even if I would likely never use the service... however, being able to just hook up my iPod, for use on game soundtracks that support it, would be ideal.

[decoyman]

Hmm, interesting. There does seem to be a lot of coincidences at the very least.

If it DOES happen, I'll kick myself for selling off my iPod.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Serioulsy though, think of all the iTunes users out there. If they caught on that they could access iTunes from the couch while listening to their iPod music through the home stereo, or wathcing that downloaded movie on their new BigscreenHDTV w/o any over priced add on periperals and complicated setups, that could sell another 5 million Wii's in the U.S. alone.

This could be the "WIN" button that Nintendo is looking to push, as far as casual & non-gamers are concerned.

edit: Now if only the Wii could produce higher resolution output even if only for video playback. The component cables are there, but is the box capable? It should be with a firmware update.

[NWR_pap64]

I just thought of something...iPod support could also mean better options for customizable soundtracks in games. I mean, the game reads the songs that are on the iPod and lets you choose which ones you want. Also, you can use Wii points to buy songs (if Nintendo allows Apple to).

[JonLeung]

Quick, someone make a silhouetted video (iPod style!) of playing the Wii and then using an iPod.

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: The Omen
All of your reasoning makes perfect sense.  I actually believe it'll happen as well, because while Apple will likely never release a home console, Sony and MS are constantly trying to steal some of Apples home electronic market.  This gives Apple an inside avenue into video games, at least supporting an opponent of it's main competition.

From a business perspective, it's not logical or financially sound for Apple to attempt to release a home console to compete on that front with Sony and MS.

It's also not logical or sound for Nintendo to release an mp3 player and their own music/movie download service to compete with Sony and MS with their movie/music download services.

It makes an immense amount of sense for the most casual friendly mp3 player manufacturer/online media vendor to partner with the most casual friendly console maker to provide support for each other's hardware and services.

And like I said, they've clearly already been in talks with each other, evidenced by the QT codec on the Wii...

[TrueNerd]

This would be one of the smartest moves Nintendo has ever made, which is why I'm almost sure it won't happen.  

Edit: LOVE the avatar, S_B.  

[NWR_pap64]

One question I have, SB. Wouldn't Apple have to first see if the Wii developers a wide user base (not just the early launch adopters) and see how the Wii internet channels do on the system BEFORE dropping full iTunes and iPod support?

I ask because they need a lot of planning and money in order to make the upgrade and add the iTunes channel. If they need to spend that type of time and money on it, you need to see if its worth doing first.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if Reggie threatened to Reggi-nate all of Apple if they didn't pledge Wii support...

Quote
Originally posted by: TrueNerd
This would be one of the smartest moves Nintendo has ever made, which is why I'm almost sure it won't happen.

BINGO!

The piss poor VC support along with the delayed Wii channels are proof that Nintendo has dropped the ball on these type of decisions. Even if they did do it I would bet ANYTHING that they will constantly delay it and when its released it will be very poor.

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: pap64 I ask because they need a lot of planning and money in order to make the upgrade and add the iTunes channel. If they need to spend that type of time and money on it, you need to see if its worth doing first.

Umm, no they DON'T.

The strongest point in my argument is that it DOESN'T cost them much money and support for the SAME download service that iTunes uses has already been written for the Wii.

The Wii is running on an iteration of PowerPC hardware, the same hardware which has been in every Apple product for years and years. Plus, the Wii channel menu is really just a java interface anyway and writing a java-based iTunes client would be cake. Plus, Apple's media is already supported by the Wii.

The pieces all fit: the only remaining question is if Apple and Nintendo have actually done this or not.

January 11th is the next Macword where Stevey Q. Jobs will take the stage and announce new Apple doings. I say Jan 11th will be MEGATOOOOOOON day.

[BlackNMild2k1]

"January 11th is the next Macword where Stevey Q. Jobs will take the stage and announce new Apple doings. I say Jan 11th will be MEGATOOOOOOON day. "

THURSDAYTOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!

COMING SOON...............2007

[NWR_pap64]

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_BrotherJanuary 11th is the next Macword where Stevey Q. Jobs will take the stage and announce new Apple doings. I say Jan 11th will be MEGATOOOOOOON day.

And that megaton will be...MEGATON SUPPORT FOR THE APPLE COMPUTERS AND IPODS!

Seriously, I doubt this will happen now. I ain't saying this won't happen, but it certainly won't happen now.

[Smash_Brother]

There's another point I could have made but it's too soon to tell...

6. (maybe) Nintendo will no doubt need a form of external storage for the Wii if they plan to utilize games with downloadable content, larger VC games, etc. iPods are already very common and tend to hold 1-60GB of data. Nintendo may or may not decide to do this, but leaving the amount of storage desired up to the customer makes LOADS of sense, considering they may already own an iPod and don't want to buy an additional external device for storage.

But making the iPod the ideal choice for a Wii memory card would put Nintendo WAAY ahead in the non-gamer area, especially if you can use the media on that iPod on the Wii in the form of customizable sountracks and watching movies.

[The Omen]

And I think I have a 60 gig iPod under my tree right now.    The WiiPod?  Perhaps...

[Rhoq]

My only concern is that if this does indeed become true (and I wouldn't be surprised if it happens), that Nintendo plays it smart and takes into consideration that not everyone who own an iPod has it formatted for Windows. I hope the Wii will be able to read the HFS+ file structure from MacOS-X.

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: Rhoq
My only concern is that if this does indeed become true (and I wouldn't be surprised if it happens), that Nintendo plays it smart and takes into consideration that not everyone who own an iPod has it formatted for Windows. I hope the Wii will be able to read the HFS+ file structure from MacOS-X.

I'm sure it would support both formats.

When Iwata said that he expected the Wii to be able to support most USB devices, I'm quite certain that they understand this means supporting the file formats of these USB devices beforehand.

SD cards can already be plugged into computers and their contents accessed (Cap does this all the time), which means that VC roms can be copied to PCs already. There's no reason for them to not allow the same to be true of USB external storage devices, iPods included.

[couchmonkey]

This suggestion is very interesting and I could certainly see it happening, but just for the sake of argument, I'd say the reason Nintendo is doing so many things similar to Apple is because Apple beat Sony at its own game.  iPod destroyed the Walkman line and Nintendo wants to do the same thing, only for video games.  What better way than to emulate somebody who has already succeeded in another market?

Of course, none of that means that this won't happen, it's a pretty logical thing to do.

[capamerica]

Quote
Originally posted by: JonLeung
Quick, someone make a silhouetted video (iPod style!) of playing the Wii and then using an iPod.

Full Size - 1024x768

[Smash_Brother]

Poifect!

[Rhoq]

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
[I'm sure it would support both formats.

When Iwata said that he expected the Wii to be able to support most USB devices, I'm quite certain that they understand this means supporting the file formats of these USB devices beforehand.

SD cards can already be plugged into computers and their contents accessed (Cap does this all the time), which means that VC roms can be copied to PCs already. There's no reason for them to not allow the same to be true of USB external storage devices, iPods included.

SD Cards don't have to be formatted before they can be used. Unfortunately, formatting for an iPod's HDD is not universal.

[IceCold]

I could have sworn you already made a thread that was nearly exactly the same as this one.

Here it is - I guess not; apparently your friend capamerica did. I still think there's another one out there, but I just haven't found it yet.

Interestingly enough, Black Griffen brought up this idea way back in May 2005. He was also the one who more or less predicted the Virtual Console. Too bad he left..