Apple Looking to Launch Siri-Enabled Television Set by 2013

[Laird Knox]

Also, how will it know to not listen to the dialog on the TV shows/music, etc.?

Yeah that'll be a big problem to overcome. Apple will have to find a way to filter voice created from speakers to real life voice.

It is really quite simple - Since the TV is producing those sounds it just has an internal feedback loop. Kind of the opposite of noise cancellation headphones. The biggest issue is adjusting for the volume of the sound and feeding back an appropriate inverse sound field.

Now if you live in a busy subway station you will have other background noise issues but it should work quite well in a typical living room.

 

[topmounter]

Content is still king.

And any "revolutionary television product" is going to require a "revolutionary content deal" (unless it's my dream 65" flexi-panel that can be rolled up into a poster tube and hung on the wall using picture hangers).

But, to date, the content companies have been more interested in hedging their bets (even when it comes to Hulu), rather than selling their souls to Apple (or anyone else).

 

[Yamcha]

I think it's a great idea if they go along with this, honestly I don't understand why only a few companies seem to innovate and make drastic changes..

Wii for example made motion sensing mainstream, and now its available on Xbox & PS3.. I think If Apple does make a Siri enabled Television, it would probably become very popular

 

[EnergonCube]

Just opened my "AppleTV" savings account. I've got a little over a year to save up. Anybody want to guess sizes and prices? I say 42 inch for 1499

Try again. That's the cost of a standard HD set now. Apple doesn't do standard and they don't do cheap (cost or parts). I'd say to plan for somewhere in the range of $2500-$3500 at minimum.

 

[LagunaSol]

While they're working on a TV, how about tackling the A/V receiver as well? Is any consumer electronics item a bigger mess? The remotes stink, the manuals stink, and it takes a PhD to get some of these things configured correctly.

Just give me a nice buttonless, knobless high-quality receiver that allows complete control and configuration from an iPad/iPhone/iPod touch. Like a Mac Mini with HDMI and speaker ports on the back.

 

[gugy]

Content is still king.

And any "revolutionary television product" is going to require a "revolutionary content deal" (unless it's my dream 65" flexi-panel that can be rolled up into a poster tube and hung on the wall using picture hangers).

But, to date, the content companies have been more interested in hedging their bets (even when it comes to Hulu), rather than selling their souls to Apple (or anyone else).

You bet, this is where I can see Apple revolutionizing the system. If they can pull that then....
The TV set itself is hardly something that will revolutionize the market, while it can have cool features I don't see Apple taking the lead over other manufactures out there that produce really great displays. ATV box is a good start imo. They should focus on that way more than a TV Set.

 

[DavieBoy]

Marty McFly, Jr.: Art off. OK, I want channels 18, 24, 63, 109, 87 and the weather channel.

 

[MacManTexas56]

my bet is that you will be required to have an iPhone 4s or whatever iPhone is on the market (or iPad that can run Siri) at the time so Siri can run on the phone. You will probably connect Siri through airplay and be able to speak to Siri on your iphone and it would control everything on the AppleTV.

I just don't see how it would make any sense for Apple to create an actual tv at a reasonably competitive price when their lcd monitors are so much more expensive than the competition.

 

[cere]

Try again. That's the cost of a standard HD set now. Apple doesn't do standard and they don't do cheap (cost or parts). I'd say to plan for somewhere in the range of $2500-$3500 at minimum.

As a rule, you are right, Apple doesn't do cheap. But at the same time, in the consumer electronics space, they also don't price themselves out of competition. iPhone, iPod, iPad are all very competitively priced.

 

[mcmlxix]

"Siri, show me something on TV that doesn't suck"

I'm sorry Kevin. I'm afraid I can't do that.

 

[iRobby]

Looking forward to this!!

However, I'm still in the Apple Dark Ages.. I only have the iPhone still saving for my 1st Mac computer, the iMac and my 1st iPad, the forthcoming Retina iPad 3.

 

[ThanksSteve]

Voice commanded televisions. Love it. I'm eager to see what other wrinkles Apple puts into it. Is it me or is Apple the only company left innovating? Maybe the Apple training curriculum should be taught in all schools.

 

[fxtech]

But not everyone has an iPhone or an iPad, and its a pretty big ask to go out and buy a $600+ device to be able to use your TV!

They will already be buying an "overpriced" TV - what's another $200-$500?

 

[NJMacJunky]

I can see this since when I updated my Apple TV this morning, it freaked me out because it started talking and it had never done that before.

 

[louiek]

But not everyone has an iPhone or an iPad, and its a pretty big ask to go out and buy a $600+ device to be able to use your TV!

How many tens of millions of iPhones have been sold? How many tens of millions of aTVs have been sold? Using the phone/iPad as a siri enabled remote will sell aTVs, not phones. Also, I'm sure the current aTV remote would still work.

 

[dpruitt]

What?!?

A flash back to the movie, Wild Hogs.

Duddly: "I need to search for alternative specs".
Computer: "Search for alternative sex. [flipping though] Barn yard fun, etc"

Too funny.

