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News & ArtsTuesday, December 27, 2011
TV / Tech Here Comes an Apple TV?
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Dec 27, 2011 at 3:58 PM
Rumors of an Apple television have resurfaced with supply chain sources telling DigiTimes that they're starting to prepare components for 32- and 37-inch "iTV" sets launching in Q2 or Q3 of 2012. According to the Taiwanese publication, suppliers will begin preparing materials in Q1 to prepare for the mid-year production ramp up.
Back before the iPad came out, all the tech blogs were buzzing for months about Apple's rumored slate device. This Apple TV (or iTV) talk reminds me of all that chatter: A lot of it sounds fanciful and weird, but there's probably at least a kernel of truth somewhere in there. You might want to start saving up your pennies now, because I bet that by the end of 2012, we'll at least have a very good idea of how Apple is going to re-imagine the television experience.
1
Coming in 2013: Microsoft TV.
Do people upgrade their TV every year? I mean, people who aren't profligate jackasses? I dunno if Apple can get its fans to swap out their TV annually like you're supposed to do with your iPhone and iPad.
Do people upgrade their TV every year? I mean, people who aren't profligate jackasses? I dunno if Apple can get its fans to swap out their TV annually like you're supposed to do with your iPhone and iPad.
2
it will almost certainly be a lovely interface, I don't doubt that, but TV is still essentially shit in every direction as far as the eye can see, and nothing is going to change that, even if it "listens" to your "commands"
3
I'll wait until they are knocked off by someone who can do it cheaper and better. Like MS did to their OS in the 90's.
I do not want to use voice control for my tv though. That sounds much more annoying than using the remote.
I do not want to use voice control for my tv though. That sounds much more annoying than using the remote.
4
I'm guessing a streaming ala carte service where you pay per individual episode or series, running on a subscription service off one of those #G lines. Ya know, something that costs a lot of money to purchase, a costly subscription service for access, and micro-transaciton service for the actual content.
Sounds like Apple to me!
Sounds like Apple to me!
5
They're going to have a much harder time cracking the TV market compared to the other markets they are in (I still don't believe they will even try though). First of all the TV market is really competitive. The margins are already razor thin. There is already a race to the bottom on price. Apple is either going to have to abandon the traditional margins they have on devices or price them higher than the competition. People will pay more for an apple product, but if they charge $700 for a TV when you can get a Vizio for $300 in the same size, people are going to balk.
What Apple does with the iPhones and iPads to increase margins won't work with TV's. Apple usually gets such a big supply of components that they can buy the components cheaper than their competitors. That's not going to work because you already have people buying enough components to make 10's of millions of TV's.
The other problem is choice. 32" and 37" are nice and all. But most people want a bigger TV. When you see the 37" Apple LCD for the same price as the 50" Panasonic plasma, it's going to be hard to justify the cost. 32" is a good size for a bedroom and 37" is ok for a very small room (sitting less than 8 feet away).
If Apple really wanted to get in the game they would allow TV's to be "Made for iTV" the same way things are made for iPod. Then the Apple TV would dock into the back of the TV and work perfectly.
What Apple does with the iPhones and iPads to increase margins won't work with TV's. Apple usually gets such a big supply of components that they can buy the components cheaper than their competitors. That's not going to work because you already have people buying enough components to make 10's of millions of TV's.
The other problem is choice. 32" and 37" are nice and all. But most people want a bigger TV. When you see the 37" Apple LCD for the same price as the 50" Panasonic plasma, it's going to be hard to justify the cost. 32" is a good size for a bedroom and 37" is ok for a very small room (sitting less than 8 feet away).
If Apple really wanted to get in the game they would allow TV's to be "Made for iTV" the same way things are made for iPod. Then the Apple TV would dock into the back of the TV and work perfectly.
6
@1: Microsoft TV has existed for the last ten years. It's the most common interface system for cable TV boxes. It's pretty sleek and intuitive, too.
It's hard to imagine what Apple could do that's really revolutionary in this market. Perhaps include Siri functionality, so you could say to you iTV: "record the next three episodes of my favorite TV show, and reminded my wife to buy more milk the next time she turns on the TV"?
