A6-Based Apple Television to Come in Three Sizes Ranging from 32 to 55 Inches?
Sources at a major Japanese company who are involved in manufacturing the TV believe that the 55" model will compete with new Smart TVs from Samsung and LG that will have new processors built in while offering a combination of OLED display, as well as new Super HD TV technology from LG.
Smarthouse has historically been rather unreliable with its Apple rumors, but the claim of three different sizes does match up with previous rumors. Smarthouse had claimed earlier this year that Apple was looking at OLED technology for its 55-inch television, but that claim was later refuted by other sources.
Last week, Piper Jaffray analyst and long-time Apple television set proponent Gene Munster offered his speculation on what Apple's plans might be, also suggesting that the company would be likely to introduce a range of sizes in order to appeal to customers with a broad range of sizes for their television needs.
The latest Smarthouse report doesn't specifically name the A6 system-on-a-chip as the planned brains for the Apple television set, but the claim of it being a "new processor" certainly seems to imply the A6. There has been some uncertainty about the A6 and the iPad 3, with reports indicating that the new iPad will launch in "early 2012" in line with previous years while confusion over whether TSMC or Samsung will produce the A6 has included claims that the chip will not be ready until June 2012.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Or it will just be very, very ugly.
TV's DO NOT need to do ANYTHING but display a picture. Anything else is upgrade-ware. The stuff that makes you want to buy a new TV every year. Sorry, not going to happen. I'll swap out my components all day long but a new TV more frequently than every 7 years? Forget it.
A 55" OLED?
Yeah, fake rumor.
Absolutely, dumbest tech story I've read for weeks.
TV and gaming/multimedia powerhouse, with masses of content ready to roll in one unit. This is pretty exciting, the more you think about it, there's nothing else out there that comes close to competing. It's bound to happen.
Yay! Angry Birds on an overpriced 55" TV with new fangled ports that are incompatible with anything that you currently own!
I can't wait either! :rolleyes:
Some sort of a big Cinema Display
If they were to come out with a TV - it would be offered in a single size, which Apple would deem to be "sweet spot". Probably somewhere between 32"-42".
Sweet spot for whom? City dwellers with small studio apartments? Until recently, they sold a desktop monitor that was already 30-inches. I think they'd aim higher for a TV. And unless they hit 60 inches, I'm not even thinking about it.
And this encapsulates the problem that Apple would face. Too many people have too wildly differing needs. I beleive only one thing about this rumor, that if Apple did enter the market, they would sell (at least) three sizes. They do it with most of thier other products (in terms of features often, sometimes in terms of size as well). Because for some people 32-42 IS the sweet spot. For others, that doesn't remotely come near the sweet spot. And I agree with those that say stocking these things would be a logisitcal nightmare.
The ONLY option that really makes sense and is consistent with what was said iin the book is that, whatever Jobs meant by "cracked it," will be incorporated in the AppleTV unit. The actual screen is an accessory that Apple will be happy to let you buy from another manufacturer at razor thin margins.
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