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Apple to Launch 3 HDTV Models by March 2012?

Gimme the high class apple construction, a great screen, iOS (Apple TV) built in with Safari/Games/App Store, AirPlay to a newly released AirPlay (hypothetical) surround sound system, and mirroring to my iPad when I need to run to the kitchen or bathroom during a football game and I am in. Heck, I was my phone to connect to it when I am home and show a notifiction (like in iOS 5) along the top so I know to go check my phone for an incoming call or message when I leave it in another room. I'd take two.
 
basesloaded190 said:
It's not like the TV will stop working after a certain amount of time. It will continue doing exactly what you bought it for just like any other TV
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That's not at all what I meant. What I'm trying to say is TV's have a longer life than most Macs, iPhones, iPods, or iPads. Won't Apple have a harder time pushing new models every year or every other year? Whatever hardware they use will have to be supported for at least 4-5 years. Televisions as we know them are basically blank slates that become useful with whatever we attach to them. They're not as prone to hardware/software obsolescence. This was a similar argument against Sony's Google TV.
 
StoneyG said:
I think a more interesting question to pose might be: At what will Apple hit their next big slump/hurdle? Ostensibly they could put a product like a TV set that could flop. I'm not talking about that though. I'm referring to their overall bottom line. There appears to be in no end in sight to their ever mounting success.
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Although this is not a MAJOR slump .. more like a mis-step ... But I would say the adoption of Thunderbolt.

What's the point?

Firewire is great, much better than USB2. But let's face it, Firewire just never really "took off" compared to USB2. Look at the peripherals that are available, the price points, etc. Firewire is serviced by a few niche players or else by small segmants of large company's product lines.

Yes, I KNOW that firewire is better. That's not the point. The PC world, by sheer volume, owns the peripherals market. That has been proven by the fact that firewire IS so much better, but is probably outsold 30 to 1 (compared to USB) when it comes to real hardware.

Adopting Thunderbolt is a big yawn for me. So, Apple has it in their displays. Who really cares. Even us Apple fans don't hardly buy any Apple displays (really).

What about hard disks? Do you see a bunch of external hard disk makers all climbing over one another to come out with TB hard disks? Nope. So far, I think ONLY LaCie has announced one. I'll bet OWC will have one too. But so far, TB has been a bid yawner.

And with USB3 out, TB is even a harder sell.

I will tell you the first real missteps that are (is) coming. Apple will either:

  • merge tha MBP and MBA lines into one, with far less ports, or
  • they will keep the MBP line, but substitute TB for FW.

Putting TB into a MBA was no real problem, since it INCREASED the ports. But people are going to scream bloody murder when Apple decides to drop the FW port entirely.

You heard it here folks.

Apple added a bit of I/O to the MBA.

The next MBP revision will probably do away with a built-in optical drive.

They are merging the two product lines.

And I won't be surprised if FW is a casualty.

BTW, it amazes me that these "analysts" get paid so much. There is far more knowledge on this board about future Apple products that in all of those high-paid analysts out there.
 
Apple's History with Audio

Apple has had a mostly disastrous history with addressing audio issues. The 20th Anniversary Mac had a Bose system that was poorly designed and implemented. Recently there's been talk that Apple has hired a guy named Tomlinson Holman, who was the "brains" behind the THX system. THX has been completely discredited by most of the audio and acoustics professionals as the technical equivalent of Monster Cable. Even a leading JBL acoustician Floyd Toolle wrote a harshly negative chapter about this Holman nonsense. But charlatans have long inhabited the audio business. Just hate to see Apple get involved with charlatans like Holman.
 
The posts here predictably show that you people have absolutely no imagination - yet again. Reminds me of all the negative threads when new Apple products were rumored- and subsequently released, and were massively successful.

Apple doesn't need to make massive margins if they came out with a TV. It will sell alot by default, because it is Apple. and they will use it to push their iTunes store, perhaps include an Appstore catered to TVs, and have incredible integration with their iOS and OSX products. This has potential, and is inevitable, regardless of all the naysaying here. Its amazing how Apple fansites are always the most cynical, pessimistic, and unimaginative when it comes to the company and its future. You of all people should know better.
 
I don't know what Apple would have to gain from selling a TV.

