Foxconn Accelerating Sharp LCD Panel Orders to Launch Apple Television for Holiday Season?

[Ryth]

How forward looking, but I'm guessing that Apple will be a bit more conservative with an opening bid of 720p

You might be the first person to hit -100 votes with this comment.

If you seriously think this, I have a bridge to sell you. Nevermind the fact that the Apple TV box is 1080P now...

Apple 'pushes' the envelope and forces others to follow. The set is going to have a display that is amazing.

 

[mjtomlin]

I still maintain that Apple has no cause to get into the very saturated television market. There's no way Apple can compete with existing sets pricewise, plus there's nothing they can do with their own brand television that they couldn't do with an add-on box like the AppleTV.

What about screen size? Are they going to have different options for different needs? We know how Apple has been historically about options, and you can't enter the television market with just one or two sizes available and expect to make everyone happy.

Apple usually doesn't compete on price anyway, they compete on integration and user experience. A simple add-on box like the current AppleTV can't act as hub for all the other components of your entertainment system. A TV is the main interface to all (most of) those other boxes. Some of those boxes can already be controlled by apps on iOS devices. If Apple were to release a TV powered by iOS, they could work with component / set top box manufacturers and build better apps / interfaces for controlling those devices.

Why couldn't Apple just build two or three different size models? Apple usually doesn't enter markets to try and make everyone happy. They design and build a really good product that initially only appeal to a small fraction of people, then build out a line of devices from there.

I totally agree. Also, how will you feel if you pay premium prices for an Apple TV only to have Apple tell you 2 years later than it's new operating system will not run on your still perfectly functioning TV and you will need to replace the TV. The smaller Apple "box" makes so much more sense and could be upgraded regularly without too much grumbling

This is logic I never understood... If it's still perfectly functioning, why would you need to upgrade it? Support for the original AppleTV was dropped a few years ago and yet I continue to use mine every day. Sure it doesn't run all the latest and greatest features of the newer devices, but it STILL works.

 

[Asclepio]

a retina display for crappy quality itunes videos, wow

 

[Ryth]

I totally agree. Also, how will you feel if you pay premium prices for an Apple TV only to have Apple tell you 2 years later than it's new operating system will not run on your still perfectly functioning TV and you will need to replace the TV. The smaller Apple "box" makes so much more sense and could be upgraded regularly without too much grumbling

I'm guessing that people would make rude suggestions about how Apple could recycle their old TV

Do you think Apple has not 'addressed' this 'MAJOR' issue.

They know TVs are not a '2 year' life span device like an iPhone or iPad is.

Most likely, the Apple Display/TV is going to come with something you can 'swap out' in terms of it's core guts/memory/etc...possibly an Apple TV inside an Apple TV. The 'display' itself will be long term. The 'guts' upgradable.

 

[blackhand1001]

True,can't beat those black levels on the pioneer but it's close to 9 years old now. Maybe the tv will bring a retina display

Just buy a panasonic plasma and call it a day.

 

[ristlin]

Haven't had cable TV for five years. Plan on keeping it that way.

 

[Ryth]

Haven't had cable TV for five years. Plan on keeping it that way.

You don't need cable TV to still have a TV and use it for DVD/BLU-RAY/HDMI/STREAMING/ETC up to it.

 

[Randomoneh]

I hope one of the future Apple TV sets (4rth, 5th gen.) will follow this chart.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

TV's are obsolete, and the entire content delivery model is failing, according to every industry survey and analyst and even the CEOs of the major networks.

Apple should be ready, but wait patiently for it to finish itself off first before replacing it with their own start-to-finish solution.

"TV" should just be an app on your iMac or iPad, full screen or Picture-In-Picture. Apple shouldn't even need to build any new hardware into an iMac, but convert the "channels" on their side, & stream over the net to your device.

...but there's never been anything on tv so important I had to see it at that moment. I'll continue to get my video via Netflix, Vimeo, YouTube & TPB.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

You might be the first person to hit -100 votes with this comment.

If you seriously think this, I have a bridge to sell you. Nevermind the fact that the Apple TV box is 1080P now...

Apple 'pushes' the envelope and forces others to follow. The set is going to have a display that is amazing.

nah... I'm pretty sure this person will hold the record on negative votes for quite some time

 

[Anthony0224]

Which TV would Apple have to beat in order to be number 1?

