There has always been strong speculation surrounding Apple’s TV solution. Rumors around this product have been going on for years though nothing has materialized yet except the modest Apple TV box.
However, The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Apple is indeed testing some product designs with its Asian suppliers. The company, working with Foxconn and Sharp, seems to be testing a large high definition TV set. The WSJ carefully notes that this is only a test and the product may never come to market. Asian suppliers and manufacturers themselves have stated that this “is not a formal project yet”.
If Apple does proceed and the product launches to market then Foxconn is probably the company that will build the sets, not only because of their long standing partnership with Apple but also because they have recently invested huge sums of money by buying a stake in Sharp, just so they can be ready if and when Apple goes to market with such a product.
It is interesting how this report hits at a time when Apple’s stock has been losing ground due to investors fearing Apple’s lack of innovation in the last few years. This, alongside Tim Cook’s recent media appearances, are most likely attempts to try an show that Apple still has a lot to bring to the industry.
It will be extremely interesting to watch this space in the coming months, to see if Apple will go through with bringing a TV to market. However the TV may be a complete flop in itself as many consumers have just made the jump to big HD screens and might not be willing to invest in switching so soon. What may turn the game in Apple’s favor is their ability to bring content providers to the table and sign deals with them to bring their shows to Apple’s product. Although recent reports say that Apple has yet to reach any kind of deal with these content providers, so right now it would seem like the company doesn’t really have a revolutionary product.
Source: The Wall Street Journal | Image via Digital Trends