A “former Apple executive, speaking with us on condition of anonymity, told us that that the company’s biggest upcoming product launch will be one that hasn’t been made official yet — Apple has plans to enter the TV business,” Jason Mick reports for DailyTech.
“According to source Apple plans to ‘blow Netflix and all those other guys away’ by bundling Apple TV + iTunes inside physical television sets,” Mick reports. “According to the source Apple is teaming up with a major supplier (our guess would be Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., to provide the physical televisions, which will be rebranded as Apple television sets. According to the source, ‘You’ll go into an Apple retail store and be able to walk out with a TV. It’s perfect.'”
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Mick reports, “The idea of Apple entering the large television display business has been rumored on and off for a while now. After all, Apple has sold computer displays for some time now. But to our knowledge this is the first time such a project has been confirmed by a former or current executive.”
Full article, in which Mick doesn’t seem to realize that the 2nd-gen Apple TV is a bona fide hit (see related articles below), here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple TV is wonderful. If you don’t have one, you should get one. Building it into TV sets makes sense. Everyone who sees Apple TV in action wants one (just imagine if Apple actually advertised it to TV audiences on *gasp* TV!) Wait until Apple turns on the apps, releases the SDK to developers, and adds TV Shows and movies to iCloud – the sky’s the limit! If Apple unveils Apple-branded televisions, they will be a huge hit.
One thing’s for sure: If Apple does enter the TV business, Gene Munster will be grinning.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dow C.” and “Lava_Head_UK” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Apple said to be racing to ink film, TV show deals for iCloud – May 31, 2011
Analyst: 2nd-gen Apple TV unit sales top 2 million, 820K sold last quarter – April 19, 2011
Apps to run on new iOS device? Mystery placeholder name appears on Apple’s App Store – April 14, 2011
Analyst: Apple to debut ‘Smart HDTV’ this year – April 13, 2011
iOS 4.3 beta code strongly points to Apple TV support for App Store, online gaming – February 10, 2011
Rush Limbaugh: Apple TV and AirPlay are cool – January 07, 2011
Gartenberg: Apple TV quickly going from hobby to serious business – December 27, 2010
Frommer: Get ready for the Apple TV App Store – December 21, 2010
Apple sells one million Apple TV units in first 90 days – December 21, 2010
Gear Live reviews Apple TV: Small, fast, inexpensive; AirPlay will make people sit up and notice – October 12, 2010
Computerworld reviews Apple TV: Well-executed, cost-effective, and easy to recommend – October 08, 2010
Businessweek reviews Apple TV: Apple gets serious about TV – October 08, 2010
MacNewsWorld reviews Apple TV: Priced to sell at just $99 – October 07, 2010
Hobby turns hit: Apple TV on pace to sell 1 million units per quarter – October 06, 2010
Ars Technica reviews Apple TV: ‘The potential for AirPlay is huge’ – October 04, 2010
Apps are coming to Apple TV one way or another – October 01, 2010
CNET reviews Apple TV: Pitch-perfect design and user interface; AirPlay has game-changing potential – October 01, 2010
Apple TV a ticking time bomb for cable and satellite TV providers – October 01, 2010
Apple TV’s hidden features could shake up the television industry – October 01, 2010
Apple TV teardown reveals iPad inside(s) – September 30, 2010
Engadget reviews new Apple TV: Video clarity is impressive; audio quality is also superb – September 29, 2010
Apple TV unboxing photos and video – September 29, 2010
TIME’s Techland reviews Apple TV: ‘Incredibly convenient’ – September 29, 2010
PC Magazine reviews new Apple TV: ‘Our new Editors’ Choice media hub’ – September 29, 2010
Apple TV’s digital revolution will kill these studios – if they don’t wise up in time – September 27, 2010
Apple TV now shipping – September 27, 2010
Gartenberg: Google overshoots for input 1 on your TV while Apple TV smartly targets input 2 – September 07, 2010
Wired hands-on with Apple’s new $99 Apple TV: It’s a cool device; snappy and fast – September 01, 2010
Apple gets aggressive with new tiny, low-priced Apple TV – September 01, 2010
Apple premieres all-new Apple TV for just $99; commercial-free HD TV show rentals for only 99-cents – September 01, 2010
Brazil – Foxconn – Apple – Digital TV’s?
Let’s just hope down loading movies is as fast as Netflix. Right now, iTunes is horrible for watching anything
I’d find it easier to believe that Apple might license the rights to certain TV manufacturers to include Apple TV functionality in specific, high-end units. Allow the unit to be controlled by any paired iOS device, with a low-end iPod Touch included as the default remote.
I think this makes the most sense. It is a way for Apple to move to “VIDEO 1” in Steve’s lingo. The only way Apple would get into the hardware is if they made a huge technology leap that they patented from end to end.
People are willing to pay more for a TV with quality that is strikingly superior. Remember the price gap between Trinitron and everything else.
I’m skeptical but hopeful. Since Tivo now seems to be entering the licensing game, would love to see an Apple HDTV that incorporates both Apple TV and Tivo with large capacity storage (or maybe even iCloud storage). Would eliminate two black boxes for me.