WSJ: Apple testing 'several' HDTV designs with Asian manufacturers

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
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.

Apple television


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.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 62


    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.

  • Reply 2 of 62
    @pedromartins: because obviously, everyone at Apple/Sharp is good and nice, and nobody at Samsung is.

    Makes perfect sense.
  • Reply 3 of 62


    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


     


     


     


     


    Time will tell.

  • Reply 4 of 62
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Saw this on the Verge with the caption: I found this in a bar :lol:

    [img]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/17662/[/img]
  • Reply 5 of 62


    Samsung parts: No.


    Sharp & Loewe: Yes


     


    Apple needs to get as far away from Samsung as possible.


    The sooner the better.


     


    Time will tell.

  • Reply 6 of 62
    What is the use of an Apple TV set when all you need is a $99 set-top box updated once a year?!?
  • Reply 7 of 62

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleSauce007 View Post


    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.

  • Reply 8 of 62
    Have patience, you'll find out
  • Reply 9 of 62
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    boxmaccary wrote: »
    What is the use of an Apple TV set when all you need is a $99 set-top box updated once a year?!?
    I doubt the $99 box will go away but people are still buying TV's.
  • Reply 10 of 62
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I'd love it if Apple had some big announcement (TV or otherwise) during the week of CES. Steal the thunder from Samsung and their Galaxy whoring. :smokey:
  • Reply 11 of 62
    TV or not time will tell.
  • Reply 12 of 62

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by thataveragejoe View Post


     


    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.


     


    image


     


    image


     



     




     


     


     


    Time will tell.

  • Reply 13 of 62
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    "It isn't a formal project yet. It is still in the early stage of testing," said one source.

    It sure sounds like a formal project to me. Perhaps they meant it isn't a formal product at this point.
  • Reply 14 of 62
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member


    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 View Post




    Apple television



     


    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. 

  • Reply 15 of 62
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleSauce007 View Post


     


    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."

  • Reply 16 of 62
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Saw this on the Verge with the caption: I found this in a bar image



     


    The "Engineering" section reveals it as an obvious fake.  Funny though.  image

  • Reply 17 of 62


    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post

    Saw this on the Verge with the caption: I found this in a bar image


     


    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 View Post

    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.

  • Reply 18 of 62
    4K Retina TV. They need something besides the interface to differentiate themselves. I doubt it will happen for the launch product though.
  • Reply 19 of 62


    Originally Posted by GadgetCanada View Post

    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.

  • Reply 20 of 62

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    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.

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