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SamGabbay

macrumors 6502a
Oct 15, 2011
757
868
Apple should just devote their time and resources to improve their current products and services than step into an entirely new market with hundreds of competitors.

If Apple can spend resources to start a new Television set project, I'd rather they spend some on salvaging more critical issues at hand such as the problematic, error-filled and almost life-threatening Maps application. Why start on a new project when current ones like this aren't completely completed yet?

They probably have a team that works on Televesion sets. That same team would not be able to help with the maps/iPhone/iPad because that isn't their area of expertise.
 

Gravity

macrumors regular
Oct 10, 2002
161
0
Chicago
This has never made sense to me. Television sets are now so commoditized that there seems to be no point to Apple entering the market. Everything Apple would do well fits in a small black box. Why mess with the rest of the set and all the logistics that go with that kind of supply chain.

FWIW
DLM

Apple can innovate with Television... or you know it wouldn't even consider trying. Obviously it would be voice controlled, ala Siri... would be tied to Apple's ecosystem... and they'd give it a design that TV's have never seen. I'm thinking edge-to-edge picture (no bezel)... and if they're really cool... the entire screen would be WHITE when the unit is off, not black.
 

everything-i

macrumors 6502a
Jun 20, 2012
827
2
London, UK
Apple should just devote their time and resources to improve their current products and services than step into an entirely new market with hundreds of competitors.

If Apple can spend resources to start a new Television set project, I'd rather they spend some on salvaging more critical issues at hand such as the problematic, error-filled and almost life-threatening Maps application. Why start on a new project when current ones like this aren't completely completed yet?

Apple have huge resources but a single project can only progress at a finite pace. Just throwing more resources at any single project always gives diminishing returns to the point where it becomes counter productive.

If they had the idea that stepping into an established market was a bad move there would never have been an iPhone and for such a large company they have remarkably few products.
 

eastofeastside

macrumors newbie
Oct 12, 2012
3
0
Apple TV would be a flop that would tank the stock back to $300. On the other hand, Xbox TV/mini sounds like a hit in the making.
 

mrxak

macrumors 68000
This has never made sense to me. Television sets are now so commoditized that there seems to be no point to Apple entering the market. Everything Apple would do well fits in a small black box. Why mess with the rest of the set and all the logistics that go with that kind of supply chain.

I think it's going to be like the iMac vs. the miniMac. Apple will keep selling their Apple TV set top box you can hook up to a regular TV, but then Apple will sell an all-in-one enclosure too. That's the only thing I can figure that makes sense to me. What this means is that it'll be the TV service that Apple will sell, and that's what needs to change in the market, anyway.
 

Gravity

macrumors regular
Oct 10, 2002
161
0
Chicago
Apple TV would be a flop that would tank the stock back to $300. On the other hand, Xbox TV/mini sounds like a hit in the making.

Why do you say it would be a flop? Don't you think they know the market variable as well as anybody?? They've been studying it for some time. It would be connected to their existing ecosystem... so all our content would work with it... voice controlled (which is cool)... and the design would be just flat out WICKED... they'd have it competitively priced, but it would be on the higher end of competitive so they make a nice margin... unless they treated the tv as a loss leader to sell more content through iTunes.... in which case, they'd sell a TON of these things.
 

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
I don't know. This market is a bad place to tread, but Apple can go ahead and prove me wrong.

:(
 

kavika411

macrumors 6502a
Jan 8, 2006
617
3
Alabama
Apple should just devote their time and resources to improve their current products and services than step into an entirely new market with hundreds of competitors.

If Apple can spend resources to start a new Television set project, I'd rather they spend some on salvaging more critical issues at hand such as the problematic, error-filled and almost life-threatening Maps application. Why start on a new project when current ones like this aren't completely completed yet?

I respectfully disagree. First, Apple is so large that they have swaths of employees who - even if Apple put "all resources" towards fixing the app problems plaguing them at the moment that you mention - would not be able to contribute to fixing those problems. Put simply, Apple has 72,000 employees; if Apple committed 95% of them to fixing the problems you mentioned, that still leaves well over three thousand employees to work on other things.

Second - and people seem to have forgotten this - Apple very publicly dropped "Computers" from its name a few years ago for the purpose of not being tethered to one line of products - to free it up to try all kinds of things. Just as Apple didn't invent the MP3 player, it did perfect it. There is likewise plenty of room in an otherwise crowded television market for a company like Apple to come in, rework it from the ground up, and quickly become a heavy hitter in that market.

All of that said, I think the report or whatever this thread is based on is so very Captain Obvious. I mean really - a company with $82 billion in cash is testing television prototypes? Really? Huh. Who'd a thunk it? Next you're going to tell me Apple constantly has all manner of devices in the prototype testing stage, many (perhaps the majority) of which never see the light of day. Surely that's not the way a technology/consumer electronic/computer/mobile device/entertainment company works. Sheesh.
 

Mac21ND

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2007
724
167
The challenge is making the TV unique and different from so called "smart" TV's that are now being marketed.

It's like when the iPhone came out. There were smartphones, but the iPhone clearly redefined the market. An Apple TV would need to be the same game changer in order for it not be be seen as just another TV with a Pandora app.
 

unplugme71

macrumors 68030
May 20, 2011
2,827
754
Earth
I wouldn't want to hold an Apple TV and use it as a touch screen. Although would make reading a lot better as I wouldn't have to flip "swipe" as many pages.