They have put their entire TV experience into a $99. box. It sells, not much, but a bit. How is selling a $3000. TV going to improve the experience?

It will be a nice looking expensive TV with the $99. box built-in. How does that change anything except raise the price and competition?

They are better off by continuing to improve the $99. box. If they add something really compelling, it's easier to convince people to take a chance on a $99. investment than a $3000. one.

I also doubt they will want people bringing 40", 50" & 60" TVs into the Apple Stores for AppleCare. Kind of unwieldily.
 
Sorry doesn't make any sense. Is Apple going to compete in the race to the bottom with HDTV prices? No way. Are they going to make premium TVs that can do something others cannot? Doubtful.

With the internet taking the place TV used to have this really doesn't make any sense.

Although... building a TV is easy enough, esp. for a company like Apple. So they buy Hulu, they integrate Apple TV in actual TV sets, they make extremely nice designs (think B&O), they price them the same as cheap TVs from Samsung etc. ... it would be a content play. TVs with the Apple logo and fit and finish would sell for sure. iOS would make an amazing base for adding all sorts of software features that others would currently like to add.

Still - I think Apple's got bigger fish to fry. The company has a razor focus on expanding iOS. I don't see TV as part of that.
 
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qtx43 said:
Thunderbolt FTW! I don't see it happening anytime soon, but if they did, presumably Apple would minmize cabling. Right now, that means TB.
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Interestingly enough about 10 years ago the FireWire group had an A/V standard that did what you’re suggesting. One cable to handle power and A/V signal all daisy chained and an API to design deign interfaces. It was called HAVi, some high-end Mitsubishi televisions, VCRs and DVD players shipped with it, but it never took off (DRM or lack thereof I believe).


jlc1978 said:
Of course, building in Apple TV will put Apple on an even greater collision course with the bandwidth providers - Apple will want them to keep big fat pipes open and low cost so apple can deliver content that in many cases will compete with theirs. Why buy many premium channels when you can rent the content for a lot less? Or gene get much of your free OTA type content for less at rental prices (or streamed legitimately from the web) and drop much of your cable subscriptions?
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Ironically the Comcast/NBC merger may have actually prevented the cable industry from protecting their pipes (though we’ll see with net neutrality in a tenuous state). Part of the agreement to allow the merger to go through required NBC to make their content available through other providers and at no extra cost or reduced quality. If they started to throttle iTunes or Hulu they could be in line for some serious fines. And with Comcast effectively forced to provide access for iTunes their competitors would be hard pressed to impede iTunes either for fear of losing customers. Doesn’t surprise me. The cable monopolies are almost as unaware of their impending irrelevance as the music industry was.
 
Slurpy2k8 said:
The posts here predictably show that you people have absolutely no imagination - yet again. Reminds me of all the negative threads when new Apple products were rumored- and subsequently released, and were massively successful.

Apple doesn't need to make massive margins if they came out with a TV. It will sell alot by default, because it is Apple. and they will use it to push their iTunes store, perhaps include an Appstore catered to TVs, and have incredible integration with their iOS and OSX products. This has potential, and is inevitable, regardless of all the naysaying here. Its amazing how Apple fansites are always the most cynical, pessimistic, and unimaginative when it comes to the company and its future. You of all people should know better.
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I think most people think with their feet on the ground, meaning having commom sense.
A television at this point in time is hardly a game changer for Apple and the industry and as I stated before makes not much sense.
Apple needs to get ATV going and that to happen the key is "content".
A television is just like a speaker is for audio, just a device that deliver it. What Apple needs to hit the nail is to create an ATV or device that has the same success of an iPod to change how we watch TV. When that happens, maybe they will make a TV set but still a very big IF.
 
Slurpy2k8 said:
Apple doesn't need to make massive margins if they came out with a TV. It will sell alot by default, because it is Apple. and they will use it to push their iTunes store, perhaps include an Appstore catered to TVs, and have incredible integration with their iOS and OSX products. This has potential, and is inevitable, regardless of all the naysaying here. Its amazing how Apple fansites are always the most cynical, pessimistic, and unimaginative when it comes to the company and its future. You of all people should know better.
Click to expand...

