Apple television rumored to have motion detection, iPad-like remote

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Apple's anticipated television set may feature unique motion detection technology, as well as a new touchscreen remote akin to a cheaper iPad with a plastic exterior, according to a new report.

The rumored details were shared with analyst Brian White on his recent trip to the Computex trade show in Taipei, Taiwan. While there, sources in Apple's supply chain hinted to him that Apple is expected to unveil a full-fledged television by the end of this year.

The television is rumored to have a "special type of motion detection technology," White was told, which will be the primary way of controlling the device. But users will also be able to utilize a "unique remote control with a touch panel form factor," he said in a note issued to investors on Monday.

The alleged new remote control is said to look similar to an iPad, but would feature a plastic exterior, rather than the aluminum construction of the iPad.

White has been high on the prospect of a full-fledged television set from Apple for some time. In May, he said he expects the announcement of such a product to precede its launch by between two to six months.

Television


That would mean if Apple were to in fact unveil a television set later this year, the product would not likely hit the market until early 2013 at the soonest. That time would allow developers a head-start to create software for the rumored new device.

Last October, White forecast that an Apple television featuring iOS, Siri and FaceTime would be a $100 billion opportunity for the company. However, he also said in April of 2011 that Apple could launch a television set by the end of last year — a prediction that didn't pan out.

Last week, White indicated that Apple is gearing up for an "exciting" September, in which he expects the company to unveil its next iPhone, as well as a new, smaller iPad model with a 7.85-inch display.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    applezillaapplezilla Posts: 941member


    Maybe this 'remote' is what the 7.85-inch iPad really is.

  • Reply 2 of 49
    nairbnairb Posts: 253member


    Motion Control. Way to copy Samsumg.

  • Reply 3 of 49
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member


    So, that 7.85" iPad is in fact a remote for the AppleTV?  Ah, the joy of speculation!

  • Reply 4 of 49


    Let's look at what Apple's recently done with it's product lifecycle, and apply some calculated prediction around that.


     


    1. iPhone (and iPods, which no longer warrant their own event) are now updated Sep/Oct.


    2. iPad is updated Jan.


    3. Starting this year, most if not all of the Mac line is updated around Jun.


    4. That leaves Mar/Apr as the perfect slot to release something big, like a full Apple TV set. If they announce it end of the year, and release it Mar/Apr, they have all four quarters covered, which makes perfect business sense.

  • Reply 5 of 49
    cheviotcheviot Posts: 13member


    That's what I've been thinking since they announced the Apple TV.  Those mid sized tablets just dont have that much room on the display, but they'd be perfect as a remote.

  • Reply 6 of 49
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    nairb wrote: »
    Motion Control. Way to copy Samsumg.

    Sure, that's possible.

    More likely, Samsung got the idea from the various Apple-enthusiast sites that have talked about this for over a year now.

    /s
  • Reply 7 of 49
    drdoppiodrdoppio Posts: 1,132member


    In a conversation with Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs said “I finally cracked it” about the Apple TV business. “He very much wanted to do for television sets what he had done for computers, music players, and phones: make them simple and elegant,” Isaacson wrote in Steve Jobs' biography.

  • Reply 8 of 49


    The more I see what nintendo has planned and what apple has planned I really think these two companies should work together.  I feel they have a lot of the same philosophy when it comes to product design.

  • Reply 9 of 49
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member


    September is when they usually update the iPods. But since the iPod is being absorbed in to the phone, perhaps they will replace it with a souped-up Apple TV. If they intend it to have and SDK, perhaps we will see that shortly.

  • Reply 10 of 49
    porchlandporchland Posts: 478member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    White has been high on the prospect of a full-fledged television set from Apple for some time. In May, he said he expects the announcement of such a product to precede its launch by between two to six months.



    That would mean if Apple were to in fact unveil a television set later this year, the product would not likely hit the market until early 2013 at the soonest. That time would allow developers a head-start to create software for the rumored new device.


