It's stupid to pass judgement on a possible Apple TV knowing nothing about it. Who would have imagined in 2006 what an iPhone would be like? Can you remember the plastic crap phones we were grateful for back then? Most of those manufacturers are now basket cases. There's a LOT TV manufacturers could do to sharpen up their act. I shall be interested to see what becomes of the likes of Sony, Panasonic, LG and Samsung if and when Apple do launch a TV. It seems to me that in this interregnum they are just doing more of the same, and maybe they are marching towards the edge of a cliff, They are such sclerotic bureaucracies that that they are incapable of change.
Can Apple hit another home run? As much as I love their products, I can not help but wonder...
This is going to be a tough one.
When you look at MP3 players, they were mostly awful before the iPod.
When you look at Smartphones, they were mostly awful before the iPhone.
When you look at Tablets, they were mostly awful before the iPad.
TV's however, there are some pretty stunning displays out there already, and at a good price. Obviously, there is scope to make the user interface a whole lot better, but from the point of view of the basic technology, it's hard to see where a jump forward is going to come from.
With that said, I wish they would hurry up and release one if they are going to. Like someone else on the board, my current TV is approaching the end of it's life.......
I'm very fond of my many Apple toys, along with my many non-Apple toys, but have a hard time imagining what they can add to a TV that would compel me to purchase. All I can see is the expensive and time consuming nightmare of shipping, stocking and demonstrating such a product. Can you imagine the floor space consumed by this in an Apple store? I'd rather they concentrate more on Macs.
But, they do seem to have a knack for pulling rabbits out of hats. Let's hope this one does not have sharp teeth and leap about decapitating people.
It actually might be another Mac. Think about the possibilities. They could either dump the guts of an iPad, add a few connections and features to a specific version of iOS for the TV. Or the guts of essentially a Mac Mini with a modified version of the OS specifically for the TV. What if they put the capabilities of a iPad or Mac in surfing the internet, running apps, doing DVR functionality, video conferencing, gaming, etc. and the screen kicked arse and it was priced about the same as a fully flown iMac for a 40 inch screen? It may not have tons of ram or hard drive space, or as fast of a processor, but bundling a lot of features that people normally have lots of different types of external boxes they connect to a TV. Tivo, game consoles, dvd players, cd players, computers. I think that is where they are going. This would be sold at specialty stereo/home theater stores, electronics department stores, Apple store that have the show room for it. All they need to do is sell about 10% to 25% of the Smart TV market place, which the current total was 52 million units in 2011 and projected is 92 million units in 2012, and that number is growing.
It actually might be another Mac. Think about the possibilities. They could either dump the guts of an iPad, add a few connections and features to a specific version of iOS for the TV. Or the guts of essentially a Mac Mini with a modified version of the OS specifically for the TV. What if they put the capabilities of a iPad or Mac in surfing the internet, running apps, doing DVR functionality, video conferencing, gaming, etc. and the screen kicked arse and it was priced about the same as a fully flown iMac for a 40 inch screen? It may not have tons of ram or hard drive space, or as fast of a processor, but bundling a lot of features that people normally have lots of different types of external boxes they connect to a TV. Tivo, game consoles, dvd players, cd players, computers. I think that is where they are going. This would be sold at specialty stereo/home theater stores, electronics department stores, Apple store that have the show room for it. All they need to do is sell about 10% to 25% of the Smart TV market place, which the current total was 52 million units in 2011 and projected is 92 million units in 2012, and that number is growing.
What if they stuck two processors inside, one to do DVR, and one to run apps? I mean, anything is possible with Apple and this TV.
Samsung has already led the way into smart TV. The halo effect from the Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets will increase the sales of more Samsung smart TV. Apple needs to catch up with this big Samsung ecosystem which is maintaining the Android market share lead over Apple IOS.
What is the point of selling an entirely new TV when Apple can just sell an updated Apple TV with the same capabilities? MORE people would be able to buy a $100 - $150 device versus replacing a TV so why embed this tech in a TV instead of just connecting it via an HDMI cable?
Why not instead give us a set-top box with more capabilities right now? WHY don't we have access to more "channels" or apps on our iOS-driven Apple TV? Why did I have to buy a Roku 2 to sit next to my Apple TV to round out the content that my family uses?
Given a 97% TV household penetration and a 61% broadband household penetration
... holy Toledo! As much of a fan as I might be about Apple products -- I'd have to at least USE one of these mythical Apple TVs before assuming a 97% penetration.