----------

The challenge is making the TV unique and different from so called "smart" TV's that are now being marketed.

It's like when the iPhone came out. There were smartphones, but the iPhone clearly redefined the market. An Apple TV would need to be the same game changer in order for it not be be seen as just another TV with a Pandora app.

I agree. I can see Apple working with Sharp and having Sharp make the TV's spec to Apple's wants. This way there's no extra gimicks from Sharp built in, but has Apple's software UI instead. That would make more sense than Apple doing the TV's themselves.
 

Apple Corps

macrumors 68030
Apr 26, 2003
2,575
542
California
As I have been saying for years now, when Apple makes a display it will be 4K. The first confirmation we had for this was the "Retina Display" on the iPhone. Since then we have seen increasingly large high resolution displays from Apple. At some point the streams will cross and Apple will have purchased enough factory capacity and developed the large size panel production to the point they can actually fill 15m orders for 36" and 52" 4K format TV's. Of course like an iMac or an iPad it will have a little computer inside. I feel sorry for all the Fedex drivers. :D

https://forums.macrumors.com/search/?searchid=31790562

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/8645333/
(Oct 2009)

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/3110377/
(Dec 2006)

Rocketman

A 4K television set makes little sense according to some experts in the AV field. The issue is that to take advantage of that pixel resolution over 1080 you have to be sitting so close to the screen that it makes it impractical. Take a look at the HD viewing distance charts for a 60" screen. It gets a lot worse for 4K.
 

christian_k

macrumors 6502
May 31, 2005
333
12
Germany
Just boring

I used to like Apple when they were about creativity. The iMac with builtin FireWire gave many people access to digital video editing for the first time etc.

Now they just want you to buy content, sit-back and consume. A TV is the next logical step in that direction. Its just boring.

Christian
 

Stella

macrumors G3
Apr 21, 2003
8,837
6,334
Canada
I have mixed feelings about apple entering the TV st market. I'm sure apple could stir things up and introduce quite innovative features. On the other hand - it's going to be expensive - - more soon the lines of computers - people don't change their TV sets every year unlike phones ( every two years or so - some 1 year ).

Apple won't be able to control the content - probably not be able to replace your cable provider - so it'll be a TV set with integrated appleTV and other functionality.

Oh and SIRI is going to have to get a whole lot more reliable.
 

sconnor99

macrumors regular
Dec 14, 2005
128
21
What if it wasn't just a Television? What if was a whole network? Imagine the App Store but with TV shows, content makers like me can fund a show, upload it and get a small amount per view, or get paid ad revenue. Google are trying this with YouTube. The future is content!
 

Apple Corps

macrumors 68030
Apr 26, 2003
2,575
542
California
It'll never happen.

Apple needs Sharp and Samsung. Instead of hoarding their billions and partnering with these tech leaders, Apple should've been building their own supply chains they themselves could control. Jobs was so proud of Apple's ability to turn over this grunt work to others. His biggest mistake.

Besides, there is nothing innovative about getting existing content to display on a TV screen. And if Apple can't dictate what that content is who needs Apple?

So you want Apple to sink their $$ into a low to no margin manufacturing endeavor. That would tank their margins for sure - vertical integration ain't all it is cracked up to be.
 

theSeb

macrumors 604
Aug 10, 2010
7,466
1,893
none
If Apple can spend resources to start a new Television set project, I'd rather they spend some on salvaging more critical issues at hand such as the problematic, error-filled and almost life-threatening Maps application. Why start on a new project when current ones like this aren't completely completed yet?

I take it you have never worked at an actual company that has more than 5 employees?
 

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
167
Canada, eh?
Well, like I said in the last Apple "TV" thread, it's too late for me. I just bought a Sony 55" LED TV. So even if Apple came out with a new TV tomorrow, I'm looking at 4-5 years before I'm interested in buying one.

Wake me up when it's time...
 

cowboy77

macrumors newbie
Dec 10, 2012
11
2
Here Is How Apple Does It

Apple wants to make a big splash in the TV market. However, Apple needs to control the entire ecosystem. They do not want to just put out another TV, they do not want to put out a super TV box. They want it all. How do they do it? One, they need the content, and two, they need the distribution pipes, three the actual TV (the partnership with Sharp), and four the UI (the technology they already have). So how do they accomplish one and two? Easy, pony up $35 billion :) for the purchase of DirecTV or Dish, which gives them VOILA, access to the entire world with content and the pipes. Watch this area.. its going to happen
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
I really think this falls in line with a gimmick. I'm sure it will take off and the proposed integrated features may be great; however, I think I would hedge my bets on a Samsung Smart TV sitting in my house before an Apple TV set will.
 

apple-win

macrumors regular
Dec 4, 2012
226
0
Apple wants to make a big splash in the TV market. However, Apple needs to control the entire ecosystem. They do not want to just put out another TV, they do not want to put out a super TV box. They want it all. How do they do it? One, they need the content, and two, they need the distribution pipes, three the actual TV (the partnership with Sharp), and four the UI (the technology they already have). So how do they accomplish one and two? Easy, pony up $35 billion :) for the purchase of DirecTV or Dish, which gives them VOILA, access to the entire world with content and the pipes. Watch this area.. its going to happen

Will your strategy work? DirectTV is for America market only. Will Apple buy it?

If Apple controls the TV content, there will be no adult channels, no Playboy, nothing.
 
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