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Rumors of an Apple-branded television set were revived earlier this year by a former Apple executive, and we've long seen similar claims in the past. The frequency of these rumors, however, seems to be increasing, now with Venturebeat pointing to multiple sources suggesting the same.

Venture capitalist Stewart Alsop who sits on the board of Sonos and was an early investor in TiVo told the site that "he has heard multiple sources throughout Silicon Valley that the Apple television project is underway."

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster also cites component suppliers as well as an internal Apple source to suggest the same -- that Apple is planning on launching a television in the 2012/2013 timeframe. Munster isn't the only analyst who has predicted an Apple television, and we've heard whispers from others.

It seems that momentum is picking up for rumors that Apple is heading into the television marketplace. Yet as recently as 2010, now Apple CEO Tim Cook had said that Apple had no interest in the TV market, but did feel there is "something there" to the Apple TV, Apple's $99 set-top-box. Later that year, Steve Jobs had also outlined the challenges of infiltrating the television industry.

Jobs, of course, had also denied that Apple had any interest in producing an Apple cell phone back in 2003, four years prior to the launch of the original iPhone.

Article Link: Multiple Sources Suggest Apple Working on Television for as Early as 2012
 
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cmaier

Suspended
Jul 25, 2007
25,405
33,473
California
So what's the point? Just integrating an Apple TV in a TV? Given the rate of change of technology, I prefer my TV to just be a dumb display - it's easy enough to swap $99 external boxes as technology improves, and a lot harder to replace 50+" TV's every couple years.
 

iDuel

macrumors 6502a
Jul 20, 2011
775
97
Greece/USA
As pretty as they may look, it still probably won't be as competitively priced with other brands with the same technology.
 

SilianRail

macrumors 6502
Feb 24, 2011
352
56
This is idiotic. They're getting down in the dirt in a commodity business and their software advantage will be minimal. TVs are already simple enough to use.
 

Roy G Biv

macrumors 6502
Dec 26, 2010
362
104
Make a beautiful, 32" aluminum TV. Integrate it with Apple TV and an app store. Sell it for $999.

Who would buy that? Millions.

Apple thrives in low-margin industries by differentiating and selling at a premium.
 

Aldaris

macrumors 68000
Sep 7, 2004
1,790
1,247
Salt Lake
So what's the point? Just integrating an Apple TV in a TV? Given the rate of change of technology, I prefer my TV to just be a dumb display - it's easy enough to swap $99 external boxes as technology improves, and a lot harder to replace 50+" TV's every couple years.

Fully agree! I love the thought of iOS and all it has to offer to the TV, especially with AirPlay! I love it! but I love my Samsung televisions too. (At this point they are really just displays for AppleTV and Dexter when the new season starts.)
 

Portal83

macrumors regular
Jun 1, 2009
110
0
Meh. I can't see Apple getting into the TV business just for the hell of it. If/when they do, they'd have to offer something that provides a compelling advantage to other TVs and fits in with their larger business model. A TV with a built-in Apple TV won't cut it.
 

Yamcha

macrumors 68000
Mar 6, 2008
1,843
210
If they are competitively priced then I think people may consider buying one, but honestly I think there are a lot great brands for televisions out there, and I don't see how Apple could do well in this market, I think people in general have trust for certain brands, as an example : Samsung, or Sony.. etc.. Where as most people know your not going to get the best with a Visio :p.. The same thing applies to Apple imo.. because they are new in the market..

But we'll see I guess..
 

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
16,366
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So what's the point? Just integrating an Apple TV in a TV? Given the rate of change of technology, I prefer my TV to just be a dumb display - it's easy enough to swap $99 external boxes as technology improves, and a lot harder to replace 50+" TV's every couple years.

Everyone thought an iPhone was going to be an iPod in a phone.

arn
 

Cynicalone

macrumors 68040
Jul 9, 2008
3,212
0
Okie land
I just don't understand why they would want to do this.

I rarely watch TV shows on a TV.

How often do people actually upgrade there TV's?
 

Peace

Cancelled
Apr 1, 2005
19,546
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Space The Only Frontier
Meh. I can't see Apple getting into the TV business just for the hell of it. If/when they do, they'd have to offer something that provides a compelling advantage to other TVs and fits in with their larger business model. A TV with a built-in Apple TV won't cut it.

There won't be a "built-in AppleTV". Think outside the box. If Apple makes a television set there won't be a need for an Apple TV.

I currently have two Vizio smart televisions with WiFi and built-in internet apps plus an external port that can store SD cards that hold up to 64GB of data.

Put IOS 6.0 on that television and there is a LOT of potential.

Layers that have gaming,audio/video libraries and networking with Apple products would be a great product that could be updated any time without adding any hardware to the television.
 
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PstLMac

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Jun 9, 2009
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I wld guess New TV w/ Apple TV + Face Time and subscribed AT&T account. Don't you think Apple is really trying to push the live face to face communication? Make a call to Grandma from the couch...while watching Air Play or share home video.
 

Paul7

macrumors newbie
Jan 19, 2009
20
0
I think four years ago, Apple really *wasn't* working on a phone. Remember, they were working on the iPad first. The iPhone came as a result of that. So it's very possible that in fact, Apple really doesn't think they can make a TV right now when Cook made his comment but that could change in the future.
 

sittnick

macrumors member
Jan 9, 2008
86
37
Progression

Since the iPad was considered to be a 10" version of an iPhone by top pundits and David Letterman, maybe we should think of the Apple Television as a really, really big iPad!
 

h0mi

macrumors member
Mar 4, 2007
91
0
A TV would be stupid. Yeah, ios6 on a tv would be nice but if it can't be updated to ios7, then what? A $100 box is easier to update than a $500 or more tv.
 

inlovewithi

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2009
615
0
It's a great idea, they should charge an insane amount for them. They're grantee to sell a lot of them. It's all about the logo. Like a collectors item.
 

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,344
3,394
Everyone thought an iPhone was going to be an iPod in a phone.

arn


Er, except an iPod and iPhone are similar sized. The difference in size between my 60" Plasma TV and my Apple TV2 is a little bit more noticeable.
 

pmz

macrumors 68000
Nov 18, 2009
1,949
0
NJ
Everyone thought an iPhone was going to be an iPod in a phone.

arn

Obviously you don't get it. There is no need for Apple to commandeer the dumb display, just to pack inside of it this years latest technology. They can easily do that with a small box over hdmi....oh wait, they already do!!

What could possibly be offered besides built in FaceTime cam (worthless), that cant be offered through an hdmi box? Absolutely nothing, which is why this rumor is a joke.

----------

Take the components of that apple tv 2 and spread them out over the inside of that 60" plasma and see what you get.

;)

What you get is overpriced nonsense that can't be upgraded year to year.
 
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