Rumors of an Apple-made TV set are back again

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in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited November 2024

Apple is said to be considering making a television set, over a decade after it abandoned that idea in favor of creating the Apple TV set top box.

A TV screen displays movie posters and navigation icons for movies, TV shows, music, computers, and settings against a green background.
An "Apple television" has been rumored for more than 15 years.



It's one of the famous Steve Jobs stories, a claim relayed by biographer Walter Isaacson, which Jobs said he had figured out television. "I finally cracked it," he said in 2010, adding that his Apple TV set would be "completely easy to use."

Now according to Bloomberg, Apple may yet be having another go at fulfilling that ambition. As yet it's no more than a vague rumor, but Apple is said to be once again evaluating the idea.

What's new is that such a device could conceivably fit in with the many other rumors that say Apple wants to expand its home devices. An Apple TV set -- or perhaps an Apple-branded set -- could be one key part of an array of smart home devices Apple is said to be planning for 2025 and beyond.

Assuming that this would be the current tvOS in a somewhat bigger box than the Apple TV 4K, it's both easy to see how Apple could do it -- and hard to see why it would. Apple TV is already available as part of at least most smart television sets, and Apple would presumably need to bring something new to the market if it were to sell many.

It's not as if Apple would try undercutting the price of TV sets, or any other product market it works in. Still, it is quite possible that a TV manufacturer would be willing to partner on such a device, because of the value of Apple's brand name.

But then Apple already makes the hardware that is in the Apple TV 4K, and it already has LG making monitors for it. So again, it is possible that Apple could bring its own TV set to market.

Yet there is a reason that back in the early 2010s,Tim Cook, squashed such reports. Then Apple's Chief Operating Officer, he expressly stated that Apple had "no interest" in the television market.

Even Jobs didn't seem that convinced. Not only did he oversee the switch from a TV set to the Apple TV set top box, but he also had Apple refer to it all as a hobby.

Apple does not publish sales figures for the Apple TV 4K, nor for any other specific device. Yet the latest available figures show that in 2022, the Apple TV+ streaming service had only 3% of the market.

That 3% figure encompasses everyone watching through Apple TV 4K and all of the smart TVs that include the service. So it's not like Apple TV has an encouraging track record -- although at the same time, the figures show why Apple is expanding how many services carry Apple TV+.

Rumor Score: Possible

Read on AppleInsider

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    Personally, I don’t see what the point of this TV set would be when you already have the Apple TV box that you can plug in plus the Apple TV+ app. These things make this TV set unnecessary and rather redundant to me.
    kkqd1337appleinsideruserjeffharrisentropysAlex1NravnorodomAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 2 of 34
    /Rant

    Even without my current abject hatred of everything Apple, I don't think I would ever purchase a TV from them.  I want a good TV with great picture quality.  That's about it...  A TV that does not have a gazillion bugs which don't get fixed in favor of new "features" which won't even work on my TV because Apple just changed to a new hardware platform and abandoned the old platform in a hot second...  and I certainly don't want a minimalist TV with the power button on the bottom of the stand, wifi only with no external ports (for that clean and uncluttered look), and a single button remote without user replaceable batteries which promptly gets obsoleted without the ability to purchase a replacement when the original battery dies.  The AppleTV as a set-top box is fine.  If it fails or gets thrown to Apple's proverbial technological garbage heap, I can get a new one for a relatively small sum, or go with a different platform altogether.

    /End_Rant
    edited November 2024
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  • Reply 3 of 34
    Not paying thousands of dollars for a TV. I’m good with the Apple TV streaming box. It’s better than any smart tv which are pretty dumb at that. 
    ihatescreennamesjeffharrisAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 4 of 34
    I am no expert. But I don't think TVs carry enough margin for them to be worth Apple's time and effort.
    lotoneskev4600muthuk_vanalingamjeffharrisdewmeAlex1Nsdw2001radarthekatAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 5 of 34
    Disagree

    As a part of the Apple ecosystem that works so well there are inherent problems with certain aspects of only using the set top box AppleTV. Streamers like @Sling do not support the use of HomePodMini, something that I notified Sling many times over the past years but they refuse to support the devices.  I would most def purchase an AppleTelevision with full integration for the ecosystem as most TVs seem to lean towards being “PC” compatible

    mccargos said:
    Personally, I don’t see what the point of this TV set would be when you already have the Apple TV box that you can plug in plus the Apple TV+ app. These things make this TV set unnecessary and rather redundant to me.