Sheesh -- let's not make up for the doomsday rants we endured for years about Apple with hyperbole like this. If Apple only captures 25% of the market in 2 years -- it will be deemed a failure by every anti-Apple blogger.
What is the point of selling an entirely new TV when Apple can just sell an updated Apple TV with the same capabilities? MORE people would be able to buy a $100 - $150 device versus replacing a TV so why embed this tech in a TV instead of just connecting it via an HDMI cable?
Why not instead give us a set-top box with more capabilities right now? WHY don't we have access to more "channels" or apps on our iOS-driven Apple TV? Why did I have to buy a Roku 2 to sit next to my Apple TV to round out the content that my family uses?
Because Apple already sells a $99 device that makes little profit. They want the "value added" on a TV set -- not compete with razor thin margins on a flat panel.
The Apple TV will have best of class quality, and it will accomplish things that a lot of technology challenged home users are going to think Apple invented -- because they've never been able to do them before. A lot of critics say that Apple fanboiys think Apple invented everything -- when that's really the case with NEW USERS. Sure, those Android phones could do X, Y and Z if you turned the right screw -- but the CONSUMERS don't know that until it's accessible.
Apple is creating the Full Widget because they they can control the experience and charge higher margins. What else is new?
Actually, it would be a major improvement from LG, at least. We've a year-old LG HD set, an LG BluRay player, and an HD DirecTV box. I can neither fully control the BluRay from the LG TV controller nor the TV from the BluRay controller. I've managed to get the DTV controller to switch the TV back to the DTV box, but need both the BluRay and the TV controller to shift to BluRay mode.
I can't speak to other major players in the HD market, but could Apple improve on this nonsense? I think they could....
Purchase a universal remote, Logitech and Philips have some nice models
Because Apple already sells a $99 device that makes little profit.
Do you know that?
Quote:
They want the "value added" on a TV set -- not compete with razor thin margins on a flat panel.
So they don't want to waste their time in a market where they will make no money… by wasting their time in a market where they will make no money?
Quote:
The Apple TV will have best of class quality, and it will accomplish things that a lot of technology challenged home users are going to think Apple invented — because they've never been able to do them before.
It already does. So what's the point of forcing people to spend unnecessarily more for a panel they don't want?
Samsung has already led the way into smart TV. The halo effect from the Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets will increase the sales of more Samsung smart TV. Apple needs to catch up with this big Samsung ecosystem which is maintaining the Android market share lead over Apple IOS.
what an idiotic statement. Samsung is just a player no different than any other cheap ass tv manufacturer is. There is nothing special about their tv's. Ecosystem? what the **** are you on? please dont make yourself out to be such a fool with stupid ass statements. samsung tv's In fact they are junk based on my experience. I have the last samsung tv I will ever own, a 42inch lcd and it has to be restarted almost every time I change its channel because the sound goes out. its a 3 year old tv... Neighbor has similar problems with their samsung tv too. they are cheap ass crap made for people that don't know any better. My neighbor and i have learned our lesson well and wont make the same mistake ever again **** SAMSUNG JUNK!!! my neighbor also has a junk samsung shitdroid phone he can't wait to dump. He will get an iPhone, as he puts it "the real thing
To summarize, if you are going to say stupid things, others will think you are stupid.
Purchase a universal remote, Logitech and Philips have some nice models
While this is one solution, depending on the brand(s) of the devices in question, it's not always an optimal solution. A friend of mine has a fairly nice home entertainment and gaming system in his den. And the so called "universal remote" he uses to control it looks more like something from NASA's mission control. There are, IMO, still way too many buttons for the average person to even understand what they're looking at, short of taking a class... which he offers for anyone who stays over for the weekend.
Whether Apple actually produces a TV or not, if they continue to play with the concept, I hope the working title of the project is iKISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).
Ideally (in my mind) a user should be able to simply say, "replay Formula One race from Bahrain", and within a few seconds I'd be watching the race. Or "play Identity", and it would fetch that movie from iTunes or where ever. And if I had "I, Claudius" loaded in the DVD, I could request that it play that series. And the same basic requests could be made for video games, etc. In addition to better than average picture quality, if the device could simplify the process(es) we now have to go through, IMO, that alone would indeed make it magical.
While this is one solution, depending on the brand(s) of the devices in question, it's not always an optimal solution. A friend of mine has a fairly nice home entertainment and gaming system in his den. And the so called "universal remote" he uses to control it looks more like something from NASA's mission control. There are, IMO, still way too many buttons for the average person to even understand what they're looking at, short of taking a class... which he offers for anyone who stays over for the weekend.
