During a press conference in Shanghai this week, Foxconn president Terry Gou finally confirmed that the company is making preparations to begin production of the upcoming Apple HDTV. Production is yet to begin, so you may not see the set before Christmas. But Apple certainly plans to bring Steve Jobs’s set to market.
Rumors concerning an Apple HDTV first began shortly after Walter Isaacson published Jobs’s biography, in which it was revealed that Jobs had “finally cracked” the perfect TV set before he passed away.
Since then, the device has been the subject of speculation on a frequent basis, but there has never been any substantial evidence to suggest it would ever make it to market. Until yesterday, when Foxconn chief Terry Gou revealed to reporters that his factories are “making preparations” for the set.
One of those preparations was Foxconn’s recent investment in Sharp, which will reportedly supply the LCD displays for the device.
Gou said Foxconn is making preparations for iTV, Apple Inc’s rumored upcoming high-definition television, although development or manufacturing has yet to begin.
iTV reportedly features an aluminum construction, Siri, and FaceTime video calling
Foxconn’s recent 50-50 joint venture factory with Sharp in Japan is one of the preparations made for the new device, Gou added.
That statement seems to confirm that Apple plans to make the set a reality in the near future, but the fact that it is yet to enter production suggests we’ll be waiting for some time yet. While most reports have claimed that the TV will launch before year’s end, one analyst recently stated that there is no sign of its appearance before 2014.
A source for Cult of Mac recently revealed that the Apple TV will look much like the company’s existing Thunderbolt Displays, only significantly larger. It is also expected to feature Siri integration, and a front-facing camera for making FaceTime calls.
Source: ChinaDaily
Via: MacRumors