    lotonesAlex1Nradarthekat
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  • Reply 6 of 34
    darbus69 said:
    Disagree

    As a part of the Apple ecosystem that works so well there are inherent problems with certain aspects of only using the set top box AppleTV. Streamers like @Sling do not support the use of HomePodMini, something that I notified Sling many times over the past years but they refuse to support the devices.  I would most def purchase an AppleTelevision with full integration for the ecosystem as most TVs seem to lean towards being “PC” compatible

    mccargos said:
    Personally, I don’t see what the point of this TV set would be when you already have the Apple TV box that you can plug in plus the Apple TV+ app. These things make this TV set unnecessary and rather redundant to me.

    I agree. Apple already makes the most important part of the TV, the OS, and they do it the best. Google TV/Android and the rest are wonky and full of ads. So far tvOS is commercial free and reliable, without harvesting your data. TV's also have a high return rate because of screen manufacturing inconsistencies, and year-to-year feature upgrades that render previous year's stock obsolete within months, and Apple doesn't have to deal with any of that right now. Can't see them wanting to take on that "bag of hurt".
    jeffharrisbadmonkAlex1NradarthekatAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 7 of 34
    Marvinmarvin Posts: 15,519moderator
    kkqd1337 said:
    I am no expert. But I don't think TVs carry enough margin for them to be worth Apple's time and effort.
    Apple would sell their models with higher margins. PCs have low margins <5% net usually, Apple maintains around 25% net margin for Macs.

    If an LG TV sells for $999 with 5% ($50) net margin, Apple could sell the exact same panel (they buy panels from LG/Samsung) for $1299 to get 25% net margin.

    Quite a lot of people would pay $1299 for an Apple TV instead of a $999 LG TV. They won't take a huge marketshare but it's a reasonably sized market at over 200m units per year:

    https://advanced-television.com/2022/02/22/samsung-lg-dominate-global-tv-market/

    The biggest manufacturers (LG, Samsung) have around 10-20% unit share. If Apple aims for 10m units/year (5% yearly marketshare), they'd make $13b revenue, $3b net income.

    They can ship the TV with A18 Pro or M2/3/4 chips so it can play iOS games.

    While 10m units/year doesn't sound like a lot, the worldwide market is over 1.5b units so if they can sustain the sales, they would be able to build up a decent install base within a few years.

    If they go all-in with dual layer OLED panels, they can rival the image quality of competing units around the same price point and they will have the best chassis design, as thin as possible with a solid metal enclosure and ports all neatly lined up, intuitive remote control and UI, support for connecting/streaming from iOS devices seamlessly.
    mark fearingChris_Pelhamkkqd1337lotoneswilliamlondonAlex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 8 of 34
    DAalsethdaalseth Posts: 3,122member
    You tagged this ‘Possible’. I would have gone with ‘Doubtful’ or ‘B@#$%*t’. I really see no reason Apple would go into the TV business. Actually to me it would suggest that they were running out of ideas. 
    dewmejeffharrisAlex1Nradarthekatwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 9 of 34
    I’ve said for years that I’d buy multiple 55” and 65” iPads and put them all over the house. 
    badmonkAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 10 of 34
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,286member
    There is no way Apple could sell a television at the gross margins they are accustomed to in today's consumer television marketplace.

    This rumor is complete steaming pile, a genuine Munsterism.

    Aahahahahahahahahaha!!!

     :p :D  
    edited November 2024
    chasmbeowulfschmidtjeffharrisAlex1NradarthekatAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 11 of 34
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,672member
    I have only ever seen the native OS of my HiSense TV once -- when I first hooked it up. It wasn't awful, just mediocre and klunky.

    The TV is set up so that when I pick up the Apple TV remote -- the only remote I need to use -- it turns on both the TV and the Apple TV box, which immediately takes over. This means that everything I watch or music I listen to goes through my HomePods, which beat the crap out of most soundbars.

    I help my friends and neighbours set up their new TVs, and I'm always APPALLED at how many ads are cluttering up the menu -- every menu -- all the time. I generally help them set their TVs to default to the last channel they were watching so that they don't have to use the menus unless they want to use one of the streaming services (my neighbours are mostly seniors, so they don't have as much interest in commercial-free television as I do).

