Apple TV as "Home Server"

[Ashley Aitken]

Howdy All,

Given that the new Apple TV has an internal hard disk drive  
(admittedly quite small to start with), 802.11n wireless networking  
(as well, as Ethernet, of course), and probably runs OS X (I can't  
recall if that was a rumour or given), could it evolve in to an Apple  
Home Server (as the iPod has evolved into the Apple Mobile Phone,  
Music Player, Media Player, Communicator).

Rather than Apple TV caching files from iTunes on another Mac could  
it run iTunes and iPhoto (in server mode rather than client mode).   
Interestingly, iTunes runs fine already without a window open (which  
I know is not the same as headless but it is most of the way there).   
iPhoto exits if you close the main window (probably only because they  
haven't got around to adding that feature).

So, Apple TV could be a server for media (music, photos, videos), a  
Web server (rather than upload to .Mac, iWeb could upload to your  
home server), possibly a Mail server (not sure if that is necessary),  
iCal server, Address Book server, file server, ... all with minimal  
(if any) set-up required.  The server you have when you don't want a  
server, all hooking up nicely to Apple's iTunes store and .Mac (if  
necessary).

Of course, to do this Apple would need to get over the problems they  
(or their music industry friends) have with moving our DRM-free music  
around - we should be able to move our music from the Apple TV server  
to any of our Macs and vice-versa.  Similarly, we should be able to  
upload our photos from a digital camera connected to any of our Macs  
straight to the Apple TV server, and copy them back just as easily.

All of this with the ease of management  and integration that Apple  
is renowned for.

What do you think?  Likely or unlikely?  What would stop this?

Cheers,
Ashley.

--
Ashley Aitken
Perth, Western Australia
mrhatken at mac dot com
Skype Name: MrHatken (GMT + 8 Hours!)