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It would make more sense to lisence the technology to existing television makers who can incorporate it in their televisions. The competition would be fierce but the Netflix CEO has recently heaped praise on the AppleTV as being a revolutionary product.

Netflix and Apple have a lot of influence between them.
 
Something I heard quite a while ago was when Pioneer had given up the TV business, a well known computer company had went to Pioneers' HQ and a number of patents in TV testing equipment had been signed over.

Shortly after that, on Patently Apple, patent filings for Apple had started to include TV in their findings. I had long suspected that maybe Apple themselves where that computer company.

Pioneer was once the high end kings of TV production and as such commanded top prices and we all know that Apple are very specific when it comes to testing and design.

I'm not sure if Apple would ever release an actual TV set or just incorporating that technology into their current or future monitors or iMacs, but what I do know is that when Apple want you to know what it's doing. We'll all be blown away, yet again.

Watch this space . . .

This post just makes me cry for the fact that Pioneer left the market and their last TV has yet to be toppled.
 
Remember that little ROKR experiment? Apple would prefer you didn't.

The best way to get to know a market is to partner up with so called experts. Get to know the market and product placement. This is what happened with ROKR. Apple learned all there was to know, threw it in the bin, then took everyone by surprise and launched the then coolest smartphone ever produced.
 
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This post just makes me cry for the fact that Pioneer left the market and their last TV has yet to be toppled.

I know. I still have their 50 inch beast in my living room. Have since bought various other TVs for around the house, but the Pioneer is still the best, so far.
 
What Apple will do is this...

If they have an actual TV, Apple can link TV commercials and shows to extra information and metadata.

You will be able to see a Ford commercial and with a click of the iRemote or your iPad or iPhone get the information of that product, prices and where to buy it.

That is a particular function the TV can receive and transmit to other Apple peripherals.

With Final Cut Pro, post production companies (like mine) will have to start embeding extra metadata to each production.

So now, you will watch TV and your MBP or iPad will be interacting in real time with the programming.
 
This post just makes me cry for the fact that Pioneer left the market and their last TV has yet to be toppled.

You do know that Panasonic absorbed their tech, right?

As for this rumor, it's consistently been the dumbest resurfacing one over the last few years.
 
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Given that Apple 'doesn't want to be in the television business,' which I'm more than a little skeptical about.

Still, if LG had had a version of my TV with AppleTV incorporated it would have been my choice to an even greater degree of certainty.

LG could really use some help with their software. SimpLink is okay (as in it basically functions) but Apple could have done things 1000 times better.
 
I think the idea of Apple making TV's is awesome. I just hope they keep prices reasonable, or else they wont get the market they're looking for. Then again, prices haven't stopped a lot of people from buying Apple products in the past.
 
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Now there will be LG Panels with an integrated Apple TV and an aluminum enclosure that cost even more than a Sony Bravia. Good to know, I opt for the genuine LG plus an Apple TV STB for 1/3-1/6 the price.
 
Yeah i really really wish Apple bought everything from Pioneers TV tech (panasonic is not a worthy owner), i was so sad when Pioneer left the TV market, they had the best TV sets out there, by far, 3 years ago and they still awesome, imagine what they would have accomplish if Pioneer kept going, damn.

I am 100% certain that i will cry when my 5090H dies ;(
 
What I'd like to see is a standard expansion module on the back of the TV. Then you could insert an Apple TV, Roku, Direct TV, TIVO, or Cable box unit into the slot. the Width and connector would be standard and it would add whatever functionality. This allows one to upgrade their Apple TV, without replacing a perfectly fine TV.

Thunderbolt would be perfect for this...
It can feed the module 10W of power has a big wide data connection and the module feeds back Displayport to the screen. All they would really need to do is define a module case size so that then you insert it clips in and isn't hanging on the plug.
 
Imagine this: a reasonably priced high quality tv, with a badge that says "IOS-Loaded" and "AppleTv Ready". With additional pamphlets & store schtick to sell you on Apple streaming content services.

The IOS is a licensed menu/navigation system, with hooks for an attached AppleTV that provides storage and wireless/streaming functionality.

I don't see most other content/cable services directly offering Apple branded content, they already have those channels in place for television programming. Though most could stand to have a iTunes like music service to offer, and Apple's movie purchase/rentals/internet capable youtub/hulu/content delivery system.

Pay me, Steve.
 
The market seems saturated right now. Even Samsung makes nice looking TVs so Apple will need to differentiate themselves more aesthetically. It would be cool if you could use your iPhone as a remote.

What I think Apple should really make is a printer. The all in ones right not are abysmal. Especially HP one's where you suddenly lose the ability to scan.
 