     


    Isn't it just as likely that 2-6 months could mean announcement of an SDK today with product available in October?



    I'm not saying that's likelier; I'm just saying 2-6 months doesn't necessarily mean 2013.

  • Reply 11 of 49
    antkm1antkm1 Posts: 1,441member
    Forgive me when I say, bull-shite!

    I truly hope I eat my words...but really?!?!?

    First, a "motion detection" interface? How freakin' annoying would that be? For most people, pressing a remote button and trying to connect the IR to its source Is already enough movement for watching TV. The last thing we want to do while couch-potatoing is wave your arms/hands around. Not to mention a kid/pet racing across the screen, or a loved one messing with you and playing annoying game of it. And how annoying would it be to have to do it with an iPad-like remote in your hand? Thats a sure-fire way to chuck it across the room accidentally.

    That brings me to the iPad mini remote? I'll have to see that to understand/believe it. I just don't see what possible advantage one would have for a remote that large. A 4" screen remote is more than adequate for tasks involving the TV. I'm just glad to see he dropped the notion of Siri. That's worse than the motion detection idea.

    However, should the time come when I eat my words and they announce this device in Steptmber, the prediction does make good time sense since the last update was in feb. typically the ATV updates were in September. They seemed to parallel the other iPod iOS devices. But this year it was along-side the iPad release. the first quarter launches have historically been for the "premier" line of products (I.e. iPhone, iPad, MB Air, etc.) until those products gain more steady traction. So why bump the release unless they plan on changing the update schedule for the TV-like iOS devices along-side the iPad? I think my previous statement hints at that. What better time to release a TV then right before Super Bowl? But that would suggest this rumored device will have the ability to stream sporting events.

    I guess we will "see" soon, maybe...
  • Reply 12 of 49
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DrDoppio View Post


    In a conversation with Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs said “I finally cracked it” about the Apple TV business. “He very much wanted to do for television sets what he had done for computers, music players, and phones: make them simple and elegant,” Isaacson wrote in Steve Jobs' biography.





    I always laugh when I read this.  I'd love to know what he cracked exactly.  I have DirecTV right now and the interface is pretty simple to me.  Nothing really that needs to be uncomplicated.  And if I forget to record a show all I have to do is pull up the DirecTV app on my phone and I can set the program to record.  Only thing I hate is when my satellite picture goes out because of heavy rain.  Not sure what Apple can do about that...


     


    Based on Tim Cook's comments about Apple not looking to make a lot of money off the content side (as he said they make money off devices), and downplaying the possibility of an ala cart type system I can't imagine Apple has something revolutionary in terms of how you pay for content (e.g. paying only for the channels/content you want vs. a package deal).


     


    It will be interesting to see what, if anything, comes of all these TV rumors.

  • Reply 13 of 49

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Nairb View Post


    Motion Control. Way to copy Samsumg.



    Samsung, way to copy Microsoft.


    Microsoft, way to license the technology from a small company.


    Small company, how many times have you watched Minority Report?


     


    So on and so forth.


     


    Pretty much everything these days isn't original. If I could be bothered, I could probably trace Siri all the way back to the voice controlled house my Uncle whipped up in 1982 using an Apple ][. I wonder if he still has the disks...

  • Reply 14 of 49
    notscottnotscott Posts: 247member


    Apple Tv rumors! Wow! I uh... snore...

  • Reply 15 of 49
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member


    If they'd just open up an app store for the current Apple TV unit's they'd steal the market. No reason to build a TV, leave that to Samsung.

  • Reply 16 of 49
    antkm1antkm1 Posts: 1,441member
    saarek wrote: »
    If they'd just open up an app store for the current Apple TV unit's they'd steal the market. No reason to build a TV, leave that to Samsung.