In that case he has have purchased a universal remote that fitted his purposes. The Logitech one I have is simple, there isn't a lot of buttons, and in the majority of the time you use the same button to perform the same function when controlling different devices.
It's pretty amazing that she can estimate to within $1 accuracy, something 3 years out based on a product that's only a rumor. That is so impressive I think I'll invest my life savings.
Ranked 54 out of 57 analysts...
"Otherwise the bottom of the list was populated by pros who seem to have missed those photographs of Chinese iPhone buyers mobbing the Beijing Apple Store. How else could Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore, ISI's Brian Marshall and Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty have submitted iPhone sales estimates of 26, 26 and 30 million units, respectively?"
Because Apple already sells a $99 device that makes little profit. They want the "value added" on a TV set -- not compete with razor thin margins on a flat panel.
The Apple TV will have best of class quality, and it will accomplish things that a lot of technology challenged home users are going to think Apple invented -- because they've never been able to do them before. A lot of critics say that Apple fanboiys think Apple invented everything -- when that's really the case with NEW USERS. Sure, those Android phones could do X, Y and Z if you turned the right screw -- but the CONSUMERS don't know that until it's accessible.
Apple is creating the Full Widget because they they can control the experience and charge higher margins. What else is new?
The gen2 aTV had a BOM estimate of $64. While margins are thinner than Apple's very high average but we're nowhere near in Fire territory.
I have no idea what folks think an Apple branded HDTV can do that the aTV + any other HDTV can't.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleZilla
Ugh. We need a new TV right now!
Ship the thing already!
Going to shop for a cheapy this weekend to tide us over.
We need a new DVR before the Olympics. Of course, the whole DVR concept is nearly obsolete.
The Apple television solution won't need much if any recording capability. But no, we can't wait that long...
It's stupid to pass judgement on a possible Apple TV knowing nothing about it. Who would have imagined in 2006 what an iPhone would be like? Can you remember the plastic crap phones we were grateful for back then? Most of those manufacturers are now basket cases. There's a LOT TV manufacturers could do to sharpen up their act. I shall be interested to see what becomes of the likes of Sony, Panasonic, LG and Samsung if and when Apple do launch a TV. It seems to me that in this interregnum they are just doing more of the same, and maybe they are marching towards the edge of a cliff, They are such sclerotic bureaucracies that that they are incapable of change.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankenSigns.biz
Can Apple hit another home run? As much as I love their products, I can not help but wonder...
This is going to be a tough one.
When you look at MP3 players, they were mostly awful before the iPod.
When you look at Smartphones, they were mostly awful before the iPhone.
When you look at Tablets, they were mostly awful before the iPad.
TV's however, there are some pretty stunning displays out there already, and at a good price. Obviously, there is scope to make the user interface a whole lot better, but from the point of view of the basic technology, it's hard to see where a jump forward is going to come from.
With that said, I wish they would hurry up and release one if they are going to. Like someone else on the board, my current TV is approaching the end of it's life.......
Quote:
Originally Posted by JollyPaul
Wah, wah, wah wah wah?
I'm very fond of my many Apple toys, along with my many non-Apple toys, but have a hard time imagining what they can add to a TV that would compel me to purchase. All I can see is the expensive and time consuming nightmare of shipping, stocking and demonstrating such a product. Can you imagine the floor space consumed by this in an Apple store? I'd rather they concentrate more on Macs.
But, they do seem to have a knack for pulling rabbits out of hats. Let's hope this one does not have sharp teeth and leap about decapitating people.
