When will Apple release a real Apple Television?

[smacrumon]

Dear Apple

Oh, I am so ever waiting patiently for this and was just reminded how good it could be today.

I'm just watching some live streaming TV news on my iMac and the experience is that much better than watching it on my regular TV. That neat rounded chunky black bezel makes colors pop!

When will Apple release a real Apple Television? One that includes regular terrestrial television combined with online streaming TV, Mac apps, iOS apps and superb web browsing.

How I would love to program using Xcode from my couch! How fun would video calls and photo booth be in the living room?

You were so close to releasing something like this a number of years ago, why the delay?

32", 40", 48" might be some nice screen sizes to start off with. You don't need iMac's chin or the Apple logo on the front, keeping the logo neatly placed at the back. The design will be instantly and recognisably Apple without the logo.

Oh how I wait patiently, Apple. You've been too practical, too utilitarian of late. Stop focusing so much time on the watch, the car (shhhhh, it's a secret), focus on what you're already great at, Apple-- screens, dreams, fun and magic. Answer the call, Apple!

Sincerely


Smacrumon

 

[coldsweat]

17th September 2019 - You heard it hear first ;-)

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Never, they did a lot of looking into it and then shelved it, if you ask me the margins on TVs just wasn't big enough for them.

 

[maflynn]

It will never happen, there's really little room for profits in that market, which is presumably why they killed the project.
Just around the time Jobs died, smart TVs were all the rage, but it was a fad, not a change in TV technology/consumer usage. What seems to be popular is the apple TV/Chromecast/Fire Stick. Basically the delivery of the content is what is important, not the displaying of it.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

I seriously doubt Apple will ever come out with an actual TV.

Echoing what Mike just said, around the time Steve passed away there was hope for one with his comments in his biography, but through the years there hasn't been anything of substance to push this one forward. Smart TV's and set top boxes seem like the way forward and the market is probably already saturated with them and there would be little profit for yet another company to introduce a new system.

I could potentially see Apple persuading TV manufacturers to load a version of TVOS onto their smart TV's, like auto manufacturers load CarPlay.

As for the Apple TV set top box, I believe it will still remain Apple's 'hobby' and we'll only see incremental updates to it going forward.

 

[ftaok]

I remember reading a few months ago that Apple has been buying up the patents and technology behind HDR video and devices. From what I've read, to the human eye, HDR provides a better picture increase than 4K.

I think we might see something where the next big thing for TV manufacturers is HDR video with 4K. This would position Apple nicely as anyone who wants to make HDR-4K TVs would have to talk to Apple about licensing IP.

Anyways, I don't think Apple will ever make a TV set. It's a low margin business and Apple doesn't like those types of markets.

The only way I see you being able to buy an Apple television set would be if Apple falters greatly and is forced to sell the rights to put their name on cheap Chinese TV sets. Remember the Polaroid TV sets from a few years ago. But I seriously doubt this will happen any time soon, if ever.

 

[jdag]

AppleTV 4th gen + double sided tape + $4 short HDMI

Because the ATV4 does not need line-of-site for remote use, I have mine taped to the back of my TV with some heavy duty double sided tape, and it is the only "box" into my TV. I use a Harmony remote and the AppleTV remote, only because I had and am used to the Harmony remote, but both work perfectly well. It is as clean as could be, and I have the distinct advantage of being able to upgrade my TV and/or ATV at any point.

SmartTVs, in my opinion, are a waste. Get the "dumb" TV to display the picture, and a $50-$150 streaming box as the brain.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Post #3 is very likely the dominant reason by far. The others make some points too. I'll simply add this: how could Apple possibly get a TV right? For example, what size is the right size for everyone, and do you really want Apple deciding that for all of us? Apple can't even pick a size on "mobile" screens to best fit a human hand (and I am not saying they should). So to cover just that single variable, how many sizes do they need to roll out to fit the much more flexible spaces in our homes, not constrained by genetic limitations? In TVs, I'd suggest 4-6 screen sizes minimum. Now think about 4-6 TVs trying to be displayed in the confines of an Apple store. If your own store has the room, where's the iCar going to go? And again, that's just ONE variable in TV selection.