Sharp and Samsung! Sharp is the leader in large televisions (They just released a new 90", yes 90, LCD television 3 days ago) and Samsung has the new "Smart TV" which is extremely crisp, has a beautifui GUI, and is in my opinon one of the best TVs on the market right now.

The one way apple could really redefine television is definition. I don't expect another 10 million pixels, but something just one step beyond 1080p to make the pixels "indistinguishable" from normal viewing distance. I don't think 1080p acheives this in my opinion, and if they did that all the other televisions would have no choice but to follow.

 

[Kimbie]

I think this will be a ninche product.

I have an LG 1080p 50" plasma that I paid £450 for from retail, the screen on it is amazing, what on earth would convince me to cough up 2 or 3 times the price for an Apple TV?

It will more than likely be a 1080p TV, with maybe appletv built in, well I have a XBMC box hooked so which is far better than the appletv.

It is unlikely it will be a 4K TV as we are years from that being a domestic format for TV, hell most cable content is sent at 720p or at best 1080i making little difference.

Kimbie

 

[doelcm82]

And you think that Apple will be able to negotiate a price cut from the cable companies based on what leverage?

So lets see how this goes down.

Apple: Your current customers send you $120 per month for their channels only some of them they want. Our proposal is that you allow them to pick channels, you "fairly" price those channels. And the vast majority of your customers start sending you significantly less than $120 a month.

Cable Company: So you are suggesting I give up most of my profit.

Apple: But your customers will like you more and they will buy my TVs.

Cable Company: Not interested.

Apple: But some customers will sign up for a package of cheap channels who aren't already your customer.

Cable Company: I basically have a near monopoly in the areas I serve and me and the other cable companies currently have about 70% of American households as customers. 10% of American households are super broke and will never be able to buy anyting. So even if you delivered the ENTIRE remaining 20%, you wouldn't increase my customer base enough to cover any significant decrease in the monthly payments I get. I think this conversation is over. Call me when you have a proposal that involves my customers sending me MORE money each month. Then we can talk.

If the ATV rumors are correct then this has already gone down. Apple gave the cable companies a chance to preserve some of their profit, and the cable company said, "Thanks, but no thanks, our business model is good and our customers know they really have no choice."

Next Apple went to the content providers themselves, and said "Our product will let consumers choose what they want to watch, and because they will be paying only for what they watch they will be willing to pay more a la carte for the programming. Some customers will pay more than they currently do, and some will pay less. Your profit will remain the same at first, but our pricing model will allow you to charge more for popular (and expensive) shows by labeling them as 'premium', so in the long run you will make more. And we will make more. The only people who will make less are the cable companies, and we don't care about them since they told us to take a hike."

 

[jasheeky]

Unless it has full array led with local dimming or a better tech, I will not be replacing my xbr.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

"Our product will let consumers choose what they want to watch, and because they will be paying only for what they watch they will be willing to pay more a la carte for the programming. Some customers will pay more than they currently do, and some will pay less.

What throws a wrench in this is sports. Covering sports is so expensive that it's most of what you're paying for in your cable package. Even if you never watch it, you'll get ESPN, because it requires such a disproportionately huge subscriber base to subsidize it.

A la carte means bye bye ESPNs. ...something Disney's not going to appreciate...

Still, that day is coming...

 

[kiljoy616]

Strange

From what I have notice at least with my local Apple store is they are still using Pioneer Plasma TV which of course looks incredible, plasma rocks in my book.

I find it hard to believe Apple is bringing out a TV considering the exquisite 60 inch tv you get right now for 1500 or less dollars. AppleTV is not so great that I would move away from something like a Samsung PN60E550 60-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Slim Plasma HDTV which is incredible for gaming and blu-ray.

If Apple bring out a 42 I am going to lol for a week. Now that would really be more in the realm of religious zealot than fandom to pay premium price for something with limited value. Now a 4K 60 inch plasma I could see having some merit but its going to have to be the greatest iOS implementation of all time. AppleTV right now is a joke, functional YES but what I would call Apple level NO.

Now lets all fantasize on vaporware.

 

[rmwebs]

4K pleeeeaaaasssseeee.
If apple could offer that kind of resolution in their tv set, even at a premium, it would be amazing.

Whats the point when no content is available to take advantage of it?

