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Apple Interested In Acquiring German Television Maker Loewe? [Updated: Company Denies]
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Sharp have said they are not interested in OLED at this time as it is too expensive. OLED would come from Samsung, LG or Panasonic (who have said they are looking for an OLED partner).
As a new player on the TV market, I would hope Apple go with a new technology such as OLED. But Sharp are often mentioned in relation to the Apple TV rumours, which probably points to IGZO. At least IGZO is a step forward in LCD technology, and would have a more reasonable price, and allow a high resolution so that the TV could double as a monitor.
Since Foxconn is supposed to me manufacturing the TV using Sharp screens the only reason I could see Apple buying a manufacturer of TV's would be for the IP and transparent screen.
OLED is still immature. I don't want to deal with burn in and other problems with this technology atm. For short, I don't want to be a "Beta-tester." A high-spec'ed LCD with crazy resolution is much more interesting.
A thinner flat panel using Sharp's IGZO technology is possible, but has Sharp actually demonstrated they could build a 42" IGZO 1080p display??
Once again... take rumors from AppleInsider less seriously than from other sites. This is literally the second rumor from them in a month that has been debunked in a matter of days.
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Sharp recently announced the mass production of high-resolution IGZO displays. One of the quoted sizes was 32" running at 3840x2160, so I think 42" is entirely possible.
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/04/1...roduction-of-retina-resolution-igzo-displays/
Havent read the thread since the "racist" remark (whatever you want to call it) but to get back on topic, IF Apple were to acquire Loewe, it would bring a much needed software upgrade to an already well built TV.
The start up time for a Loewe TV is ridiculous, and when something else is managing the sound you get to hear all the action about a minute before you see it!!!
I know theyve denied it but I would of liked to see this happen.
The start up time for a Loewe TV is ridiculous, and when something else is managing the sound you get to hear all the action about a minute before you see it!!!
I know theyve denied it but I would of liked to see this happen.
That transparent screen is only a piece of glass. Loewe didn't invent any technology to make it possible. It is just an imaging of the "TV of the future", where the whites will look like the wallpaper behind the TV. It's a moronic idea, unless there will be a technology that can make the screen completely non-tranparent when in use.
The fact it came out over the weekend was a little suspicious. Sounds like someone was to jack up the share price, hoping that investors would start buying first think Monday morning, before Loewe got the statement out.
Good thing that they responded so quickly before people thought they might be involved.
Its not secret that Steve's always loved Germany engineering. At next he wanted to make the Porsche of computers, he drives his Mercedes SL55 to work everyday. In terms of pure beauty the Italians probably have more passion and emotion in their desgns but on a pure engineering and function mixed with design the Germans have the upper hand. I love Japanese goods as well but it seems they are more focused on making quality goods at minimum amount of cost which sometimes forces them to compromise such as the thickness of the metal in their cars etc.
What would be the point
I doubt this is true. What on earth would apple get from buying a telly company. The only reason I can imagine is for IP, do Loewe hold any awesome patents that apple either needs or wants to circumvent? I spouse that being an expensive manufacturer they could be seen as competition. Nah, I think heir gonna buy either Ferguson or Pye and then remodel their stores after Rumbelows.
I doubt this is true. What on earth would apple get from buying a telly company. The only reason I can imagine is for IP, do Loewe hold any awesome patents that apple either needs or wants to circumvent? I spouse that being an expensive manufacturer they could be seen as competition. Nah, I think heir gonna buy either Ferguson or Pye and then remodel their stores after Rumbelows.
YIKES! That is one ugly TV/Monitor. Hopefully they don't go full aluminum for a TV. That would be hideous.
The only people I see buying an Apple TV are the loyal fanboys who will buy anything Apple. Just too many amazing TVs that people can buy without having to pay the so called "Apple Premium." And then on top of that, if Apple go with LCD, they've just admitted to not going for top of the line picture quality. Best PQ are plasmas, hands down. But even so, the industry is already moving on the the next thing, OLED. Samsung have just unveiled their first full 55 inch OLED production panel.
The only people I see buying an Apple TV are the loyal fanboys who will buy anything Apple. Just too many amazing TVs that people can buy without having to pay the so called "Apple Premium." And then on top of that, if Apple go with LCD, they've just admitted to not going for top of the line picture quality. Best PQ are plasmas, hands down. But even so, the industry is already moving on the the next thing, OLED. Samsung have just unveiled their first full 55 inch OLED production panel.
This.
There's nothing to Loewe worth buying. Sharp make perfectly adequate LCD panels in their Japanese plant, and Apple can design the interface and shell of the TV.
It's not like there's some amazing technical knowledge of receiving digital TV signal that only an established player like Loewe would know.
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There's a lot wrong about TVs at the moment, and there's plenty of room for Apple to come in and fix things.
In the US market, I'm not sure how they'd actually achieve that, with the dominance of cable, their ugly boxes and their ****ing awful interfaces.
Samsung make an average LCD panel and put it in the smallest possible enclosure. Fantastic, but they're not actually solving any problems. How do you approach the fact that, for instance, 576i content is still overwhelmingly dominant, and looks like utter crap on a 1080P screen?
These are the kinds of problems Apple could try and solve.
Sorry I don't see a problem with TVs at the moment. I turn it on, switch to the channel I want and done. I don't want to speak to it, or any other stupid gimmick. I just want to turn the damn thing on and go to the channels I always watch. Done. This is what the typical person does. It doesn't need to get any simpler than that. Please don't try to make TV watching sound more difficult than it is. Good grief. Now, for the people that care a little more for quality and content, they'll actually get a HTPC that can do it all.
Oh and nice try on the comment about Samsung's LCDs being average. Actually you're partly correct if you consider mid level as average. They make entry level, mid level, and high end panels. Their LCDs and Plasmas are some the best in the industry in their respective classes. Calling them average just shows your lack of knowledge or more likely your hate for a company that Apple is constantly trying to sue at the same time beg for high end quality parts that only Samsung can supply.
I think you nailed it. I think all of this mini iPad talk is indeed a remote. Imagine creat your own app feature that acted as various inputs for video game systems and such. And an iTV app that allows you to access your home television on the go on tour iPad or iPhone. Now i'm just thinking crazy.
Sharp have said they are not interested in OLED at this time as it is too expensive. OLED would come from Samsung, LG or Panasonic (who have said they are looking for an OLED partner).
yeah most components for all of Apple's products are coming from Samsung. Would make sense, no?
yeah most components for all of Apple's products are coming from Samsung. Would make sense, no?