NYT: Apple expected to release Siri-powered television by 2013
Apple has reportedly been at work on a full-fledged high-definition television set for years, but the company's recent launch of Siri for the iPhone 4S is believed to be one of the final puzzle pieces necessary for Apple to launch its own TV.
Executives at Apple knew as far back as 2007 that the company planned to eventually build its own television set, sources told Nick Bilton at The New York Times. Jobs had reportedly been pushing engineers at Apple for years to develop a new interface for living room TVs.
Apple's internal goal is said to have been simplifying the way users interact with a TV, and to replace the "awkward and confusing remote control." While early concepts included using a wireless keyboard, iPhone or iPad as a remote, the best solution said to have been discovered was voice commands through Siri.
Jobs hinted at the new user interface in his authorized biography released this week. In it, Jobs told author Walter Isaacson that he had "finally cracked" the secret to building an easy-to-use television set, and said it would have "the simplest user interface you could imagine."
Bilton first heard of a possible Apple television set over a year ago, but sources at the company reportedly told him that nothing was being actively built at the time. However, one source said that a full-fledged Apple TV set was a "guaranteed product," as Jobs apparently felt the TV hardware business "is totally broken."
The article states that Apple has "quite a bit of work" left to do on the project, as the company does not have as much expertise in building thin television sets as it does iPhones, iPods and MacBooks.
"The company also needs to wait until the cost of large displays falls," it reads. "Although some 42-inch LCD televisions from mainstream consumer electronics companies can cost as little as $500, the Apple television would include computer electronics and other technology that may make the price uncompetitive."
He sees Apple announcing a product by late 2012, with a potential final release to consumers by 2013. The piece concludes by asserting that a television set is definitely "coming."
Talk of an Apple television set has picked up considerably since the release of Jobs's biography. On Tuesday, analyst Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee said that while Jobs was "very excited" about the prospect of a true Apple TV, the project remains held up by content licensing deals that the company feels are necessary to release a competitive product.
In 2009, Apple was said to have pitched a $30-per-month iTunes subscription plan to content providers, but the company was unable to ink any deals with content providers. The company instead decided to rent individual TV show episodes for 99 cents, but that model was abandoned after it failed to catch on with consumers and content providers were reluctant to jump on board.
On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Jeff Robin, an Apple vice president who helped to build both iTunes and the iPod, is spearheading the company's efforts to produce a connected TV. Such a device is expected to have integrated search functionality that will allow users to seamlessly find their content from a number of locations, including iTunes, Netflix or a cable subscription.
Executives at Apple knew as far back as 2007 that the company planned to eventually build its own television set, sources told Nick Bilton at The New York Times. Jobs had reportedly been pushing engineers at Apple for years to develop a new interface for living room TVs.
Apple's internal goal is said to have been simplifying the way users interact with a TV, and to replace the "awkward and confusing remote control." While early concepts included using a wireless keyboard, iPhone or iPad as a remote, the best solution said to have been discovered was voice commands through Siri.
Jobs hinted at the new user interface in his authorized biography released this week. In it, Jobs told author Walter Isaacson that he had "finally cracked" the secret to building an easy-to-use television set, and said it would have "the simplest user interface you could imagine."
Bilton first heard of a possible Apple television set over a year ago, but sources at the company reportedly told him that nothing was being actively built at the time. However, one source said that a full-fledged Apple TV set was a "guaranteed product," as Jobs apparently felt the TV hardware business "is totally broken."
The article states that Apple has "quite a bit of work" left to do on the project, as the company does not have as much expertise in building thin television sets as it does iPhones, iPods and MacBooks.
"The company also needs to wait until the cost of large displays falls," it reads. "Although some 42-inch LCD televisions from mainstream consumer electronics companies can cost as little as $500, the Apple television would include computer electronics and other technology that may make the price uncompetitive."
He sees Apple announcing a product by late 2012, with a potential final release to consumers by 2013. The piece concludes by asserting that a television set is definitely "coming."
Talk of an Apple television set has picked up considerably since the release of Jobs's biography. On Tuesday, analyst Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee said that while Jobs was "very excited" about the prospect of a true Apple TV, the project remains held up by content licensing deals that the company feels are necessary to release a competitive product.
In 2009, Apple was said to have pitched a $30-per-month iTunes subscription plan to content providers, but the company was unable to ink any deals with content providers. The company instead decided to rent individual TV show episodes for 99 cents, but that model was abandoned after it failed to catch on with consumers and content providers were reluctant to jump on board.