I don't believe people buy Apple products, just because it's Apple. It might be true for a few people but definitely not the majority. Apple could certainly do very interesting things with a television, but would it be enough to justify the almost certain high price? Besides, could an integrated solution really offer something a plug in box can't? I don't see a camera or touchscreen on a TV as practical.
 
Not gonna happen

Not. Gonna. Happen. Period.

When Apple makes a new product it's because they truly believe that they're idea is totally unique and superior, and both of those qualities have to exist. Even if they believe they can make something better than anyone else, they still won't do it unless they're idea is an all new take on that specific product, and even if they have an all new take on something, they won't do it until technology and pricing allows them to create a truly superior product.

That's the great thing about Apple that pretty much every other technology related company doesn't posses. Having the creativity and ability to come up with and execute wild new ideas, but also possessing the self control and down to earth realism to know when to wait until all the stars are aligned. For example, there's all sorts of features and great ideas they could easily implement into the iPhone, but the fact is current battery technology simply can't keep up with them. Most companies will implement them anyways because they care more about what the product looks like on paper, but Apple has the foresight to know that at the end of the day, it's more important for an end user to truly enjoy using the device than it is for the device to stand up well in on-paper comparisons.

What could they possibly have to offer if they made an HDTV? What could they bring to the table that's all new and never done before? The Apple TV is perfectly well suited for where the TV marketplace is right now, and you can very safely assume that Apple won't make a big move until all the stars are aligned.
 
David29 said:
I will tell you the first real missteps that are (is) coming. Apple will either:

  • merge tha MBP and MBA lines into one, with far less ports, or
  • they will keep the MBP line, but substitute TB for FW.

Putting TB into a MBA was no real problem, since it INCREASED the ports. But people are going to scream bloody murder when Apple decides to drop the FW port entirely.

You heard it here folks.

Apple added a bit of I/O to the MBA.

The next MBP revision will probably do away with a built-in optical drive.

They are merging the two product lines.

And I won't be surprised if FW is a casualty.
Click to expand...

LOL

Correction, nerds on message boards will predictably scream bloody murder, and Apple won't give a ****, nor should they. Just like with everything people scream bloody murder on messsageboards, especially this one, in the end its useless drama as the product goes on to become the best selling in its history, in spite of the insistence of the internet blogs and hordes that the product is doomed to certain failure. Remember the iPhone 4 screws, and all the online uproar that created? How much real world effect do you think it had? The obvious answer is absolutely nil. Most people couldn't give 2 ****s what kind of screws the iPhone had, and most won't give a **** when firewire is gone. And yes, the MBP line will also lose the optical drive. And guess what? Those 2 decisions won't be missteps. In the grand scheme of things, they will be correct decisions, and the resulting models will probably sell more than the previous, in spite of all the firebreathing ******** here. It's amazing that you people give yourselves so much importance, when it's been shown quite clearly Apple's success does not hinge on you, but by consumers who care little about the things you care about. I'm glad Apple ignores your kind, because honestly you and the people who think like you are holding them back, and want them to forever be mired in legacy ports, legacy designs, and legacy ways of thinking. Someone has to move the ball forward, and Apple's the company to do it.
 
Fenix85 said:
I don't believe people buy Apple products, just because it's Apple. It might be true for a few people but definitely not the majority. Apple could certainly do very interesting things with a television, but would it be enough to justify the almost certain high price? Besides, could an integrated solution really offer something a plug in box can't? I don't see a camera or touchscreen on a TV as practical.
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some do, they are a bit fanatical about it. im sure it would an amazing tv, but the cost would be high and consumers are used to lower hdtv prices while still getting a large screen. prices have been spiraling down for years and will continue to do so. apple knows this
 
Slurpy2k8 said:
LOL

Correction, nerds on message boards will predictably scream bloody murder, and Apple won't give a ****, nor should they. Just like with everything people scream bloody murder on messsageboards, especially this one, in the end its useless drama as the product goes on to become the best selling in its history, in spite of the insistence of the internet blogs and hordes that the product is doomed to certain failure. Remember the iPhone 4 screws, and all the online uproar that created? How much real world effect do you think it had? The obvious answer is absolutely nil. Most people couldn't give 2 ****s what kind of screws the iPhone had, and most won't give a **** when firewire is gone. And yes, the MBP line will also lose the optical drive. And guess what? Those 2 decisions won't be missteps. In the grand scheme of things, they will be correct decisions, and the resulting models will probably sell more than the previous, in spite of all the firebreathing ******** here. It's amazing that you people give yourselves so much importance, when it's been shown quite clearly Apple's success does not hinge on you, but by consumers who care little about the things you care about. I'm glad Apple ignores your kind, because honestly you and the people who think like you are holding them back, and want them to forever be mired in legacy ports, legacy designs, and legacy ways of thinking. Someone has to move the ball forward, and Apple's the company to do it.
Click to expand...