    I don't have cable. I rotate around 3-5 streaming services at a time, and pay for the ad-free tiers, which is very reasonably priced when you're not also paying a cable bill (which I'm not). I have limited time to watch TV, and I want to watch high-quality shows without interruption. The Apple TV box makes this possible, so it is for me as indispensable as electricity when it comes to TV watching.
    edited November 2024
    appleinsideruserScot1badmonkAlex1NlotonesradarthekatAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 12 of 34
    chasm said:
    I have only ever seen the native OS of my HiSense TV once -- when I first hooked it up. It wasn't awful, just mediocre and klunky.
    ...
    TV OSes in general are lacking. Many so called "smart" TVs don't necessarily allow installing the streaming app you want if they are more than a few years old (or even new for that matter). This includes LG, Samsung, and Vizio. The closest ones to being workable are the TVs with the Roku OS (except that their damn remote has no number keypad). Note that all of these TVs have the ability to install the Apple TV app, but of course, this is not the same as an actual Apple TV device.

    In my family, there are several smart TVs that can't get the Paramount+ app for example. And none of the TVs have a particularly good way of integrating broadcast OTA (Over the Air) sources for local channels into the smart menu OS. It's not terribly difficult for me to figure it out (you just navigate the menu to switch inputs), but this is still too much for certain family members to deal with. (OTA may sound old-fashioned to some, but it is certainly ubiquitous).

    Speaking of local channels, this is where cable or satellite TV often come in. If you have Spectrum, you can install their app on either a Roku device or Apple TV (I have one of each on different TVs). It's a little better than having a separate cable box since you don't have to switch inputs on the TV itself. On the Roku device, its not possible to have the Spectrum app automatically launch when you turn on the TV, but I got the Apple TV from Spectrum along with the Spectrum Apple TV remote that does make the Spectrum app launch on start up if you hit the right button.

    Now that Spectrum (and Comcast) offer the Xumo streaming box, it looks like local/linear TV and streaming TV (still not OTA) might be a bit better integrated. Same thing with the DirecTV Gemini box. I don't have these, but I know someone that has a Xumo and while they are not too impressed, at least the remote has a number keypad.

    What's still missing is a device that does not need to be associated with a cable TV or satellite TV service so that one can access local OTA channels and has an App Store to install whatever streaming apps one wishes.

    I would say the chance of a TV with an Apple logo on it is slim, but not zero. There would have to be a clear benefit to do so compared to just connecting an Apple TV. Maybe Apple should come out with a TV with an OTA tuner integrated with Apple TV OS? There would then be the bonus of having an all in one solution to watch regular TV and streaming TV, play games, have HomePod integration, and be a HomeKit hub too. In my mind, a TV with these capabilities should cost about as much as a separate Apple TV device combined with a nice TV like an LG 65" OLED. People say that Apple is not interested in the low-margin TV business, but it's not like the Apple TV is such a high margin device, so who knows? If not a TV, then maybe an Apple TV soundbar?
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 13 of 34
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,672member
    Maybe Apple should come out with a TV with an OTA tuner integrated with Apple TV OS?

    If not a TV, then maybe an Apple TV soundbar?
    OTA television is likely going to be phased out over the next few (I'd say 10) years in order to give that spectrum to other purposes. Where I live, everyone who is housed has some form of piped in cable TV in their home/condo/apartment building. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a pair of "rabbit ears" or a TV with a built-in antenna in at least a decade.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 14 of 34
    One possible reason for releasing an Apple television set would be to pull in more viewers for its AppleTV service. You would know the TV has no spyware, and if it was pretty compelling, maybe a 6K or 8K panel that displays HD and 4K beautifully, is very easy to set up, and can connect to multiple (more than 2) HomePods for effective Dolby Atmos sound, and also had Apple Intelligence and web cam built in for Facetime, Zoom, etc., it could attract buyers who were not necessarily already subscribing to AppleTV.
    Alex1NradarthekatAlex_Vwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 15 of 34
    chasm said:
    Maybe Apple should come out with a TV with an OTA tuner integrated with Apple TV OS?

    If not a TV, then maybe an Apple TV soundbar?
    OTA television is likely going to be phased out over the next few (I'd say 10) years in order to give that spectrum to other purposes. Where I live, everyone who is housed has some form of piped in cable TV in their home/condo/apartment building. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a pair of "rabbit ears" or a TV with a built-in antenna in at least a decade.
    OTA TV probably won’t go away anytime soon. There are still plenty of people who use it in a lot of cities and rural areas. Especially since more people are getting fed up with cable, and streaming fees going up and up every year. 