    Agreed. A truly iOS type of ATV STB would be the most logical first step. They already have a fairly good start on it, and growing each quarter. The little square hockey puck should have enough under the hood to handle something a little more complex. It is still a " hobby" so why not tinker a bit more before diving into a market that is extremely competitive as the TV biz? They could also start by updating the remote of the current ATV to something a little more advanced. They can put a touch screen on a $150 iPod, they most certainly could make a dumb touchscreen for the ATV for at least 1/2 of that, if not less.
  • Reply 17 of 49
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Nairb View Post


    Motion Control. Way to copy Samsumg.



    I was secondly thinking Nintendo. I was firstly thinking this was horse-shit which just magically happens to come up the day of WWDC.

  • Reply 18 of 49
    mauszmausz Posts: 243member


    Nice one for the kids to throw around the house ;)


    15600.png

  • Reply 19 of 49
    carmissimocarmissimo Posts: 837member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by UnisZuurmond View Post


    Let's look at what Apple's recently done with it's product lifecycle, and apply some calculated prediction around that.


     


    1. iPhone (and iPods, which no longer warrant their own event) are now updated Sep/Oct.


    2. iPad is updated Jan.


    3. Starting this year, most if not all of the Mac line is updated around Jun.


    4. That leaves Mar/Apr as the perfect slot to release something big, like a full Apple TV set. If they announce it end of the year, and release it Mar/Apr, they have all four quarters covered, which makes perfect business sense.



     


    I don't think the timing will work like that. I think the set will come to market when it's ready for prime time. Keep in mind that this will be a premium model costing considerably more than the sets found in huge numbers at your local Walmart, Best Buy etc. As such, it's not enough to offer a superior interface. The set needs to have state of the art picture quality to go with its premium price. Anything less and all the bells and whistles you could conjure up will not result in a successful product. If you can get an OK HDTV for $600 vs. having to pay closer to $1,500 for Apple's entry, it better be about more than just a cool interface. There has to also be a perception that Apple's standards regarding the display technology raises the bar, as well. I think it has been more about waiting for the right display technology than work on the interface, the remote, etc. When Apple is satisfied that it has hit certain picture quality targets, then we'll see an Apple-branded TV and that could be later this year or it could be down the road. While LCD and plasma are decent technologies, there are still issues with both. Meanwhile, OLED is still not a properly evolved technology and the price tag, initially, will be rather daunting. The biggest issue with LCD is the rather limited optimal viewing angle and plasma has problems in brightly lit environments. OLED development has been slowed due to issues with the material used to generate blue wearing much faster than the red and green. 


     


    In regards to wanting to having product updates during every time of the year, I don't think that's a huge factor. The iPhone was initially updated with a June time frame and now it seems it is getting updates more in line with the iPod line, to which it is closely related. Sure it makes sense to stagger new product intros from a marketing perspective but it's also about not spreading one's resources too thin. Doing too many product launches at the same time puts too much of a strain on the supply chain and gives upper management too many balls to juggle at once. A product launch does require extra attention and it makes more sense to do them a few at a time. As for when the Apple TV would fit into this process, I think it's probably not a big concern in so much as Apple has products coming along throughout the year. 


     


    By the way, the iPad is usually not updated in January. It was introduced January 2010 but was made available in March of that year and the updates have come using a March time frame (March 2, 2011 for the iPad 2 and March 7 for the new iPad). 

  • Reply 20 of 49
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,179member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post





    Sure, that's possible.

    More likely, Samsung got the idea from the various Apple-enthusiast sites that have talked about this for over a year now.

    /s


    Since the intro of motion-control to Samsung TV's six months ago they've now enhanced their TV UI even more, adding "augmented-reality" banners to their SmartTV series. They're steadily adding features to simplify the TV experience, so no telling where the puck will be if/when Apple takes the standalone TV rumors past vaporware.


    http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/news/productnews/2012/smart-tv


    http://www.mediavataar.com/index.php/news/digital/4056-samsung-introduces-the-first-ever-augmented-reality-motion-control-banner-in-the-digital-space

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