During the Q4 financial call today, Tim Cook was asked about the future of the Apple TV and whether it will continue to be a hobby, or maybe something more. Of course Tim Cook wouldn’t talk about any future plans for the Apple TV, but he did explain why Apple is slower to make improvements to the Apple TV.
Even though Apple sold 1.3 million Apple TVs in Q4 (double what they sold in Q4 2011), Cook said that it really doesn’t make enough money yet to be considered anything more than a beloved hobby. Cook explained that when you look at how much money the Apple TV makes compared to other products in the Apple catalog, it doesn’t bring in as much revenue as other products.
Apple’s been rumored to be working on a full television set that includes Apple TV software integrated into the hardware. An Apple branded TV might be one way that Apple can make enough money off the Apple TV to make it more than a hobby. Rumors have circulated that Apple is hoping to introduce the Apple television at some point in 2013.