On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Jeff Robin, an Apple vice president who helped to build both iTunes and the iPod, is spearheading the company's efforts to produce a connected TV. Such a device is expected to have integrated search functionality that will allow users to seamlessly find their content from a number of locations, including iTunes, Netflix or a cable subscription.
Comments
Apple has reportedly been at work on a full-fledged high-definition television set for years
Well ya don'y say
Apple has reportedly been at work on a full-fledged high-definition television set for years, but the company's recent launch of Siri for the iPhone 4S is believed to be one of the final puzzle pieces necessary for Apple to launch its own TV.
On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Jeff Robin, an Apple vice president who helped to build both iTunes and the iPod, is spearheading the company's efforts to produce a connected TV. Such a device is expected to have integrated search functionality that will allow users to seamlessly find their content from a number of locations, including iTunes, Netflix or a cable subscription.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Apple has never been any good at search.
I predict that this will be a regular TV with Siri functionality built-in via a search app. And it will have the ability to buy stuff from Apple.
I hope that it will be more.
Perhaps it's because we're English and not American, but it's accuracy was only around 50%. it produced amusing results, but it's really limited to toy value for now. The thought of trying to control a TV solely using voice commands is not in the least bit appealing. I think I'll stick with my TiVo.
I've tried talking to my Xbox with Kinect, and it's inability to recognise pretty much anything makes it 100% useless. I've also played around with Siri on my wife's iPhone 4S and the results are.... to be frank, garbage.
Perhaps it's because we're English and not American, but it's accuracy was only around 50%. it produced amusing results, but it's really limited to toy value for now. The thought of trying to control a TV solely using voice commands is not in the least bit appealing. I think I'll stick with my TiVo.
This is the big reason Apple stayed with Nuance for siri instead of trying to roll their own or go with someone else, IMO. Understanding what you are saying is critical and no one does it better than Nuance. The other side, understanding what you mean, is perhaps something Apple added to the process. I could imagine a similar collaboration for a TV/Home Entertainment product.
Apple has never been any good at search.
Except for Spotlight, the best OS search ever made and Mail's new search, the best mail search ever made.
my kid yelling: "gogglenAdfnd!"
This will never work.
I consider my TV to be nothing other than a large monitor. I get inputs from a cable box, PS3 and an Apple TV. I can add new inputs, or remove old ones.
So why would I want to buy a new TV when all the inputs are the same? I seriously doubt Apple can make a display that's "better enough" to make me replace my existing one.
For that matter, what it is the Apple TV doesn't have now? Live channels, and *all* content. That's it.
Those two issues have nothing to do with hardware and everything to do with licensing. If Apple signed deals with every major player to stream to you, it could be in my Apple TV the next day with a software update.
So why would I buy a new TV to get *that*? Well, I wouldn't.
Simply put, I don't believe this rumour for a second.
I've tried talking to my Xbox with Kinect, and it's inability to recognise pretty much anything makes it 100% useless. I've also played around with Siri on my wife's iPhone 4S and the results are.... to be frank, garbage.
Perhaps it's because we're English and not American, but it's accuracy was only around 50%. it produced amusing results, but it's really limited to toy value for now. The thought of trying to control a TV solely using voice commands is not in the least bit appealing. I think I'll stick with my TiVo.
Did you switch the language over to UK?
"Siri, tell me when House is on"
"Here are the next times for House..."
"DVR House at 4 PM."
"Recording set."
"Watch House season 3 episode 2."
"You don't have a copy of that, shall I purchase from iTunes?"
"Yes"
"Downloading. Ready to watch."
All you need is handheld microphone, and some filtration that blocks out background noise.
TV commercial: "Try the new banana scented OxiClean! Buy two and get one free within the next ten minutes!"
Siri: "I don't understand 'oxygen clean'. Should I search for this in a web browser?"
me: "television, find…"
my kid yelling: "gogglenAdfnd!"
This will never work.
Right- you start yelling at the TV once the loud commercials come on, get frustrated, then throw it out the window!
I would like to see Apple produce a TV just to see what they come out with. I wouldn't buy one though. I already have an plasma HDTV which has excellent picture quality.
Samsung?
All you need is handheld microphone, and some filtration that blocks out background noise.
What if you have home theater system and you have the sound up watching Transformers? Might be tough to filter out the noise. Maybe go downstairs where it is more quiet.
"Keep the house at 68 degrees until 6 am. Then take it to 70."
"Lock all doors"
In addition I see the content delivery changing. Siri is a feature, it doesn't reshape how we get our content. For that Apple will need to get deals with content providers. That's the hang up.
Samsung?
Panasonic.