It actually might be another Mac. Think about the possibilities. They could either dump the guts of an iPad, add a few connections and features to a specific version of iOS for the TV. Or the guts of essentially a Mac Mini with a modified version of the OS specifically for the TV. What if they put the capabilities of a iPad or Mac in surfing the internet, running apps, doing DVR functionality, video conferencing, gaming, etc. and the screen kicked arse and it was priced about the same as a fully flown iMac for a 40 inch screen? It may not have tons of ram or hard drive space, or as fast of a processor, but bundling a lot of features that people normally have lots of different types of external boxes they connect to a TV. Tivo, game consoles, dvd players, cd players, computers. I think that is where they are going. This would be sold at specialty stereo/home theater stores, electronics department stores, Apple store that have the show room for it. All they need to do is sell about 10% to 25% of the Smart TV market place, which the current total was 52 million units in 2011 and projected is 92 million units in 2012, and that number is growing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
It actually might be another Mac. Think about the possibilities. They could either dump the guts of an iPad, add a few connections and features to a specific version of iOS for the TV. Or the guts of essentially a Mac Mini with a modified version of the OS specifically for the TV. What if they put the capabilities of a iPad or Mac in surfing the internet, running apps, doing DVR functionality, video conferencing, gaming, etc. and the screen kicked arse and it was priced about the same as a fully flown iMac for a 40 inch screen? It may not have tons of ram or hard drive space, or as fast of a processor, but bundling a lot of features that people normally have lots of different types of external boxes they connect to a TV. Tivo, game consoles, dvd players, cd players, computers. I think that is where they are going. This would be sold at specialty stereo/home theater stores, electronics department stores, Apple store that have the show room for it. All they need to do is sell about 10% to 25% of the Smart TV market place, which the current total was 52 million units in 2011 and projected is 92 million units in 2012, and that number is growing.
What if they stuck two processors inside, one to do DVR, and one to run apps? I mean, anything is possible with Apple and this TV.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
What if they stuck two processors inside, one to do DVR, and one to run apps? I mean, anything is possible with Apple and this TV.
You're thinking with your ear pressed up against the side of box, listening to what is outside.
You say 'anything is possible', and what you're saying IS 'anything', but it's much closer to 'that which is' than 'that which should be'.
And this is Apple's concept of iWallet - a wallet with contents half-owned by Apple.
Samsung has already led the way into smart TV. The halo effect from the Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets will increase the sales of more Samsung smart TV. Apple needs to catch up with this big Samsung ecosystem which is maintaining the Android market share lead over Apple IOS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ankleskater
And this is Apple's concept of iWallet - a wallet with contents half-owned by Apple.
You say that like it is a bad thing.
What is the point of selling an entirely new TV when Apple can just sell an updated Apple TV with the same capabilities? MORE people would be able to buy a $100 - $150 device versus replacing a TV so why embed this tech in a TV instead of just connecting it via an HDMI cable?
Why not instead give us a set-top box with more capabilities right now? WHY don't we have access to more "channels" or apps on our iOS-driven Apple TV? Why did I have to buy a Roku 2 to sit next to my Apple TV to round out the content that my family uses?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SixnaHalfFeet
You say that like it is a bad thing.
Not at all. It's ... magical.
Given a 97% TV household penetration and a 61% broadband household penetration
... holy Toledo! As much of a fan as I might be about Apple products -- I'd have to at least USE one of these mythical Apple TVs before assuming a 97% penetration.
Sheesh -- let's not make up for the doomsday rants we endured for years about Apple with hyperbole like this. If Apple only captures 25% of the market in 2 years -- it will be deemed a failure by every anti-Apple blogger.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lamewing
What is the point of selling an entirely new TV when Apple can just sell an updated Apple TV with the same capabilities? MORE people would be able to buy a $100 - $150 device versus replacing a TV so why embed this tech in a TV instead of just connecting it via an HDMI cable?
Why not instead give us a set-top box with more capabilities right now? WHY don't we have access to more "channels" or apps on our iOS-driven Apple TV? Why did I have to buy a Roku 2 to sit next to my Apple TV to round out the content that my family uses?
Because Apple already sells a $99 device that makes little profit. They want the "value added" on a TV set -- not compete with razor thin margins on a flat panel.
The Apple TV will have best of class quality, and it will accomplish things that a lot of technology challenged home users are going to think Apple invented -- because they've never been able to do them before. A lot of critics say that Apple fanboiys think Apple invented everything -- when that's really the case with NEW USERS. Sure, those Android phones could do X, Y and Z if you turned the right screw -- but the CONSUMERS don't know that until it's accessible.
Apple is creating the Full Widget because they they can control the experience and charge higher margins. What else is new?
Quote:
Originally Posted by scades
Re: Drobforever:
Actually, it would be a major improvement from LG, at least. We've a year-old LG HD set, an LG BluRay player, and an HD DirecTV box. I can neither fully control the BluRay from the LG TV controller nor the TV from the BluRay controller. I've managed to get the DTV controller to switch the TV back to the DTV box, but need both the BluRay and the TV controller to shift to BluRay mode.
I can't speak to other major players in the HD market, but could Apple improve on this nonsense? I think they could....
Purchase a universal remote, Logitech and Philips have some nice models
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fake_William_Shatner
Because Apple already sells a $99 device that makes little profit.
