The ATV3 officially hit it’s expected lifecycle recently and to no ones surprise there was little to no talk regarding the net version of Apples set top box, the Apple TV. The ATV3 brought finally brought forth 108-p content to your television and while sales have exceeded 13 million and new customers our coming in more frequently with 6.5 million sales in the past 12 months it seems that Apple has all but shelved the ATV claiming it has always been nothing more then a “hobby”. With the ATV4 all but abolished from Apples mind you can bet that the company is set to think much much bigger and one should expect to see an entire TV set, not a little black box beneath it.
Is The Apple iTV Confirmed
Having now used an Apple TV 2 now for years I have to be completely honest in saying that there isn’t much more an upgraded set top box could provide. The ATV3 offered anything and everything we wanted that being specifically 1080p playback. The little device has worked great with all other content whether it be streaming from my local computer, iPad or a purchase from iTunes perhaps the only drawback is the continued control Apple has on what file formats it will allow with playback.
Thankfully those of us with an ATV2 had the ability to jailbreak and install XBMC essentially opening up a whole new world of content and in turn making the Apple TV perhaps the cheapest, easiest and most reliable option on the market to get you a full fledged home theatre system set up.
I personally have a hard time believing that Apple will release another version of its set top box. The television market is one place I think we can assume they will all but go and why would they waste time on a set top box when they could just include it in the development of there iTV.
Believe It
Many believe (I’m one of them) it’s only a matter of time before we see these TV’s go on sale. They’ve already done sourcing of components to a supply chain and have made explorations into the TV market but I wouldn’t expect this to be anything you’d see in Best Buy or any of your other local retail chains. It will much more like a super-sized iPad with a big bright and beautiful screen that can be controlled through your iPhone or iPad while sitting on your couch.
See the genius of that? You buy one Apple product you buy them all!
Add in the fact that Apple’s Siri will potentially eliminate even the need to use your iPad or iPhone as a remote and you have the next generation in laziness television. Facetime video chat and iTunes music of course as well as the experience of being able to bring the app store right to the comfort of your living room opens up a wealth of different games to play but also a new world of app development to begin.
When it comes down to it we have to look at the important screens that play apart of our daily lives now. The desktop computer screen, the laptop screen, the smartphone, the tablet and of course the television. Of all those the only one left to conquer is the TV.
What Will It Look Like?
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Pure speculation for the most part but when one thinks of Apple I think we should all have a general idea what to expect.
One should expect to see it in a 46-inch to 60-inch model with the prototypical Apple design featuring a solid glass front and the aluminum back. Add in a stand and rear mounting options and the picture to the left could be a pretty solid interpretation of what consumers can expect when (and I suppose if) the Apple iTV hits the market.
Perhaps the biggest question mark surrounding it will be what functionality the Apple OS will provide. Let’s face it, Apple products are expensive as they boast they use the best hardware to provide the crispest picture along with providing longevity. But this is the TV market and while buying a nice new Apple iTV is a nice thought you certainly won’t want to end of paying double the price when you can get a Samsung or LG for a fraction of the cost.
I’m not sure what Apple intends to do to sway the consumer market. LCD and Plasma TV’s have dropped dramatically in price over the years and the idea of being apple to integrate my Apple devices with my television won’t be enough to sway me to spend $4000 dollars again on a 60 inch TV. As well lets not forget that the current generation of Apple TV’s don’t integrate with cable yet…something that I would assume is a no brainer for Apple to include.
Will It Be Worth It
That remains to be seen. There is no denying that Apple has provided intriguing products but a lot of there success has been because they were one of the first to arrive. Both the iPhone and iPad helped revolutionize the market but it will remain to be seen if they can do the same with the TV market, one thats been around for decades already.
If the rumours are true and they do decide to launch an iTV it better come equipped with a wealth of features. I have a hard time believing that many will pay for a screen that can’t integrate with cable or satellite television (not saying it won’t) or spend a couple thousand more on the same sized screen just because it has the Apple name.
While I like Apple products it remains to be seen if the Apple iTV will become a success or perhaps just an indication that they should have improved upon there current set top box and released the Apple TV 4.
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