“Investor Carl Icahn said he expects Apple Inc. to introduce an ultra-high-definition television in 2016,” Daisuke Wakabayashi reports for The Wall Street Journal. “But after nearly a decade of research, Apple quietly shelved plans to make such a set more than a year ago, according to people familiar with the matter.”
“Mr. Icahn declined to comment. In his letter, he said that if Mr. Cook chose not to pursue some of the new categories, he’ll be ‘the first to admit that you are knowledgeable in these areas,'” Wakabayashi reports. “Apple is now focused on creating an online TV service and redesigning the Apple TV box, the people familiar with the matter said. It hopes to feature the new offerings at its developers’ conference next month, the people said.”
MacDailyNews Take: When Apple looks at what categories to enter, we ask these kinds of questions: What are the primary technologies behind this? What do we bring? Can we make a significant contribution to society with this? If we can’t, and if we can’t own the key technologies, we don’t do it. That philosophy comes directly from [Steve Jobs] and it still very much permeates the place. I hope that it always will. – Apple CEO Tim Cook, March 18, 2015
“Apple is in talks with programmers to create a bundle of TV channels delivered over the Internet to its devices, according to people familiar with the matter. It has told media companies that it hopes to unveil the service in June, and begin programming in the fall, they said,” Wakabayashi reports. “Apple is also expected to unveil a slimmer version of its Apple TV box with a redesigned remote control and revamped software, according to people familiar with the matter.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Quick, somebody bolt the windows to the ledge in Gene Munster’s office!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]