 

[globalhemp]

Apple's Revolutionary Mark: User Input Device

Apple's #1 mark on changing the computer industry has always been with the introduction of a new user input device. Take the following for example:

1983: Mac - Mouse and GUI
2001: iPod - Scroll Wheel
2007: iPhone - Touch
2011: Siri - Voice

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

Considering the 27 inch display that they are currently selling is $999, I have a feeling that this TV is going to be at least $2,000. Maybe higher.

Huge difference between a high-end computer monitor and a television screen.

 

[Vertigo50]

I really don't see any reason why Apple should build all of this into a display instead of just putting it in a set top box like the current Apple TV.

This way, when a new model comes out you're not replacing your expensive display at the same time. People don't buy TVs as often as Apple releases new versions, so I just don't see this working.

I think all of these rumors, and even the quotes from Jobs himself, refer to a set top box, not a display.

 

[URFloorMatt]

As others have mentioned, all of these rumours are missing one thing:

What is the purpose of integrating this into a TV?

TVs are an extremely low-margin business. Why not sell a box (which people are also more liable to upgrade regularly) that you connect to any TV, that you can actually make some money on? In fact, you might notice Apple does this already. Tying your profitable device to a low margin device drives margins down, not up.

Unless they just think there's a limit to consumer interest in set-top boxes and it needs to be a TV "platform" to gain any traction? Or unless they're going a protected-device route and dealing directly with cable companies (kind of like the iPhone/carrier model), maybe with special platform-specific plans that let you pick and choose channels and the like. That would be interesting, but again, the rumours haven't come anywhere close to something on that scale.

I don't think the big breakthrough is going to be "it's a TV that streams your iTunes!"

Apple TV isn't working. It's just a hobby. Microsoft is rolling out many of the features already speculated here in the next 30 days with NXE 2.0 on Xbox 360. Xbox plus Kinect plus Bing can already do anything that a Siri-powered iTV could do.

Microsoft also has partnerships with Comcast, Verizon FiOS and others to produce App gateways from the Xbox to IPTV-like streaming services. It has also already announced an XBL Diamond service that will replace your cable subscription.

Since Apple doesn't have a game console to leverage as an STB, the only choice is to replace the TV. Would Apple prefer to build an STB than a TV? Probably, but what's the hook? If the Apple TV isn't catching on, what other device can they replace in the home theater? I don't think it's a coincidence that the next generation Xbox is slated for 2013 and so, it appears, may be the new iTV.

If Apple doesn't get into this business, they are allowing a potential weakness to develop in their ecosystem. Google tried Google TV and failed majorly. MS/Xbox is highly successful, as is Bing, and many agree that they are positioning the Xbox/Metro/Windows 8 ecosystem to thrive. The Kinect is revolutionary technology. If Apple sits around much longer, MS will cement a stronghold in the home entertainment market. That's not good for Apple or iTunes, particularly since the uptake rate on paid XBL subscriptions and XBL downloads seriously eclipses those on PSN. People actually do download content to their Xboxes, and XBL is highly successful as a result.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Huge difference between a high-end computer monitor and a television screen.

so apple is just gonna sell crappy low quality tv sets??

 

[djepsilon]

People seem to having trouble wrapping there heads around a couple things... like a) If this is a good idea, and b) how to control the TV.

I think the answers are very simple:

a) OF COURSE Apple should enter this market! DisplaySearch predicts 248 million TV's to be purchased this year globally... If Apple managed 10% of that market share at $1000 a piece... that is roughly a 25 BILLION revenue stream that cannibalizes ZERO of Apple's current products. That sure as hell makes sense to me...
b) Your iPhone/iPad becomes the microphone for Siri. Duh. Plus the TV comes with a one button remote (or something like what the current AppleTV comes with) that controls when Siri is listening and is also a mic. Boom. Done.

Steve Jobs quote from the book "I finally cracked it" should not be ignored. This thing IS coming....The REAL secret behind this though is whether Apple can effectively change the way content is distributed. ie, subscription based, on-demand, cheap etc.

 

[7o7munoz7o7]

Siri i have my credit card ready

 

[vitzr]

Shouting "SHOW ME PORN" through open windows at houses where they have an Apple television will then become my new hobby.

You made me laugh

Yet on the other hand, let's not forget this is Puritanical Self Righteous Apple we're talking about here, where censorship rules supreme. If it doesn't' live up to "Steve's" value set, it doesn't get authorized. He may be dead, but he's left the iron handed rules behind.

Don't get me wrong I'm not advocating for porn, just freedom of choice. But then again I do know better... this is Apple

Siri? They're going to shove it down our throat one way or the other.

 

[*LTD*]

While they're working on a TV, how about tackling the A/V receiver as well? Is any consumer electronics item a bigger mess? The remotes stink, the manuals stink, and it takes a PhD to get some of these things configured correctly.

Just give me a nice buttonless, knobless high-quality receiver that allows complete control and configuration from an iPad/iPhone/iPod touch. Like a Mac Mini with HDMI and speaker ports on the back.

Amen.

Stereo equipment interfaces at large need an overhaul.