I think Apple has it right in trying to build the "brain" of the TV as a STB. I don't think they have the STB right yet (even though I own multiple TVs). What Apple seems to need is a focused team that lives & breathes video STBs with orders to deliver the greatness we've historically expected from Apple in both hardware & software. Do not allow a relatively tiny Roku to outdo you on content deals. Do not allow any of the others to outdo you on fundamental hardware capabilities. Don't play the game of "good enough"; instead LEAD. Make the software "just work" in every way instead of feeling buggy, lagging or undoing/breaking features that used to work fine in prior models. In other words, allocate a team to treat TV like it is as important to Apple as iPhone. Give them money and dedicated resources (not pulled away to help with other projects) and see what they can do. Apple can easily afford to take such a gamble... even if that team went maverick and submitted a much worse product for consideration as a "5" or "6". Apple has the money to set up 3-5+ such teams and have them independently build the best possible next TV prototype in competition with each other. Imagine the outcome of something as simple as that.

And here's the biggest shocker suggestion from me: LISTEN to your users and act on what you hear. If a group- like us- identifies a tangible bug of substance, fix it... NOW... not months from now or only by selling us another box. I can't believe some of the most fundamental issues for AV can be identified by many, but then just persist "as is" for months. It makes me imagine that there might be 2 part-timers assigned to the TV project but only when they have nothing else to do in support of all other Apple projects.

Beyond "Listen", experiment with an "Open Apple" concept (no, I'm not drunk right now) and perhaps INVOLVE users (really, I'm not drunk) in evolving the TV into the device that we know it can be. I know, I know: cue the Henry Ford quotes implying "all people are ignorant and only a single man or corporation knows what's best for them" posts. Nevertheless, even in the niche of people who visit this one site (some of which may indeed only be able to think "faster horse"), Apple could find a solid list of fundamental issues to correct and great ideas to implement to make the little box much more desirable & capable than it is now. Imagine if there was a formal channel for such thoughts. And imagine if it tapped the brains of far more people than just those that visit a site like this.

But what do I know? People keep buying whatever Apple wants to roll out. I just post some comments about what I wish they would roll out. "$2XX Billion in the bank can't be wrong" (apparently) in all things

 

[Mac... nificent]

When will Apple release a real Apple Television?

According to what I've read they wanted to, but they shelved it because it wasn't unique enough. They can't charge a premium, if it's like everyone else's product.

 

[gkarris]

Not this rumor again..

What, like the 3rd time in the past five years?

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Not this rumor again..

What, like the 3rd time in the past five years?

What rumor? OP was asking for speculation if Apple was ever going to do this.

 

[jca24]

Dear Apple

Oh, I am so ever waiting patiently for this and was just reminded how good it could be today.

I'm just watching some live streaming TV news on my iMac and the experience is that much better than watching it on my regular TV. That neat rounded chunky black bezel makes colors pop!

When will Apple release a real Apple Television? One that includes regular terrestrial television combined with online streaming TV, Mac apps, iOS apps and superb web browsing.

How I would love to program using Xcode from my couch! How fun would video calls and photo booth be in the living room?

You were so close to releasing something like this a number of years ago, why the delay?

32", 40", 48" might be some nice screen sizes to start off with. You don't need iMac's chin or the Apple logo on the front, keeping the logo neatly placed at the back. The design will be instantly and recognisably Apple without the logo.

Oh how I wait patiently, Apple. You've been too practical, too utilitarian of late. Stop focusing so much time on the watch, the car (shhhhh, it's a secret), focus on what you're already great at, Apple-- screens, dreams, fun and magic. Answer the call, Apple!

Sincerely


Smacrumon

It will never happen, for the no profit reason. Just buy a nice Sony 4k and put an Apple sticker on the back.

 

[Boyd01]

They will release a real television right after they release the AppleCar. So that you can sit back and watch TV while the car drives itself.

 

[ohio.emt]

I remember reading a few months ago that Apple has been buying up the patents and technology behind HDR video and devices. From what I've read, to the human eye, HDR provides a better picture increase than 4K.

I think we might see something where the next big thing for TV manufacturers is HDR video with 4K. This would position Apple nicely as anyone who wants to make HDR-4K TVs would have to talk to Apple about licensing IP.