 

[topmounter]

ATTN Apple

I don't need, nor want a new television, my 42" 1080p panel w/ HDMI connected AppleTV is working just fine and will continue to work just fine for quite a few more years (my first 26" LCD HDTV, which is nearly ten years old now, is also still working just fine and doing kitchen duty).

What I do want (and arguably need) is an updated iMac.

 

[kiljoy616]

Need some new mockups, that picture is getting boring on every apple tv set story.

Maybe its because its mostly vaporware. No new pics of anything people can imagine it could look like. Remember Apple dropped this new interface from 5 years back that Steve said NO.

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Whats the point when no content is available to take advantage of it?

There is actual content and hardware has to come before content anyway, that is how the beast works. Now that you will need some massive bandwidth to download 4K is another story that is not happening for me any time soon in the state I live. Have to move back to Cali to even get the kind of bandwidth.

I love you Cali

 

[rmwebs]

I can only hope Apple dont do something stupid, like lock this TV down to only accepting content purchased (or streamed) through their network. It needs to have a LOT of flexibility (e.g multiple HDMI, audio in/out, digital audio, VGA in, terrestrial (and built in DVB-T/DVB-T2 for Europe & Australia), support for 3rd party encrypted content (decoder cards), etc.

On top of that, people wont pay the kind of price Apple charges for their displays when you can pick up a 42" 'Smart TV' for $600.

 

[Ryth]

TV's are obsolete, and the entire content delivery model is failing, according to every industry survey and analyst and even the CEOs of the major networks.

Apple should be ready, but wait patiently for it to finish itself off first before replacing it with their own start-to-finish solution.

"TV" should just be an app on your iMac or iPad, full screen or Picture-In-Picture. Apple shouldn't even need to build any new hardware into an iMac, but convert the "channels" on their side, & stream over the net to your device.

...but there's never been anything on tv so important I had to see it at that moment. I'll continue to get my video via Netflix, Vimeo, YouTube & TPB.

TVs are not 'obsolete'...the delivery model is.

The 'display' will always be the viewing device in the living room. How you get 'content' to it will be your decision.

 

[rmwebs]

There is actual content and hardware has to come before content anyway, that is how the beast works. Now that you will need some massive bandwidth to download 4K is another story that is not happening for me any time soon in the state I live. Have to move back to Cali to even get the kind of bandwidth.

I love you Cali

I do know what you mean, but at this point nothing is being made (or even planned to be made) at such a high resolution. It'd be like putting a Retina display on a Windows XP PC - there would be nothing to take advantage of it.

Maybe in 2 or 3 years time we'll start seeing it, but its really not feasible and would bump the price up to the point where people just wont bother. Also, like you said, bandwidth would be an issue. The average internet speed in theUS is just over 5Mb/s - thats pretty slow and will cause problems doing 1080p let alone 4k.

 

[kiljoy616]

Would 4K be amazing? I haven't seen one of those in person. But isn't standard HD pretty much "retina" level display once you settle into a couch ten feet from the TV? I guess not once you get once of the big TVs. But it certainly must be real close.

I will be curious to see what happens. But I also think that current generation of Apple TV can handle most of the control stuff that I would want it to just with a little extra programming and Apps for my iPhone and iPad. I'm already pushing more and more stuff up and off my iOS devices onto my TV. Programming should allow me to do more and more of that. No new hardware needed.

Yes you are correct as others have stated, now for a 60 inch for people only 5 feet away it could or not be something worth doing. But the amount of people who like to sit near their tv with surround sound is a minority.

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I hope one of the future Apple TV sets (4rth, 5th gen.) will follow this chart.

Dam so I need 16K by this chart, oh my love to see the size of that blu-ray?

 

[Gravity]

predictions & hopes for an Apple TV

I'm thinking the new Apple TV would be incredibly thin... with zero bezel (edge-to-edge picture).

I'm hoping they do something incredibly sexy with it... like a WHITE SCREEN when the power is off. That would be frickin' hot.

 

[Piggie]

Apple 'pushes' the envelope and forces others to follow. The set is going to have a display that is amazing.

Yes, well Apple has finally managed to catch up and get USB3 into some of it's products and finally managed to get to 1080p after everyone else, and Steve Jobs saying 720p was good enough anyway.

And how long did they have a mouse with only 1 button?

Yes, leading the way