Apple TV to Become a Real TV?
8:00 am, August 7th, 2008, Lonnie Lazar
In February next year, receiving over-the-air television signals will require either a digital converter for current analog TVs or a digital TV set, creating a huge potential market of people looking to upgrade home viewing technology. Could this be the area for the mysterious “product transition” Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer mentioned last month?
We would like to think so. Of all the products that Apple could do, a smart TV makes the most sense. It would be like the AppleTV, but without a separate box to hook up. All the functions of the AppleTV would be built into the new Apple TV.
Netflix is already getting into this sector by teaming up with hardware makers to stream movies directly to living-room devices — a DVD player from LG, a movie box from Roku and MS’s XBox. Building the AppleTV’s smart functions into a flatscreen LCD TV would differentiate Apple’s offering from competitors like Samsung and Sony, and help the company dominate the emerging market for streaming television programming and movies the way it has come to dominate music distribution through iTunes.
Posted by Lonnie Lazar in AppleTV, Rumors | Comment on this article
If you enjoyed this article:
Subscribe via RSS or email, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Good idea… Should be done.
MacBlogz.com took it one step further a while back.
Complete 3D rendering concept called the Apple iTube.
Check it out…
http://www.macblogz.com/2008/05/20/apple-itube-released/
Mark Ralley, on August 7th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Being a current owner of an Apple TV i don’t think i would like this idea. If Apple does go this route they should also make a separate Apple TV box (like they do today) available too. I don’t want to be forced to have to buy a more expensive TV just to get Apple TV functionality. Right now i can buy the Apple TV for around $200 and use it with ANY TV I want. My 32 LCD cost me $600 two years ago and looks and works great.. plus the cost of Apple TV and im at $800 for the whole experience. Im afraid if it were built in I would be forced to buy at least a 37 or 42 and at a cost hundreds of dollars over what i paid for my set up.
MINI VANILLI, on August 7th, 2008 at 9:20 am
So, does that mean we can start replacing our TV’s every three years, just like our computers?
One of the nice things about television is the fact that it just worked. You bought one and it lasted you for years.
Now if Apple would build in software we end up having to upgrade every other year and we accumulate even more trash.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of over the air movie streaming and downloads but it would be a very smart “business move”, if the computer-makers could find a way of making us want replace our TV’s as often as we want to replace our iPods and computers.
m.
mathias, on August 7th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Sounds too much like a VCR/TV combo. I mean, I hate having yet another box but I’d rather not have built-ins.
C Rolls, on August 7th, 2008 at 9:26 am
“Sounds too much like a VCR/TV combo. I mean, I hate having yet another box but I’d rather not have built-ins.”
EXACTLY. So when one half breaks, malfunctions, or becomes obsolete, so does the other half.
no thanks.
rob, on August 7th, 2008 at 10:18 am
I think it makes more sense for Apple to get into the DVR space. With the transition to all digital and standards for cable cards slowing coming online, Apple could make the DVR experience seamless. They already have patents of a DVR UI. I think they could kill Tivo. Record your shows, rent movies, download music, stream your libraries from your computer and to your iPhone. This is the best convergence device.
ChrisM, on August 7th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Well!… Let me repeat my self. I´ve forseen this in over two years now. It´s invetable! Apple will sometime down the road make this happen. Rather sooner than later I hope. I would be sad to see Microsoft, DELL, Samsung or others alike, beating them to it. This would be a beautiful product if Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive were to slam dunk this one…
Well here goes… “Pushing the repeat button”:
(A copy/paste of an earlier post made by me on numerous Apple-rumor sites)…
Quote start >
New Cinema Displays are so over due! I think that maybe a version or two of the coming Cinema Displays will have evolved into the new “iTV” or “AppleTv-NonHoppy”. You know… into an All-In-One box with the über-remote, which is “iPhone 2″
The iTV/AppleTV would have the full blown Leopard OS in its stomach and thus include Safari, iChat (Camera on front naturally) and the regular gaming experience among other good things! The mouse (read… remote with mouse abillities) of couse… would be the “iPhone 2″ (The new remote) …and as new patent´s show… The new game controller!!! Link: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/05/08/apple_developing_3d_gaming_controller_for_apple_tv.html
This would also help us get rid of the many ugly Set Top Boxes that clutters our TV environment.
Apple still have to make money. So the iPhone would not come bundled with the AppleTV as standard. You would have a simple (but improved from the original) remote that comes with the system. Then buy an iPhone to extend and simplify your couch-surfing. Nice to only have one remote on your table. So instead of the simple remote that came with the system, you now can replace it with the combatible “iPhone 2″ which would have the same functions build in.
Yep!, you would certaintly have to buy that on the side! My AAPL has to go up you know!
I would really like my TV to be Apple branded! It would be stylish! No doubt!
If this Scenario where to happen… companies like DELL and Microsoft would shit their pants!
< Quote end
PLEEEEEEEAAASE Apple!!!
MacTheBrave, on August 7th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
…So actually – 1: It´s an iMac – 2: it´s a TV – 3: it´s the livingroom jukebox (iTunes) – 4: and it´s the entire web-experience… all controlled from the couch
You know this will happen eventually! …But who will be first? – Apple – SONY – DELL ???
MacTheBrave, on August 7th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
…So actually – 1: It´s an iMac – 2: it´s a TV – 3: it´s the livingroom jukebox (iTunes) – 4: and it´s the entire web-experience… all controlled from the couch
You know this will happen eventually! …But who will be first? – Apple – SONY – DELL ?
MacTheBrave, on August 7th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
i don’t see them getting into the DVR game because that could cut down on itunes season passes. but perhaps a drop in pass prices and an increase on offerings will happen.
also, perhaps adding a blu ray player and maybe the means to use the box as a cable tuner/digital converter somewhere along the way. you’d still have to get cable service from comcast etc but you wouldn’t have to have yet another box on the shelf.
oh and can they do something about the heat issue.
Lucas, on August 7th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Terrible idea for me, personally. Unless of course it’s somehow bigger/better than the 106 inch screen w/ projector my current ATV is hooked to….
Eddie, on August 8th, 2008 at 7:20 am
What a terrible idea. Besides, they already have a device they can build all that new functionality into: AppleTV. And, like others already said, it will work with ANY TV. Now if you could plug it into an Apple display…
Here’s what I see:
AppleTV + TV turner + DVR + Netflix access = crazy delicious
Hell, if they just added the Netflix access I would buy one in a heartbeat considering Sony doesn’t seam to want to put in it their PS3 *grumble*
Church of Apple, on August 8th, 2008 at 11:26 am
So you can upgrade your tv every year for the same exact cost as buying a new one when they change the software? (see OSX licensing costs).
No thanks, separate box please.
Chris
Chris Wilkerson, on August 8th, 2008 at 1:43 pm