Apple reportedly iced plans to build television set, looks to debut new Apple TV at WWDC
Countering recently voiced expectations from activist investor Carl Icahn, a report on Monday claims Apple had plans to release an ultra-high-definition television set by 2016, but abandoned the idea more than one year ago.
Sources told The Wall Street Journal that Apple's UHDTV ambitions ended after executives agreed the company could do little to innovate in an already competitive television hardware market.
When Apple first investigated a full-fledged TV offering, it explored not only 4K screen resolutions, but the incorporation of advanced sensors and cameras that would enable video calls dubbed "FaceTime for the television," the report said. Industry giants like Samsung, LG and Sony have toyed with similar ideas, though consumer response to such value-added features has been muted.
Apple did not cancel its television project altogether, though plans were shelved and employees reassigned to different product lines. According to the report, Cupertino has worked on other exotic display technologies in a quest to build a next-generation television, including a prototype transparent display powered by lasers. That project, too, was canceled due to questions of power efficiency and poor image quality.
It is not unusual for a tech company with Apple's resources and access to talent to explore every conceivable avenue in a variety of product categories, especially those where ripe for innovation. Indeed, Apple has enjoyed spectacular growth thanks in large part to its ability to evolve and refine consumer electronics beyond expectations.
Apple holds multiple patents related to display technology, including inventions covering all-glass appliances, holographic UIs and more. After acquiring Israeli company PrimeSense, however, recent IP filings have homed in on 3D gesture interfaces, technology that could plausibly make its way into a near future product.
Instead of a television set, Apple chose to concentrate on a next-generation Apple TV set-top streamer it plans to introduce at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June, the report said. The new device is rumored to ship with a faster processor, revamped remote control with touchpad input, a dedicated App Store and Siri integration. Reports have also pointed to an over-the-top subscription service designed to compete with traditional cable providers.
Earlier in the day, outspoken investor Carl Icahn set a lofty $240 price target for Apple stock partly on a belief that the company would launch a television set next year.
Sources told The Wall Street Journal that Apple's UHDTV ambitions ended after executives agreed the company could do little to innovate in an already competitive television hardware market.
When Apple first investigated a full-fledged TV offering, it explored not only 4K screen resolutions, but the incorporation of advanced sensors and cameras that would enable video calls dubbed "FaceTime for the television," the report said. Industry giants like Samsung, LG and Sony have toyed with similar ideas, though consumer response to such value-added features has been muted.
Apple did not cancel its television project altogether, though plans were shelved and employees reassigned to different product lines. According to the report, Cupertino has worked on other exotic display technologies in a quest to build a next-generation television, including a prototype transparent display powered by lasers. That project, too, was canceled due to questions of power efficiency and poor image quality.
It is not unusual for a tech company with Apple's resources and access to talent to explore every conceivable avenue in a variety of product categories, especially those where ripe for innovation. Indeed, Apple has enjoyed spectacular growth thanks in large part to its ability to evolve and refine consumer electronics beyond expectations.
Apple holds multiple patents related to display technology, including inventions covering all-glass appliances, holographic UIs and more. After acquiring Israeli company PrimeSense, however, recent IP filings have homed in on 3D gesture interfaces, technology that could plausibly make its way into a near future product.
Instead of a television set, Apple chose to concentrate on a next-generation Apple TV set-top streamer it plans to introduce at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June, the report said. The new device is rumored to ship with a faster processor, revamped remote control with touchpad input, a dedicated App Store and Siri integration. Reports have also pointed to an over-the-top subscription service designed to compete with traditional cable providers.
Earlier in the day, outspoken investor Carl Icahn set a lofty $240 price target for Apple stock partly on a belief that the company would launch a television set next year.
Comments
Good move.
And maybe it's time to ice Gene Munster too.
Industry giants like Samsung, LG and Sony have toyed with similar ideas, though consumer response to such value-added features has been muted.
I see what you did there.
I would think AAPL shares would rise on this news story. I just don't see TV as a huge money maker.
There's nothing wrong with televisions. The problem is the boxes to which they're connected. There is absolutely no way Apple could make a TV that's as revolutionary as the iPhone in 2007. So Tim made a wise decision.
Not every fucking product Apple releases needs to be "as revolutionary as the iPhone". That's an impossible standard to maintain. "Best device in it's category" is enough for me. An Apple branded TV, with iOS built in, as well as Facetime camera, Siri, gesture control, etc would be pretty damn tempting, and something possible to achieve with any TV connected to an Apple Box.
Which is why making a TV set makes no sense for Apple, IMO. Are they really going to make a better TV than Samsung or LG, especially when it's pretty clear people don't want smart TVs?
http://tinyurl.com/n6osvty
Apple has already built 4 TV sets and a 5th set is on the way.
The sizes are 4.7", 5.5", 7.9", 9.7" respectively and a 13" is on the way.
There's nothing wrong with televisions. The problem is the boxes to which they're connected. There is absolutely no way Apple could make a TV that's as revolutionary as the iPhone in 2007. So Tim made a wise decision.
In actuality "the box" is the television. After that there is just "the display".
I still say that if Apple ever makes a television set (they won't), it will just be a future iteration of the device we know as the "iMac".
Makes sense. People want dumb TV sets and smart boxes. Apple doesn't need to be in the dumb TV set business.
I dunno. I think MS is onto something with their Surface Hub. There definitely can be a viable market for a "smart" TV in the living room, conference room, and maybe even the classroom.
Not every fucking product Apple releases needs to be "as revolutionary as the iPhone". That's an impossible standard to maintain. "Best device in it's category" is enough for me. An Apple branded TV, with iOS built in, as well as Facetime camera, Siri, gesture control, etc would be pretty damn tempting, and something possible to achieve with any TV connected to an Apple Box.
agreed
Which is why making a TV set makes no sense for Apple, IMO. Are they really going to make a better TV than Samsung or LG, especially when it's pretty clear people don't want smart TVs?
Why not? Apple makes better phones, tablets, and watches than both companies utilizing components made by Samsung / LG. So there's no reason why Apple can't do the same with TV. The secret sauce is in the integration of the hardware / OS / services which neither Samsung nor LG can seem to replicate. They are slowly being relegated to component manufacturers.
Here is the problem with putting a camera in a TV, as well as the Camera phone from back in the 90's people worry that someone can be watching them. Yes people use face time and Skype and other video chat services but it not as wide spread as texting or talking on the phone. Keep in Mind Video chat is in its 4 decade, it was around in the corporate world back in the 80's. after also 40's year is still not mainstream communications.
This is the key statement here and why when we have so call people in the know making claims just shows you they have not clue,
I worked in enough Tech Company to seen enough to know just because a company is looking at something does not mean they have any plans to productise it.
Ben Bajarin still thinks Apple will make a TV -- for the 1% (because they did the gold Watch). OK but what exactly does a TV for the 1% look like?
like it or not, the top 1% own half the world's wealth. you go where the money goes.