Predictions for Macworld Expo San Francisco 2009: Media Server

According to 9 to 5 Mac, Apple may announce a new version of Time Capsule that will incorporate media server functions like those found in some Windows-based products.

The changes to Time Capsule would allow you to store your iTunes library, photos, videos, and more, and serve them up to any device on your home network. What really makes this idea appealing is that the Media Server edition of Time Capsule would be tied to a MobileMe account, and would provide access to any data on the media server from anywhere you have internet access. You could conceivably store your favorite TV show or movie on the media server, and watch it on your iPhone while traveling.

I’ve thought for a long time that Apple needs a product similar to what 9 to 5 Mac describes, but I’ve always thought the base platform would be the Apple TV, with an integrated capability to record TV. An Apple TV-based media server would be able to send any content stored on it to any device on your home network.

The main difference is that the idea for an expanded Apple TV doesn’t include streaming content over the Internet. While the idea of an Apple media server tied to a MobileMe account is attractive as a regular revenue stream for Apple, I think the infrastructure cost to Apple for beefing up the capacity of MobileMe would be enormous.

I don’t think we will see an Apple media server at January’s Macworld, but I hope that someday such a product will be available from Apple.