I doubt this is true only because I can't see what Apple could do better by making the TV with integrated services than they are currently doing with the addition of the AT2 to an existing TV.

I love both my ATVs - one of each generation. My problem is not with the integration into my existing entertainment center, but with the delivery of content. If there was way to deliver a la carte channels from a local provider and MLBTV, then we could be talking about something special.

Not sure why they would need to make their own TV do so that though.
 
What everyone is forgetting is that it will very likely NOT be reasonably priced.
 
I find this one intriguing with the same talk of Apple becoming a telecom - they have enough money, they can do what they want....play around...try new areas....buy others.

so, i wouldn't trash this rumour quite so fast.

interesting - I can't personally see myself buying a TV from Apple, but then again, I know nothing of what it would be so who knows :)
 
It would be cool for TV's to come with an AppleTV dock....on the back of the flatscreen in a cutout place, where you just place an AppleTV. Maybe the set comes with one in it....then 2 years from now when there's a better AppleTV, you just swap in a new one....the life of the TV should be longer than the product cycle life of the AppleTV. Then the TV remote can also control ATV functions.

I see Fwink! above beat me to the same concept....just like "Made for iPod....it could be Made for ATV"
 
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There may be a market for apple to sell such an integrated TV to, but not my house. I don't mind buying a new $99 AppleTV every other year when the hardware needs refreshing (faster chips, more memory, faster video processing), but I'm not going to buy a new 52" TV screen every other year. And I don't want to get stuck when the technology is changing so fast each year.

Jim

You are thinking like Apple is making another computer. We're talking TVs. They'll be black like most of the rest to fit living room decor and they will be firmware upgradeable made to last well beyond the typical TV life span of today. Apple's Cinema displays have much longer revision cycles, so why do you think Apple won't do the same for TVs.

Granted it'll be a niche market but Apple can compete in it. They will use all their hardware technologies including an iPod Touch as a remote and no one is better at making software interfaces. Add in iCloud, some good sound system, and people will be knocking at their door.
 
Interesting idea?

There are some valid concerns regarding a 'real' Apple TV, things like pricing, upgrade cycles etc but the one thing that occurs to me as a strong incentive when reading the rumours is the fact that the TV market is in such bad shape. Just like the pre-iPhone phone market it needs a visionary/focused company like Apple to step in and lead from the front & show people how to make the whole thing work.

That is my strongest 'proof' that Apple could be cooking something new behind the scenes. Apple's TV would likely carry features from other product lines but there's bound to be something completely game changing in there which will make their approach make complete sense & it's anybody's guess right now as to what that is.

Without blabbering on too much there's a second reason that would probably drive Apple to figure this market out.. Ecosystems (content lock in opportunities) & Product Synergy. There are strong packages of hardware & content out there (TVs, Set top boxes, Game Consoles, Services such as Netflix) & if you look carefully you can see that these devices & services could threaten Apple's ecosystem in the longer run.

If Apple tie up the loose end by addressing the living room properly then there's no reason to switch to other manufacturers for their hardware, content & services. You're investment in Apple content will pay off as a user & that keeps you loyal to the Apple ecosystem & the TV becomes another device in the chain (iPod > iPhone > iPad > Mac > TV).

With an Apple TV all bases are covered… or are they? (iCar) :p


iOS Powered Apple TV:

* A5/A6 Processor
* LED 1080p Screen
* 'Magic Wand' Remote Control (use gestures to control & interact with the TV) OR a built-in gesture recognition camera similar to the Kinect technology.
* Full iPad, iPhone & iPod Interactivity
* App Store Content
* iTunes Content
* FaceTime HD
* Notifications
* Games (Magic Wand + iPad could mimic the Wii/Wii U)
* AirPlay
* Photo Booth
* Integrated iPod/iTunes Jukebox
* iCloud Syncing

42+ inch - $1,999
 
New Horizon?

Well, Apple certainly has enough capital to take on this new venture in visual hardware. But I wonder who are they going to get the parts from, perform their R&D, and manufacture this item for them? Certainly not Samsung at this point! :D

If they plan to do this themselves then it will be on the level of "reinventing the cellphone..." --- such as they did with the iPhone.

Full WIFI TV, for all!
 
So, let me get this straight, they want to buy some Samsung TVs, and stick a label with an Apple over the 'Samsung'?

Right.

Obviously you are not too knowledgable on these things work. MANY companies use samsung parts and panels for their products. You know Best Buy's house brand Insignia uses 100% samsung parts including the panel. I used to have a 55 LED by them that was having sound issues and when the geek squad came to repair it we were both surprised to see so.
 
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Why Cook... You don't just "blow" Netflix away ;)
 
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