When former Apple CEO Steve Jobs told his autobiographer that he'd "finally cracked it" when talking about an Apple TV - the entire tech world took notice.
Everyone imagined a TV that would revolutionized the medium for the 21st century. Like many products before it Apple might not have invented the TV, but from what Jobs said he'd come up with a recipe that would secure the future of the TV in a age where more and more people watch content on their laptops, PC's and phones.
Since Jobs' eureka moment, its been our job to try and work out what Apple might have planned. A Stunning design, iOS, Siri voice assistant, iSight cameras – have all been mentioned. And while all the above features seem likely to find their way into the TV's what else has Apple got planned? And most importantly when will we see the sets?
Foxconn Gearing Up For Production
The latest rumours from Apple's Asian manufacturing partner Foxconn, is that they have already begun gearing up to start making the TVs. Foxconn’s new Chief Terry Gou said during a recent news conference in Shanghai that his company has been making preparations to start producing Apple TV. He did concede, however, that production and development of the device has not begun.
Not only has Foxconn been given the nod to start laying tentative plans for the sets. Cult of Mac this week claimed to have actually seen a working prototype of the forthcoming TV.
According to Cult of Mac, an unnamed source said the prototype closely resembles the currently flagship Apple display the Cinema Display. According to the source the only difference between the two was the size, and that the prototype had Siri functionality and a built-in iSight camera for video calls.
It might be the case that the set was actually a new Cinema Display and not an Apple TV - but it's good to hear that Apple has already begun testing what features and sizes will be most suitable when the sets eventually do launch.
According to Cult Of Mac the iSight camera isn't just your normal snapper; it comes with facial recognition technology and has the ability to zoom in on a user's face and even follow them around the room a la Kinect. This could mean users will be able to make call from across the room, instead of having to sit directly in front of the TV and would be able to initiate calls via voice using Siri.
Apple To Buy German TV maker Loewes?
Last week German luxury TV maker Loewe's share price jumped to a 10-month high on Monday as rumours begun to circulate that Apple was a considering making an offer for the TV maker.
The news came from Appleinsider, who quoted the usual source familiar with the matter, stating Apple was willing to pay 87.3 million euros or a 48 per cent on Loewe's closing price on Friday.
A spokesman from Loewe said that management were not aware of Apple's proposed bid and, of course, Apple declined to comment. It would make perfect sense for Apple, Loewe have built quite a cult following with their stylish TV's that often include remotes that can act as a home phone and the TV's tend to come with space-aged stands that can turn to face the viewer remotely.
What else can we expect
Some of the big Hollywood Studios have created a movie-streaming service called Epix – it’s a joint venture between Viacom’s Paramount Pictures, MGM, and Lions Gate Entertainment. While the service hasn’t actually launched – they are in talks with Apple about future device support, which could include Apple’s TV.
The news comes as the Netflix reported less than stellar profits after its UK launch last week at the same time as Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman said Epix would be available to rival streaming providers. Coincidence? Possibly, but also possibly not.
Hold your iHorses"¨
The timeframe is the biggest unknown at the moment. With no-one really knowing when we might see the second coming of the TV. JPMorgan Chase’s Mark Moskowitz thinks we won’t see the sets in shops until 2014 – and he also reckons the selling point won’t be any “game-changing, content-related deals.” He thinks the hardware and software integration, industrial design, and ease of use will be the real selling points.
On the other hand, NPD DisplaySearch director Paul Gagnon expects Apple’s foray to be introduced later this year, but they won’t ship until 2013, although he concedes that he doesn’t have any specific evidence. Gagnon does point out that Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn has invested $1.6 billion in Sharp’s TV business, which can manufacture displays up to 60 inches.