It's hard to imagine what Apple could do that's really revolutionary in this market. Perhaps include Siri functionality, so you could say to you iTV: "record the next three episodes of my favorite TV show, and reminded my wife to buy more milk the next time she turns on the TV"?
7
Interesting to see how they improve/differ from the current iptv-ready (or whatever you call TV's that have this functionality built in) sets. Outside of some integration with other Apple products, Apple TV boxes are currently fairly limited compared to their competition—perhaps Apple's hoping to acquire content producers/providers in the mean time?—but they do have a knack for getting the public to bite.
8
@dougsf
Unless they make a deal with the cable companies, there's no way they can deliver a very good streaming service. Bandwidth caps kill the possibility of getting all your shows that way dead.
Unless they make a deal with the cable companies, there's no way they can deliver a very good streaming service. Bandwidth caps kill the possibility of getting all your shows that way dead.
9
@6 Actually, the product that Microsoft has that would compete against this sort of thing is actually Kinect for XBox 360 with the newly upgraded TV features.
10
Thank God ITV is already a long-standing trademark of the British television channel. Let's see how Apple deals with that.
11
@8 Explain? You can currently stream television content via any number of devices to your television via any available broadband host. My Roku streams HD from an inexpensive DSL connection, and with a noticeably better picture (at least from content filmed in HD) than the digital Comcast cable it replaced.
12
I think we should all wait until we hear from Will in Seattle on how this exciting new Apple development will revolutionize the TV experience, the same way the new 3-D iPad did for tablets.
If Apple can combine all of the streaming possibilities of the various boxen (Roku, etc.), and apply iSmarts to the DVR and the search features, they'll make a pretty big splash. None of those devices are anywhere near perfect yet, and they're all to much of a pain for most ordinary people to set up. Trust me, I just spent nearly the entirety of the holidays listening to a variety of elderly people talk at tremendous length about their TV options and how confusing they are. Many of these people still rock VCRs in addition to all the other crap. They paid a guy to plug their Roku in for them.
And yes, they all watch their standard-def channels stretched in the wrong aspect ratio. WHAT THE FUCKETY.
If Apple can combine all of the streaming possibilities of the various boxen (Roku, etc.), and apply iSmarts to the DVR and the search features, they'll make a pretty big splash. None of those devices are anywhere near perfect yet, and they're all to much of a pain for most ordinary people to set up. Trust me, I just spent nearly the entirety of the holidays listening to a variety of elderly people talk at tremendous length about their TV options and how confusing they are. Many of these people still rock VCRs in addition to all the other crap. They paid a guy to plug their Roku in for them.
And yes, they all watch their standard-def channels stretched in the wrong aspect ratio. WHAT THE FUCKETY.
13
@DougSF
Comcast currently has a 250GB data cap. that's 10 blu-ray movies. If people start moving more of their watching to over the internet, you'll hit those caps quickly. People watch A LOT of TV. If you streamed a good quality HD stream for just a few hours a day, you'll hit that cap pretty quickly.
Since Comcast owns the pipe coming to my house, it is going to be impossible for anyone to offer a competing service over that pipe unless the government forces Comcast to allow it.
Comcast currently has a 250GB data cap. that's 10 blu-ray movies. If people start moving more of their watching to over the internet, you'll hit those caps quickly. People watch A LOT of TV. If you streamed a good quality HD stream for just a few hours a day, you'll hit that cap pretty quickly.
Since Comcast owns the pipe coming to my house, it is going to be impossible for anyone to offer a competing service over that pipe unless the government forces Comcast to allow it.
14
@13 - Well, I don't know what they're planning on launching, but I wouldn't imagine Comcast/Time-Warner/et. al. is Apple TV's direct competition. As far as we know, they're competition is many of the same players they currently compete with in the hardware and media delivery markets.
Also, what the fuck do I know? This could be a very different space by the time they even manufacture the damn thing.
I haven't heard of iptv users being affected by an ip's caps, but I suppose it's possible.
Also, what the fuck do I know? This could be a very different space by the time they even manufacture the damn thing.
