Analyst says Apple working on 'Smart TV' prototype in bid for living room

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  • Reply 41 of 131
    thomprthompr Posts: 1,521member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post




    Agreed. This rumor doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Steve Jobs has already talked about why Apple isn't getting into this game anytime soon. In fact, the least of the problems is the margin on the hardware. The real issue is the business model the cable industry uses. They are giving away free hardware or renting it on a monthly basis in addition to the television packages. Apple doesn't see a way to make money in this market, which is why the Apple TV is marketed as a gadget/cool toy/hobby. Even building an Apple TV with DVR and all other functions doesn't make sense, because one still needs the cable box. These companies (Comcast, Verizon, etc.) have already invested tens of millions in the infrastructure that maintains and supports the hardware. They're not going to give up that model easily.




    I interpreted Steve's explanation of challenges to Apple TV a little differently. In my view, he was explaining the problem with selling yet another set-top box. How do you make money when Comcast has a competing product that they fully subsidize? But Steve NEVER said it wouldn't be good to actually sell a TV. In fact, if one could design the TV correctly, it could make it easier and more fun to manage the multiple input sources that currently give some people fits. I see opportunity there, but not nearly so much in the set-top box



    Thompson
  • Reply 42 of 131
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by myapplelove View Post


    with airplay now every tv is an apple tv and it costs almost zero (well $4) for manufacturers to add airplay in.



    Present tense?
  • Reply 43 of 131
    thomprthompr Posts: 1,521member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MyopiaRocks View Post


    TVs are a low-margin business, like printers and scanners.



    So were cell phones until iPhone came out. I believe that our current entertainment center systems are completely fouled up, and if anyone knows how to reinvent the situation, it's Apple. And it's totally possible that they need to take control of the screen in order to get it done right.



    Thompson
  • Reply 44 of 131
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Apple may do this, but this is a situation where licencing makes a whole lot of sense. Licence Airplay, allow games to be played over airplay and job done.
  • Reply 45 of 131
    hal 9000hal 9000 Posts: 101member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by thompr View Post


    So were cell phones until iPhone came out. I believe that our current entertainment center systems are completely fouled up, and if anyone knows how to reinvent the situation, it's Apple. And it's totally possible that they need to take control of the screen in order to get it done right.



    Thompson



    Apple already tried selling printers, webcams, cameras, etc. in the 1990´s. I don´t see them making the same mistake again with TVs.
  • Reply 46 of 131
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post


    It could evolve to include your Internet Router, ATV, TimeMachine, DVR, iTunes Media Server, etc.



    If we rule out Apple buying a major network or doing some serious negotiations for video/tv streaming rights, this is probably the single most disruptive thing they could do.



    Unfortunately it's going to be different in different markets with the different satellite/cable/terrestrial delivery systems and pay/freeview configurations.



    At the end of the say the functionality is the same. A network PVR server and re-broadcaster... pretty much DVBLink in a cheap iOS box.



    It certainly adds another dimension to the fabled iHub/iCenter/iHome/iCentral/iMesh. The list I have now...
    • Small, cheap device (iOS maybe, SoC ARM almost certainly)

    • Built in memory but possible HDD for larger libraries

    • iTunes server for iDevices on the network. Movies, TV, music etc. Both purchased and personal libraries. This fits in with iOS 4.3 Home Sharing.

    • OTA iDevice synchronisation for multiple devices. Backups, OS upgrades, purchases etc. Basically you need to be able to have a house with iDevices and no PC.

    • Mobile Me backup/synchronization. Personal documents, video, music, pictures etc should be backed up to your Mobile Me account by the iHub.

    • Shared TimeMachine

    • Ability to offload background processing (I'm yet to convince myself "mainstream" users would understand this one) like app downloads and updates and uploads of large chunks of data (like long YouTube videos or photo albums)

    • Network TV re-broadcasting. Basically DVBLink.

  • Reply 47 of 131
    myapplelovemyapplelove Posts: 1,515member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Present tense?



    well yeah, you can get an atv for $100
  • Reply 48 of 131
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post


    I agree!



    ...Scheiße



    .



    I surrender!
  • Reply 49 of 131
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    I don't see how Apple wouldn't make a TV. With all the products it makes now, making a TV would be a piece of cake. To grow, it needs to either expand sales of existing products or with new products. An Apple TV would fit well in the Apple Store.



    Further, with an Apple TV, Apple would likely marry the Apple TV box tot he TV itself. That results in less clutter. The design would likely be great. I would buy one. Jobs has also said the company he admired the most growing up was Sony.



    I am betting the TV is coming. Rumors of Apple back lit keyboards started surfacing about two years before the product was released.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by replicant View Post


    Sounds like more fallacies to increase the stock price.

    Perhaps it is because I am not an analyst but I do not see how an Apple branded TV could see ever the light of day. Seriously, it is getting old.