    The reason why you don’t see rabbit ears is because of newer type indoor antennas that are plastic and shaped like small rectangles. Plus any homes with the old antennas on the roof can pull in a lot more HD OTA channels than one that is indoor. 

    I don’t know if the next administration will try to change that, but if all of the networks promise to stream nightly episodes of “The Apprentice”, I’m sure he’ll spare them. /s
    AppleZuluroundaboutnowAlex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 16 of 34
    AppleZuluapplezulu Posts: 2,265member
    The little Apple TV boxes have been successful because they’re comparatively inexpensive and can thus be replaced for the benefit of computational hardware upgrades on a shorter cycle than is desirable for a more expensive large panel screen. 

    That said, the weakest part of current “smart” TVs is the crappy software running on processors that become obsolete long before the display itself should have any problems. A high-quality 4K UHD set shouldn’t need to be upgraded any time soon. While 8K is out there on the horizon, it is visually irrelevant for anything but the most ridiculously large screens. For most home setups, you couldn’t visually perceive the difference between 4K and 8K unless you sit two feet from the screen. 

    Perhaps the best argument for an Apple TV set would be for it to be a high-quality display and tuner that would be entirely controlled by an Apple TV box. 

    The worst part of setting up my current TV was working through all the settings to essentially disable all of its “enhancements” so that the Apple TV box can manage color depth, frame-rate and other things based on the source content, and also to carefully never turn on the Google TV software. 

    If you could just plug in an Apple TV box and have it seamlessly manage the display settings, on air tuner and run all the streaming software, that might be a good thing. It essentially wouldn’t be an Apple TV set, it would be an Apple TV display that would exclusively plug-and-play with your Apple TV box making it a TV that just works. 

    The high-end display could be purchased and retained, independently of the upgrade cycle of the already separate AppleTV box. Pricing could also be competitive for a high-end market, while yielding a better margin for Apple, because the price would be all about the screen, while the computational hardware would all exist in the separately purchased Apple TV box. 

    I didn’t start out thinking there was an argument for this, but that might just be it. 
    Alex1Nradarthekatwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 17 of 34
    No adware, home hub, built in VIsionPro video capture cameras, Apple sound system.  Sony's already shown that you can differentiate using video processing alone.  With the gesturing advancements that Apple's made with the Apple Watch, similar ones could be made using cameras to be able to interact with content on a large screen using gestures from the sofa: Video gaming or other content.

    Lots of things that make a large screen useful that aren't for passively watching TV and for which Apple would need to have a hardware entry.
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 18 of 34
    No adware, home hub, built in VIsionPro video capture cameras, Apple sound system.  Sony's already shown that you can differentiate using video processing alone.  With the gesturing advancements that Apple's made with the Apple Watch, similar ones could be made using cameras to be able to interact with content on a large screen using gestures from the sofa: Video gaming or other content.

    Lots of things that make a large screen useful that aren't for passively watching TV and for which Apple would need to have a hardware entry.

    Indeed I too was contemplating VisionPro and spatial image viewing support as something unique to Apple...
    edited November 2024
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 19 of 34
    This rumor again?

    Apple shouldn’t waste time trying to compete with essentially disposable commodity items from dozens of manufacturers.
    What’s next, a “smart” microwave?

    I’d say Apple should try to make Apple TV 4K work a little better with dumb monitors and speakers, even with standard TVs.

    In my bedroom I have a 32” Viewsonic 1440p IPS monitor connected to Apple TV 4K and KEF LSX speakers and subwoofer.
    It’s a little more complicated to use than my living room system, since I have to separately control the speakers.

    My living room system is an LG UHDTV and KEF wireless speakers and subwoofers. 
    The TV and speakers use HDMI eARC, which allows me to control speaker volume with the TV remote. 
    It also means that Apple TV turns on the TV and speaker system simultaneously, which is great. 
    The speakers auto-switch audio inputs when the TV is turned on.

    It would be MUCH better if I were able to control volume with the Apple TV remote and avoid using the TV remote entirely.

    So, make Apple TV 4K work better with a wider variety of peripherals and be a bit more flexible.
    How about an Apple TV Max (or something) that acts more like a media hub connecting audio/video devices and peripherals and making them work better together. 
    edited November 2024
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 20 of 34
    All of those rumors are about the HomePod with a screen.

    But Apple tries to hide their new products. 
    DAalseth6ryph3nAlex1Nwatto_cobra
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