Analyst Believes Apple Television Set Already in 'Full Production', Launch Timeframe Unclear

[Small White Car]

Also, for what it's worth, I really think that an Apple TV set will launch alongside a revamped "non-hobby" AppleTV box. (Both the TV and the box having full cable-compatibility built in, thus differentiating them from past AppleTV boxes. That's the "non-hobby" part.)

I bet the plan will be to sell 10% TVs and 90% boxes, with the TVs being the flagship "come and see it!" item in the stores.

Kind of like how the iMacs are real impressive-looking even though most people just buy Macbooks.

This is how I see the Apple television succeeding...as a marketing device to push sales of the AppleTV box which is where the real living-room takeover is going to come from.

 

[iproductsuser]

Unless have learned to produce and sell at a competitive price point with other "smart" TVs no one is going to buy into this.

Also, will expect me to rush out and buy a new TV every couple of years because the "updates" to its iOS are only available on new sets ?


I don't think s iOS device or even laptop business model is applicable to items that most people only buy two or three of in a life time , like TV sets.

False. People will stand with credit cards in hand. Haven't you followed the history of Apple and their following?

Yep, people will do it. Look at the iPhone.

 

[newyorksole]

The lame update to the iPhone and an Apple TV set will be the first nails in Apple's coffin.

hahahahah. YEAH RIGHT.

EDIT: Oh you know what would be funny. If they announced the TV this fall, but don't release it for a couple of months to slow TV manufacturers sales for the holiday season.

 

[macwoof]

hmmm.....

How can the stockroom of an apple store handle dozens of 50-60 inch LCDS?

How will the customer carry said TV from the interior of a mall to their car way out in the parking lot?

With an iCart!

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

It makes absolutely no sense for Apple to manufacture and sell its own TV. Apple has called the Apple TV a "hobby", but we are now to believe that Apple has all of a sudden taken the "hobby" Apple TV and turned it into a full-fledged television, ready to take on Samsung, Sharp, Sony, LG, Panasonic, etc.? Keep smoking…

It makes far more sense for Apple to put all of those goodies into an Apple TV set-top box that could be used on any TV, which is a much larger customer base than those who would buy an Apple branded TV set. If Apple can incorporate DVR features into an Apple TV and give us additional content options plus downloadable apps, I think it can take over the living room. And that, folks, is what Apple is working on.

 

[KindredMAC]

Wish list:
55-60"
2" thick
1" thick
AppleTV software built in
WiFi N
Gigabit Ethernet
CableCard
$1499 (unrealistic, I know)

 

[Small White Car]

It makes far more sense for Apple to put all of those goodies into an Apple TV set-top box that could be used on any TV, which is a much larger customer base than those who would buy an Apple branded TV set.

While I do think the boxes will be very important, here are things the whole television could have that a box can not:

1) Camera for facetime

2) Face-tracking so the camera can zoom in on who is talking and follow them around the room, thus making it a much better facetime experience than any laptop

3) Multiple mics that can filter out room sound (like the 4S does) so that you can Siri control your set

4) Higher-than 1920x1080 resolution so that the non-TV stuff you do on the set is sharper than any other HD set on the market.


These are the extra features that will make an Apple TV more compelling than a plain old AppleTV box.

 

[monty77]

Not interested in the slightest if Apple release a TV set, have a perfectly good Panasonic 50" hanging on the wall thanks.

Still have no idea why they've not given the ATV the App Store, it'd crush the competition in an instant - they'd sell bucket loads!

M

 

[Geckotek]

Also, will expect me to rush out and buy a new TV every couple of years because the "updates" to its iOS are only available on new sets ?

I'm mixed about this.

Apple loves to stop updating software for hardware after just a few years typically.

These complaints make no sense to me. Apple has actually been much better about providing updates to older hardware than any other products I've ever owned. I think you guys must live in a vacuum where Apple is the only company you're exposed to so when they finally do stop supporting a product with updates, you get all pissy.

I think I would be happy about an iTV...perhaps. What would excite me more is if Apple were able to make some waves in the way the content owners have a stranglehold on their material. It's like they don't really want any of us to watch it?!?

 

[blumpkin]

This would be a nice "One more thing . . ."

Except instead of an envelope, it would be a rolling suitcase.

 

[chrmjenkins]

Wish list:
55-60"
2" thick
AppleTV software built in
WiFi N
Gigabit Ethernet
CableCard
$1499 (unrealistic, I know)

I don't think you realize how thin TVs have gotten.

 

[G4DP]

hahahahah. YEAH RIGHT.

EDIT: Oh you know what would be funny. If they announced the TV this fall, but don't release it for a couple of months to slow TV manufacturers sales for the holiday season.

Doesn't work like that, people buy a new TV when they need it, not because some over priced rip off is announced.

 

[Small White Car]

Doesn't work like that, people buy a new TV when they need it

I've never bought a TV like that.

I usually look at options for 3 - 4 months while I think about it.

 

[wkadamsjr]

I don't think you realize how thin TVs have gotten.

