Apple rumored to be working on iOS-powered HDTVs for late 2011

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
A new rumor claims Apple is readying an iOS-powered connected TV, possibly for release as early as this fall.



A former Apple executive, speaking anonymously, said the company plans to "blow Netflix and all those other guys away" by bundling Apple TV + iTunes inside a physical display, DailyTech reports. Apple is reportedly teaming up with a major supplier to provide the rebranded television sets, the source noted.



When questioned why an OEM would cut into its sales by providing Apple with units, the source said, "If you have to be competing with somebody, you want to be competing with yourself."



The tipster indicated a planned fall launch, while noting that the product could get pushed to next year because of Apple's "high standards." A fall launch could coincide with the launch of the next-generation iPhone, as well as iOS 5 and iCloud.



"You'll go into an Apple retail store and be able to walk out with a TV. It's perfect," the source said. According to the unverified report, the iOS-driven televisions would support third-party apps.



Rumors of an Apple Smart TV have existed for years, with Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster repeatedly forecasting the product. Munster has suggested that an Internet-connected TV from Apple may have a starting price in the range of $2,000.







In March, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said Asian suppliers had told her Apple had built a Smart TV prototype. According to Huberty, an Apple-branded TV could add as much as $4 billion per 1 percent share of the TV market Apple is able to capture over the next two years.



Then, in April, Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said "data points" from a China electronics trade show suggested Apple could launch an HDTV set possibly by the end of the year. "Our research suggests this Smart TV would go well beyond the miniature $99 second-generation Apple TV that the company released last fall and provide a full-blown TV product for consumers," White said.



Though Apple CEO Steve Jobs said last year that the Apple TV set top box product is "a hobby" for the company, sales of the $99 second-generation model have improved over the first-generation. After the company sold 250,000 units in the first six weeks of availability, Jobs said Apple was "thrilled" with the figures.



Apple went on to sell 1 million Apple TVs within three months of the device's launch. However, analysts have estimated that a million units per quarter would amount to a "fairly immaterial" $400 million in annual revenue.



Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of Concord Securities said in April that Apple TV sales had reached 2 million, reportedly selling 820,000 units in the March quarter.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 129
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Nope.
  • Reply 2 of 129
    applestudapplestud Posts: 367member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Nope.



    Yeah this sounds too made up. A former Apple exec? What executive, senior enough to know about their plans, has left recently? And wouldn't s/he be under a strict NDA anyway? The NDA doesn't disappear once you leave the company. Also, the "inside" info seems a bit generic. Anybody with a cursory knowledge of Apple and their rumored TV plans could come up with those quotes.



    Edit: upon re-reading this article, I am further convinced that it is complete bull$hit. No way.
  • Reply 3 of 129
    cloudgazercloudgazer Posts: 2,161member
    It's probably bogus but I do hope it's true. I've been very very disappointed with my 40inch Samsung TV. 1080p? hah more like 1040.
  • Reply 4 of 129
    This would be huge! Apple will take over the living room. Just the slide show showing photos is worth the price of admission! But if Apple could one-up NetFlix that would icing on the cake.



    My ATV replaced my stereo in my loving room so I was able to get rid of the components and all the attendant wires, pwr plugs, ugly pwr bricks, etc.



    My only complaint now is the horrible, clunky Cable and TV interfaces!
  • Reply 5 of 129
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    You don't beat Netflix with hardware
  • Reply 6 of 129
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    You don't beat Netflix with hardware



    They're not trying to beat Netflix at all...
  • Reply 7 of 129
    halhikerhalhiker Posts: 111member
    On TV, live sporting events are all that matter. Unless Apple can find a way to overcome the contractual obligations of sports teams to the networks than this idea is a non-starter.
  • Reply 8 of 129
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    They're not trying to beat Netflix at all...



    I know, but that's what the alleged ex Apple executive suggested.
  • Reply 9 of 129
    cvaldes1831cvaldes1831 Posts: 1,832member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by halhiker View Post


    On TV, live sporting events are all that matter. Unless Apple can find a way to overcome the contractual obligations of sports teams to the networks than this idea is a non-starter.



