“Now that the iPad mini has successfully transitioned from rumor to reality, Apple-watchers are turning their attention back to another of the company’s mythical products — the Apple Television [iTV],” John Paczkowski reports for AllThingsD. “According to a new report out of Jefferies, Apple’s much-rumored breakthrough TV is not only in the company’s product pipeline, it’s nearly out of it.”
“Jefferies & Co.’s James Kisner says at least one major cable operator is conducting tests to determine if it could handle the sort of bandwidth demands that a full-fledged, connected Apple HDTV might generate,” Paczkowski reports. “Sources tell AllThingsD that Apple has indeed had talks with a few large cable operators about some new TV product.”
Paczkowski reports, “But the idea that a[n]…’imminent’ launch is in the works seems harder to take seriously… If Apple were close to launching a new service, it would almost certainly be in touch with TV programmers about new arrangements, and we haven’t heard anything along those lines.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Sounds like iTV’s imminence, not to mention its resultant eminence, was all just a front. Who will claim so next?
Related article:
Jeffries: Apple iTV ‘imminent’ – November 15, 2012
Um, duh?
Apple, still the master of misdirection and secrecy.
I just bought a 1080p Apple TV for my office TV so take your time Apple!
I think Apple cleared out the March/April product release “slot” (previously occupied by iPad) for something new. It’s likely to be the “iTV.” As a first release, it will be announced several months early before the actual product launch (just like iPhone and iPad). Then, Apple will be able to do the final months of coordination “in the open,” without being hindered by the need for secrecy. So that lack of news (leaks) right now “about new arrangements” may not be all that surprising.
The timing is right for a new category of product from Apple.
2007 – iPhone
2010 – iPad
2013 – Apple’s TV?
However, one thing is for certain. If the “iTV” is just a stylish HDTV with a built-in Apple TV box, Apple is NOT going to do that… That’s just a more expensive “hobby.” A complete TV from Apple will need to have the potential for iPad-like sales and redefine the TV experience, just as iPhone redefined the smartphone experience.
iPhone didn’t “redefine” the smartphone, the iPhone defines the smartphone.
Well, smartphones DID exist as a legitimate and significant market before iPhone, so I think “redefine” is accurate. They had tiny keyboards and were defined by how a Blackberry looked and worked. Other smartphones were very similar.
On the other hand, the tablet market wasn’t meaningful before iPad. They existed, but with very low sales. So you can say that iPad “defined” the tablet computer experience in the same way that iPod defined the digital music player experience.
Even if an Apple product is not imminent, another speculative article about one nevertheless is, most certainly.
Hard to keep up with all this.
Cute Take, MDN!
Erm…. what does an average Who song have to do with….. well…. anything….