Do you know that?
Quote:
They want the "value added" on a TV set -- not compete with razor thin margins on a flat panel.
So they don't want to waste their time in a market where they will make no money… by wasting their time in a market where they will make no money?
Quote:
The Apple TV will have best of class quality, and it will accomplish things that a lot of technology challenged home users are going to think Apple invented — because they've never been able to do them before.
It already does. So what's the point of forcing people to spend unnecessarily more for a panel they don't want?
Quote:
Originally Posted by peter236
Samsung has already led the way into smart TV. The halo effect from the Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets will increase the sales of more Samsung smart TV. Apple needs to catch up with this big Samsung ecosystem which is maintaining the Android market share lead over Apple IOS.
what an idiotic statement. Samsung is just a player no different than any other cheap ass tv manufacturer is. There is nothing special about their tv's. Ecosystem? what the **** are you on? please dont make yourself out to be such a fool with stupid ass statements. samsung tv's In fact they are junk based on my experience. I have the last samsung tv I will ever own, a 42inch lcd and it has to be restarted almost every time I change its channel because the sound goes out. its a 3 year old tv... Neighbor has similar problems with their samsung tv too. they are cheap ass crap made for people that don't know any better. My neighbor and i have learned our lesson well and wont make the same mistake ever again **** SAMSUNG JUNK!!! my neighbor also has a junk samsung shitdroid phone he can't wait to dump. He will get an iPhone, as he puts it "the real thing
To summarize, if you are going to say stupid things, others will think you are stupid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jfanning
Purchase a universal remote, Logitech and Philips have some nice models
While this is one solution, depending on the brand(s) of the devices in question, it's not always an optimal solution. A friend of mine has a fairly nice home entertainment and gaming system in his den. And the so called "universal remote" he uses to control it looks more like something from NASA's mission control. There are, IMO, still way too many buttons for the average person to even understand what they're looking at, short of taking a class... which he offers for anyone who stays over for the weekend.
Whether Apple actually produces a TV or not, if they continue to play with the concept, I hope the working title of the project is iKISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).
Ideally (in my mind) a user should be able to simply say, "replay Formula One race from Bahrain", and within a few seconds I'd be watching the race. Or "play Identity", and it would fetch that movie from iTunes or where ever. And if I had "I, Claudius" loaded in the DVD, I could request that it play that series. And the same basic requests could be made for video games, etc. In addition to better than average picture quality, if the device could simplify the process(es) we now have to go through, IMO, that alone would indeed make it magical.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior
While this is one solution, depending on the brand(s) of the devices in question, it's not always an optimal solution. A friend of mine has a fairly nice home entertainment and gaming system in his den. And the so called "universal remote" he uses to control it looks more like something from NASA's mission control. There are, IMO, still way too many buttons for the average person to even understand what they're looking at, short of taking a class... which he offers for anyone who stays over for the weekend.
In that case he has have purchased a universal remote that fitted his purposes. The Logitech one I have is simple, there isn't a lot of buttons, and in the majority of the time you use the same button to perform the same function when controlling different devices.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
It's pretty amazing that she can estimate to within $1 accuracy, something 3 years out based on a product that's only a rumor. That is so impressive I think I'll invest my life savings.
Ranked 54 out of 57 analysts...
"Otherwise the bottom of the list was populated by pros who seem to have missed those photographs of Chinese iPhone buyers mobbing the Beijing Apple Store. How else could Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore, ISI's Brian Marshall and Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty have submitted iPhone sales estimates of 26, 26 and 30 million units, respectively?"
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/tag/katy-huberty/
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fake_William_Shatner
Because Apple already sells a $99 device that makes little profit. They want the "value added" on a TV set -- not compete with razor thin margins on a flat panel.
The Apple TV will have best of class quality, and it will accomplish things that a lot of technology challenged home users are going to think Apple invented -- because they've never been able to do them before. A lot of critics say that Apple fanboiys think Apple invented everything -- when that's really the case with NEW USERS. Sure, those Android phones could do X, Y and Z if you turned the right screw -- but the CONSUMERS don't know that until it's accessible.
Apple is creating the Full Widget because they they can control the experience and charge higher margins. What else is new?
The gen2 aTV had a BOM estimate of $64. While margins are thinner than Apple's very high average but we're nowhere near in Fire territory.
I have no idea what folks think an Apple branded HDTV can do that the aTV + any other HDTV can't.