Actually, in a way you are kinda right. 90%+ of the public could care less if FW goes away.
 
Slurpy2k8 said:
The posts here predictably show that you people have absolutely no imagination - yet again. Reminds me of all the negative threads when new Apple products were rumored- and subsequently released- and were massively successful.

Apple doesn't need to make massive margins if they came out with a TV. It will sell a lot by default, because it is Apple; and they will use it to push their iTunes store, perhaps include an Appstore catered to TVs, and have incredible integration with their iOS and OSX products. This has potential and is inevitable, regardless of all the naysaying here. It's amazing how Apple fansites are always the most cynical, pessimistic, and unimaginative when it comes to the company and its future. You of all people should know better.
Click to expand...

you people?
always the most cynical, pessimistic, and unimaginative :confused:
 
utahnguy said:
Not. Gonna. Happen. Period.

When Apple makes a new product it's because they truly believe that they're idea is totally unique and superior, and both of those qualities have to exist. Even if they believe they can make something better than anyone else, they still won't do it unless they're idea is an all new take on that specific product, and even if they have an all new take on something, they won't do it until technology and pricing allows them to create a truly superior product.

That's the great thing about Apple that pretty much every other technology related company doesn't posses. Having the creativity and ability to come up with and execute wild new ideas, but also possessing the self control and down to earth realism to know when to wait until all the stars are aligned. For example, there's all sorts of features and great ideas they could easily implement into the iPhone, but the fact is current battery technology simply can't keep up with them. Most companies will implement them anyways because they care more about what the product looks like on paper, but Apple has the foresight to know that at the end of the day, it's more important for an end user to truly enjoy using the device than it is for the device to stand up well in on-paper comparisons.

What could they possibly have to offer if they made an HDTV? What could they bring to the table that's all new and never done before? The Apple TV is perfectly well suited for where the TV marketplace is right now, and you can very safely assume that Apple won't make a big move until all the stars are aligned.
Click to expand...

The same two words that would help out the AppleTV Box. APP STORE. That's it. That's why the phone and pad and pod are kickin. That's obviously their future plan. They can sell movies. They're open to including netflix and probably hulu. They don't make much from iTunes anyway. But I think they would like to bring the apps to the TV. Just like the pod and the phone, they've let the others have a go at it and have sat and watched and are planning how they can do it better. They've become a gadget company and have to keep coming up with new areas to grow the company. So I think if they're offering the same stuff as Sony and Vizio, with the internet apps (except Apple would have like 10 million of them instead of 30) then why not? They've been designing and testing the interface for years with the AppleTV. Sort of a beta program. The new AppleTV can run apps, they just don't let it. Perhaps they don't want to play their hand. Perhaps they'd rather we buy a more expensive device to play the apps. The thing might integrate with your phone and your iPad too. For that matter, it could have a retina display, although that would be meaningless for HD. But for apps? Maybe.
 
Cutting to the chase, if Apple has struck deals with the networks to start providing streaming live tv, thereby bypassing the need for a sat/cable box, maybe... The odds of that happening, not likely.
 
MacRumors said:
Apple does have their Apple TV set top box but has always downplayed its significance.
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They haven't always downplayed its significance; they only started calling it a "hobby" after the first iteration completely bombed. It just hasn't gone anywhere for so long that this is the only attitude toward the product that people seem to remember.
 
This rumor is utter garbage.

16 speaker surround sound? :rolleyes:

It will also sprout legs and clean your living room as well.
 
One thing I do not understand is, Apple operates iTunes almost at breakeven. They do not make much money. The justification is that iTunes is a way to sell devices. This was very much the argument during the iPod days. But now a lot of you are saying that they would not make money on this TV thingy but they will make it up on iTunes? Something is not right.
 
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