They would be a little late to the party. 4K HDR tv's have been out for a while now. Even some Tv's from 2014 are capable of reading HDR metadata.

 

[Macyourdayy]

Speaking of bags of hurt....the only "smart TV" is one with a streaming/network box stuck in the back. I totally understand why you'd want an actual TV, as they all suck now, but the best solution is to get the highest quality screen you can afford and ignore the built in "features" (which I've done since 2004). As you can't buy high quality plasma screens any more, the next best thing is OLED or a proper backlit LCD with local dimming to give the best blacks and contrast which is critical for HDR. Forget edgelit crap whose only feature is thin(ity).
After working in broadcast TV for over 30 years, much of it in quality control, the only worthwhile screens were Sony, and then only the high end ones. Their latest QC and grading monitors were 24" OLEDs ($30k+) and they were so good, you could tell which codec was used and were almost unaffected by ambient light. They were also surprisingly deep and heavy boxes. The best domestic screens are the 9000 series with local dimming, but whatever you buy, turn off all the insane garbage "features" that are always on by default as they will only screw around with the intended output of the production. If the sceen can't display decent pictures at the default frame rates of the source, don't get it. The most you need to do is adjust the basic controls like contrast, backlight, saturation, etc, preferably with a reference like the THX app for example.
As pretty much everyone has already said, forget the idea of an Apple produced "TV". For detailed and technical reviews, see Katzmaier's CNET reviews. They seem the most valuable as they appear highly consistent and unbiased.

 

[Foggydog]

I too got the impression that Apple was going to release a view kind of tv. But as I look at what is available, I couldn't even guess where they would make something better. Just look what is available today, thin flat screens with 4K, OLED screens, and curved screens. Most of these are available for a thousand or a little bit more.
If you want awesome sound from the tv itself, just look at the Bose tv's that they developed with high end speakers built in. Now, I know that Bose doesn't make the best sounding speakers available, but I heard one of their powered speaker tv's and was pretty much blown away.

 

[Pakaku]

I don't think TVs are relevant enough these days for Apple to bother, and I wouldn't even expect Apple to fill my future "TV" needs in the first place. The ATV4 proves they're not interested enough.

 

[yossi]

It will never happen, there's really little room for profits in that market, which is presumably why they killed the project.
Just around the time Jobs died, smart TVs were all the rage, but it was a fad, not a change in TV technology/consumer usage. What seems to be popular is the apple TV/Chromecast/Fire Stick. Basically the delivery of the content is what is important, not the displaying of it.

What do you mean smart TV's were a fad? Are most TVs now just dumb TV's with no access to internet content?

 

[Boyd01]

Are most TVs now just dumb TV's with no access to internet content?

Don't know about "most TVs", but mine is just a monitor for my AppleTV. So any features beyond the existence of an HDMI port are useless to me.

 

[Tech198]

They will release a real television right after they release the AppleCar. So that you can sit back and watch TV while the car drives itself.

oh dear god no !!

 

[cube]

Do you mean real like a display with more than 1 input?

 

[imanidiot]

Short answer: Never.
Long answer: Never.

 

[off_piste]

You can't buy a top of the line set without it being a "smart TV" do that advice isn't worth much since there aren't many monitor TVs sold on the consumer msrket. I think your point is to buy a quality picture and not worry about the rest. I agree.

 

[robjulo]

Apple does not own the tech for HDR tv technology. HDR televisions are already in the market.

I remember reading a few months ago that Apple has been buying up the patents and technology behind HDR video and devices. From what I've read, to the human eye, HDR provides a better picture increase than 4K.

I think we might see something where the next big thing for TV manufacturers is HDR video with 4K. This would position Apple nicely as anyone who wants to make HDR-4K TVs would have to talk to Apple about licensing IP.

 

[tdale]

It will never happen, there's really little room for profits in that market, which is presumably why they killed the project.
Just around the time Jobs died, smart TVs were all the rage, but it was a fad, not a change in TV technology/consumer usage. What seems to be popular is the apple TV/Chromecast/Fire Stick. Basically the delivery of the content is what is important, not the displaying of it.

+100

Never happen. They can make the best TV experience ever, it has nothing to do with who made the screen, case, circuitry. Just make the ATV the best TV ever, and thats content and added value features.