Beat me to it. For a company that prides itself on thin, two inches is way too thick. I'm hoping for 10mm

 

[RichTF]

Also, will expect me to rush out and buy a new TV every couple of years because the "updates" to its iOS are only available on new sets ?

My Sony TV has never had a software update. So are you saying that if Apple did improve their TV sets with regular updates, this would somehow be a negative?

I get the "happiness is relative" thing, and it sucks to see newer models getting extra features that yours doesn't, but do remember that your old [Apple gadget X] doesn't stop working simply because it misses out on an update.

 

[jackal123uk]

An analyst (one supposedly in the know) referring to an Apple TV as iTV is all the evidence I need to completely dismiss this one...

 

[Unspeaked]

Competitive prices won't matter. They won't go after the mainstream market, nor will they sell anything that they don't make a huge profit.

I don't know about this.

This isn't your grandfather's Apple anymore. All they seem to go after nowadays is the mainstream market. Every RadioShack, Sears and Walmart has iPod Nanos, free entry level iPhones, $99 iPhone4s, etc. They've discontinued or all-but-discontinued pro level hardware like XServes, 17" MBP and towers.

The Apple of 2012 is totally mainstream focused. You can see this just by walking down the street, going to a mall food court, etc.

That's why this product just might be their first failure in a while.

 

[2bikes]

I want to say I`ll believe it when I see leaked parts but I guess it would be really hard to sneak out the parts of a TVset

 

[foodog]

How can the stockroom of an apple store handle dozens of 50-60 inch LCDS?

How will the customer carry said TV from the interior of a mall to their car way out in the parking lot?

Same way customers get a heavy as hell 27" iMac or Mac Pro to the car.

 

[wkadamsjr]

Doesn't work like that, people buy a new TV when they need it, not because some over priced rip off is announced.

So tell me, just what features will this over-priced rip-off have? And what will be the price point? Since you seem to be so knowledgeable about Apple's plans

 

[bandalay]

Pure, unadultered…

stock goosing.

Set your stops tight boys, they're taking her down in a couple weeks.

 

[dashiel]

Unless have learned to produce and sell at a competitive price point with other "smart" TVs no one is going to buy into this.

The same was said about the iPod, then the iPod mini and the iPhone. There were even a few people who said as much about the iPad, but most people had learned by then that wasn’t true.

Also, will expect me to rush out and buy a new TV every couple of years because the "updates" to its iOS are only available on new sets ?

iOS and the AX family of chipsets have matured to the point where a 5-6 year old television is still capable of 90% of the new features. After all the iPhone 3GS is getting iOS6 and its closer to the first gen iPhone than the sixth gen. Effectively all a AppleTV would need to remain relevant for 5-10 years is the ability to play 1080p video and 7.1 surround sound, which the A5X can do. Also AppleTV software doesn’t advance at the same pace as its iPad/iPhone/iPod counterparts.

Alternatively Apple could keep the “brains” of the television in an iPad mini, effectively selling it at cost with the television, and handling upgrades through new iPad (mini) updates.

Finally Apple could have learned from their experience in selling phones and offer the televisions at a subsidized price with a 2 year iTunes subscription contract. Every two years you could pick up the next set. Before environmentalists jump up and down, if they built it in a “cradle to cradle” manufacturing process the sets could effectively be broken down and reused.

I don't think s iOS device or even laptop business model is applicable to items that most people only buy two or three of in a life time , like TV sets.

Two or three in a lifetime? Not anymore, the average upgrade cycle for flatscreen televisions is 7 years

 

[Rogifan]

It makes absolutely no sense for Apple to manufacture and sell its own TV. Apple has called the Apple TV a "hobby", but we are now to believe that Apple has all of a sudden taken the "hobby" Apple TV and turned it into a full-fledged television, ready to take on Samsung, Sharp, Sony, LG, Panasonic, etc.? Keep smoking…

It makes far more sense for Apple to put all of those goodies into an Apple TV set-top box that could be used on any TV, which is a much larger customer base than those who would buy an Apple branded TV set. If Apple can incorporate DVR features into an Apple TV and give us additional content options plus downloadable apps, I think it can take over the living room. And that, folks, is what Apple is working on.

They'll probably do both. My guesses neither, at least not for 2012.

 

[Patriot24]

I am planning on purchasing a new HDTV this weekend to replace my now 5 year old set. Usually I'd think twice if there are rumors about a device around the corner, but in this case, I'm not really bothered by it.

As others have pointed out, it would be insanely stupid for Apple to only release this technology in a TV. They have to put it in a set top box if they want any kind of adoption.

Lastly, I find it extremely hard to believe that these TVs are already in full production slated for a launch this year. We have seen zero proof of this so far. As we all know, new hardware and components have been leaking like crazy for everything they're manufacturing. It seems like a 50-60" TV with an Apple logo might be kind of obvious floating through the floors of Foxconn.

 

[Shiner986]

They're probably going to wait a few years so they can dub it a "retina" tv, because you know, everything needs to be retina.