WSJ: Apple testing 'several' HDTV designs with Asian manufacturers
The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday became the latest publication to chime in on the much-rumored Apple television, saying the company's most recent efforts have focused on a collaboration with struggling Japanese electronics maker Sharp.
According to the Journal's supply chain sources, Apple has been testing "a few designs" for a large format HDTV, though the publication warns that the Cupertino, Calif., company may not actually build the device.
"It isn't a formal project yet. It is still in the early stage of testing," said one source.
Apple has reportedly been working on prototype designs for years, but the recent collaboration with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known by its trade name Foxconn, and Sharp may signal that the TV is edging closer to production.
The rumors are in line with previous reports regarding Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou's investment in Sharp's Sakai LCD plant, which netted Hon Hai a 37.6 percent stake in the facility's operator. In November, Apple too was said to have invested some $2.3 billion to keep Sharp alive as the firm is a key supplier of displays used in iDevices and other products.
In an interview with Brian Williams of NBC's Rock Center, Apple chief executive Tim Cook stoked the "iTV" fire when he was asked about the company's next big thing.
"When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years," Cook said. "It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that."
Hints of an Apple-built TV have been circulating for years, and reports have claimed inside knowledge that the final product will be anything from a full-fledged HDTV to a revolutionary set-top cloud-enabled cable box, but sources have yet to offer tangible evidence in support of their claims.
According to the Journal's supply chain sources, Apple has been testing "a few designs" for a large format HDTV, though the publication warns that the Cupertino, Calif., company may not actually build the device.
"It isn't a formal project yet. It is still in the early stage of testing," said one source.
Apple has reportedly been working on prototype designs for years, but the recent collaboration with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known by its trade name Foxconn, and Sharp may signal that the TV is edging closer to production.
The rumors are in line with previous reports regarding Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou's investment in Sharp's Sakai LCD plant, which netted Hon Hai a 37.6 percent stake in the facility's operator. In November, Apple too was said to have invested some $2.3 billion to keep Sharp alive as the firm is a key supplier of displays used in iDevices and other products.
In an interview with Brian Williams of NBC's Rock Center, Apple chief executive Tim Cook stoked the "iTV" fire when he was asked about the company's next big thing.
"When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years," Cook said. "It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that."
Hints of an Apple-built TV have been circulating for years, and reports have claimed inside knowledge that the final product will be anything from a full-fledged HDTV to a revolutionary set-top cloud-enabled cable box, but sources have yet to offer tangible evidence in support of their claims.
Comments
Meh... Apple will take Sharp's tech all for themselves or make that company stronger than ever(IGZO. And it goes both ways).
The more "sharps" out there, the worst for samsung. The worst for samsung, the best for Apple. The worst for samsung, the best for good and nice people.
Makes perfect sense.
This is starting to take shape very nicely.
Sharp owns 29% of Loewe AG, which makes high end LCD TVs for sharp.
http://markets.ft.com/research/Markets/Tearsheets/Business-profile?s=LOEX:GER
Expect some very cool physical designs with iOS software integrated.
Everything will be streamed. No more UHF / VHF antennas.
Time will tell.
[img]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/17662/[/img]
Samsung parts: No.
Sharp & Loewe: Yes
Apple needs to get as far away from Samsung as possible.
The sooner the better.
Time will tell.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleSauce007
This is starting to take shape very nicely.
Sharp owns 29% of Loewe AG, which makes high end LCD TVs for sharp.
http://markets.ft.com/research/Markets/Tearsheets/Business-profile?s=LOEX:GER
Expect some very cool physical designs with iOS software integrated.
Everything will be streamed. No more UHF / VHF antennas.
{image 1,2}
Time will tell.
Frankly those TV designs are hideous, no idea why they come up every thread, so I hope not. Apple is better than that. The speaker designs aren't that special, that's pretty much what everyone does these days. Time will tell? Thanks Cpt. Obvious.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thataveragejoe
Frankly those TV designs are hideous, no idea why they come up every thread, so I hope not. Apple is better than that. The speaker designs aren't that special, that's pretty much what everyone does these days. Time will tell? Thanks Cpt. Obvious.
Really? What is so hideous about the designs?
Take a look at http://www.loewe.tv Some of the models even resemble the new iMacs.
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think they are very cool and beautiful.
Time will tell.
It sure sounds like a formal project to me. Perhaps they meant it isn't a formal product at this point.
How many times are you people going to use this one sad image of a thunderbolt display to illustrate the TV articles?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Given the new iMacs we just saw, there is no way in hell Apple's new TV will be as chunky as this.
It's also extremely unlikely to have a pedestal or be (apparently) 20" or so in size.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleSauce007
Really? What is so hideous about the designs? ... I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think they are very cool and beautiful. ...
It's fairly obvious that *you* like them as you keep posting the pictures and links over and over again.
You post so many links to Loewe TV's I think you must own the factory.
Aside from being sort of overly gimmicky, one of the things that I don't like about these designs is that they basically take over the whole room.
Personally, I like to have a TV in my living room, not live in my "TV room."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogifan
Saw this on the Verge with the caption: I found this in a bar
The "Engineering" section reveals it as an obvious fake. Funny though.
Originally Posted by Rogifan
Saw this on the Verge with the caption: I found this in a bar
Obvious fake; an Apple executive wouldn't be able to write "Samsung" without stick figures shooting the word with crudely drawn weapons.
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
It's also extremely unlikely to have a pedestal or be (apparently) 20" or so in size.
You cannot possibly glean size from this image. I think I've said that to someone before.
Originally Posted by GadgetCanada
4K Retina TV.
SHV is retina. 4K's just big.
They need something besides the interface to differentiate themselves.
No, that's all they need.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
It's also extremely unlikely to have a pedestal or be (apparently) 20" or so in size.
Because everyone has the desire to spend the time and money to mount it on a wall... thats un-apple like because it needs to just work out of the box with very minimal setup. A stand makes that a heck of a lot easier. I would bet however, that the stand would be removable for the option to wall mount the device.