  • Reply 50 of 131
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    So are we talking about an actual television here? Like a Cinema Display - but bigger - with an Apple TV built in?



    I thought the consensus was that there isn't enough margin in TV's to make it something Apple would do... or is the idea to sell the screen low margin like other TV's and then profit from the extra iTunes movie/TV sales?



    There will be 2 products:

    The AppleTV for $99

    The AppleTV Extreme for $999



    The Apple TV Extreme will be an approximately 40" TV with a modular slots in the back where you can plug in an AppleTV and an Airport Extreme(optional). This allows the AppleTV Extreme to be upgraded as new AppleTVs come out for only $99. The Apple TV Extreme will also feature a FaceTime HD camera.
  • Reply 51 of 131
    replicantreplicant Posts: 121member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by myapplelove View Post


    with airplay now every tv is an apple tv and it costs almost zero (well $4) for manufacturers to add airplay in. I predict that within a year most will. And that airplay will evolve.



    Interesting. I like the idea personally but I doubt that a top tier TV manufacturer like Samsung or Sony will be licensing Apple's Airplay.
  • Reply 52 of 131
    thomprthompr Posts: 1,521member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hal 9000 View Post


    Apple already tried selling printers, webcams, cameras, etc. in the 1990´s. I don´t see them making the same mistake again with TVs.



    I don't see TVs as analogous to printers, webcams, or cameras, so I don't appreciate your conclusion. I see them as potentially much more than just an endpoint like those other devices (front or back). Their central role in entertainment and media, combined with their (currently) sub-optimal user interface make them great candidates for an Apple makeover.



    :-)



    Thompson
  • Reply 53 of 131
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by IQatEdo View Post


    To present and future trolls out there and just so that in 5 years time we are clear about this, yes, we are well aware that the TV existed before Apple TV, just as did mobile phones, portable music players and tablet computers. \



    Haha...



    Great disclaimer.
  • Reply 54 of 131
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella View Post


    There will be 2 products:

    The AppleTV for $99

    The AppleTV Extreme for $999



    The Apple TV Extreme will be an approximately 40" TV with a modular slots in the back where you can plug in an AppleTV and an Airport Extreme(optional). This allows the AppleTV Extreme to be upgraded as new AppleTVs come out for only $99. The Apple TV Extreme will also feature a FaceTime HD camera.



    Oh, there is one more thing...Photo booth!
  • Reply 55 of 131
    jr_bjr_b Posts: 64member
    I would like to see Apple launch an Internet company to compete with the bozo companies already out there. I would like to see them purchase Tivo. I haven't used Tivo since the first edition came out, but it was the best then. DirecTV DVR stinks. I've used FIOS DVR and Dish and they stink as well. I can't imagine Apple introducing a TV as it would be too expensive for most.
  • Reply 56 of 131
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella View Post


    Oh, there is one more thing...Photo booth!



    On a serious note. I predict the AppleTV Extreme will have lots of magnets inside.
  • Reply 57 of 131
    I don't want a TV smarter than I am. Makes me feel insecure.
  • Reply 58 of 131
    replicantreplicant Posts: 121member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TBell View Post


    I don't see how Apple wouldn't make a TV. With all the products it makes now, making a TV would be a piece of cake. To grow, it needs to either expand sales of existing products or with new products. An Apple TV would fit well in the Apple Store.



    Further, with an Apple TV, Apple would likely marry the Apple TV box tot he TV itself. That results in less clutter. The design would likely be great. I would buy one. Jobs has also said the company he admired the most growing up was Sony.



    I am betting the TV is coming. Rumors of Apple back lit keyboards started surfacing about two years before the product was released.



    As many have said here, building a TV is a low margin, commoditized business. Have you noticed that "Premium" TV brands are not the best sellers (especially in times of recession). Unless they can offer something radically different, I will agree with most people here and say that Apple will most certainly not rebrand a Samsung panel with an Apple TV chip inside. Would you exchange your current TV for such a product for the cost of a new TV (plus "Apple tax") or simply purchase an AppleTV box? Most people would choose option B.



    Someone mentioned licensing AirPlay. I think that would be smart if they can get the TV manufacturers to go along.
  • Reply 59 of 131
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sheff View Post


    I still don't understand why this space isnt exploding outside the geeky crowd like everything else did.



    As far as I understand because of the mess TV and movies are in behind the scenes no-one, at the moment, can create a perfect solution.



    Your ISP, cable company and the networks (increasing they are the same company) don't want their respective businesses to become comodatized - if they lose you as a customer and start selling their products to Apple (essentially a middle man) who adds features and onsells to you they will lose all of their leverage.
  • Reply 60 of 131
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by asdasd View Post


    Apple may do this, but this is a situation where licencing makes a whole lot of sense. Licence Airplay, allow games to be played over airplay and job done.



    Job done? Funny.
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