    Correct, which is why Steve refers to Apple TV as a "hobby."



    NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, Nascar, various NCAA football conferences, etc. control the U.S. TV advertising dollars, not "Real Housewives of ____" or "Gossip Girl." Heck, the president of the SEC probably wields more clout with his conference football schedule than any New York or Los Angeles television producer.



    It's a far cry between selling songs, books, or even downloadable/streaming movies than it is selling live sports.



    That's why all of these athletic leagues are attempting to expand their postseason schedule by lengthening series, adding more teams, increasing the number of rounds, etc.



    If you don't pay attention to live sports, you're basically not getting a first-hand view of the real money behind television.
  • Reply 10 of 129
    mgzmgz Posts: 26member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by halhiker View Post


    On TV, live sporting events are all that matter. Unless Apple can find a way to overcome the contractual obligations of sports teams to the networks than this idea is a non-starter.



    You mean like with MLB.tv and NBA League Pass?



    Oh wait, those are already available with Apple TV 2.



    Seriously, content is not going to be a problem when Apple opens up Apple TV to iOS third party apps, and every content provider on earth is coming out with their own $X.99 application (or subscription based application) to give every TV-phile what they've always wanted -- ala carte programming. Buy the apps of the content providers you want to watch.
  • Reply 11 of 129
    BS



    Apple moves their own hardware, keeps things simple, provides updates.



    Limits sales to people who are in the market for a new TV.



    In it's current form, that little black box known as Apple TV hooks up to any TV for a low cost.
  • Reply 12 of 129
    Of all the hardware i would love to buy from Apple, an HDTV is not even on the list.
  • Reply 13 of 129
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I don't believe a word of it.
  • Reply 14 of 129
    What screen sizes would make it worth while for Apple to build a TV? The cheapest thing Apple sells is a single music download. I've read that the sole purpose of iTunes was to sell hardware. The iPod Shuffle is really inexpensive compared to computers. How much money does Apple earn with those?



    If Apple earns a profit with Apple TV boxes now, how much more would they earn if they re-badged a commercial TV set with built in Apple TV? There is a lot more labor and energy required to move around a giant TV set than an iPod Shuffle. TVs are a very competitive niche. Apple would need to keep the price low to grab any decent portion of the marketplace.



    If I were the least bit interested in owning a huge TV with a dedicated streaming video service, I'd go with a Sony TV and buy an aftermarket movie box for $100.00. I like the Bravia models. I don't even know if they're still made. I just really like my 23" monitor for watching movies on my computer.
  • Reply 15 of 129
    buckalecbuckalec Posts: 203member
    10 bucks Apple will have brilliant content partners such as the BBC (IPlayer content) - beautifully integrated.
  • Reply 16 of 129
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member
    Oh god no.

    Terrible idea.
  • Reply 17 of 129
    cvaldes1831cvaldes1831 Posts: 1,832member
    Oh, it's worth pointing out that this article is quoting Katy Huberty, who has an undeniably lousy track record in predicting Apple's movements.



    If she says something is going to happen, the smart bet is that the opposite will end up being the case. Same with Gene Munster. AppleInsider missed the "crap analyst" hat trick by not quoting Shaw Wu. These three are not star-rated analysts.
  • Reply 18 of 129
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    You don't beat Netflix with hardware



    Quite so. Wow, these Apple TV rumors go on forever, don't they?
  • Reply 19 of 129
    prof. peabodyprof. peabody Posts: 2,860member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by halhiker View Post


    On TV, live sporting events are all that matter. ...



    What a twisted view of television, and how insulting to say it like that.



    Ever occur to you that other people don't necessarily share your likes/dislikes? If you want to talk market share there are other categories of programming at least as popular. There are many that make more money for the cable operators also.
  • Reply 20 of 129
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    All you naysayers will be lining up around the Apple Store for iTV.
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