I haven't heard of iptv users being affected by an ip's caps, but I suppose it's possible.
15
I think the problem is that people are forgetting that Apple doesnt make products that will "compete" with others, rather revolutionize that particular industry. Everyone forgets the landscape of Smartphones in 2006 vs 2007 as they do tablets in 2009 vs 2010. I remeber when people said "Who is going to buy an iPad!?" Now my grandma has one. (no I didnt buy it for her)
16
I see Apple releasing a larger LED monitor and a 3rd gen AppleTV box, but thats about it. Most people who have a 2nd Gen AppleTV find it great, but only if you have a huge iTunes collection and plan to buy tons more. If you dont, then its really just an 99$ PPV box that competes with Comcast, Time Warner, etc. Not much different than a HDTV with a Cable Card 2.0 slot (first gen cc didnt support PPV, VOD, etc).
Want to impress the hell out of me? Have Slingbox remote connection to my phone or computer, WDTV Live hardware video playback and USB Hub, XBMC menus (add-ons support) and top it off with a DVR (unlikely given the price of hdds and while ssds are chaper, 120 gigs doesnt get you much when it comes to HD recording). But something tells me, this is just going to be a TV with an integrated AppleTV 3G.
Microsoft has made better progress with turning the Xbox360 into a set top box for Direct TV and Verizon FiOS service, in addition to being a PPV box for movies. They even support XViD and DiVX now, something apple refuses to support. But nobody is going to buy an Xbox360 just to watch movies or tv shows, too pricey just to get a PPV box.
Imaging if Apple didnt include a IR remote and required you to speak to the TV for all functions? Man thats going to piss off alot of mute/deaf customers, who's voice might be difficult for Siri to understand. Ironic since Apple makes its products easily accessible to the blind.
Want to impress the hell out of me? Have Slingbox remote connection to my phone or computer, WDTV Live hardware video playback and USB Hub, XBMC menus (add-ons support) and top it off with a DVR (unlikely given the price of hdds and while ssds are chaper, 120 gigs doesnt get you much when it comes to HD recording). But something tells me, this is just going to be a TV with an integrated AppleTV 3G.
Microsoft has made better progress with turning the Xbox360 into a set top box for Direct TV and Verizon FiOS service, in addition to being a PPV box for movies. They even support XViD and DiVX now, something apple refuses to support. But nobody is going to buy an Xbox360 just to watch movies or tv shows, too pricey just to get a PPV box.
Imaging if Apple didnt include a IR remote and required you to speak to the TV for all functions? Man thats going to piss off alot of mute/deaf customers, who's voice might be difficult for Siri to understand. Ironic since Apple makes its products easily accessible to the blind.
18
@1
You're kidding, right?
iPhone 3GS is still supported, and it came out in 1999.
I get that you're an idiot, what with the pony avatar and all, but still, have some dignity.
You're kidding, right?
iPhone 3GS is still supported, and it came out in 1999.
I get that you're an idiot, what with the pony avatar and all, but still, have some dignity.
19
I've never believed this rumor, but I never in a billion billion years thought that there would be a Verizon iPhone, so...
Jobs always stated that it was impossible for Apple to produce a successful set-top box a la TiVo, because the CableCos have a total monopoly on the customer-base, and even Apple isn't powerful enough to go up against a Comcast/Cablevision/TimeWarner/Cox/Verizon FiOS consortium with their regional monopolies.
Its always struck me that the Apple Stores aren't designed to display / store / push out the door volumes of large-screen TVs in their giant boxes.
Jobs always stated that it was impossible for Apple to produce a successful set-top box a la TiVo, because the CableCos have a total monopoly on the customer-base, and even Apple isn't powerful enough to go up against a Comcast/Cablevision/TimeWarner/Cox/Verizon FiOS consortium with their regional monopolies.
Its always struck me that the Apple Stores aren't designed to display / store / push out the door volumes of large-screen TVs in their giant boxes.
20
What Apple is good at is creating the demand for various gadgets. At the end of the day you don't NEED an iPhone or an iPad but Apple is brilliant at making you want those products. But at the end of day it's just more plastic shit made in China that will end up in the landfills.
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