Apple's Television - an ecosystem in need?

[iOrbit]

i was thinking about apple's tv today, i mean the actual television they will come out with eventually.

but besides from a unified simple, elegant and intuitive UI, and a beautiful display, apple are going to really need an ecosystem right? otherwise its just a nice tv with an apple logo on it.

i was wondering - yes, apple is trying to get deals with the television industry- but why doesn't apple start by getting firmily into the rental industry? i mean Beyond pay-per-rental. i'm talking about taking on the likes of Netflix and Lovefilm.

apple's rental experience has been great - incredible HD, almost blu-ray playback quality, that downloads fast and streams very well. but apple only are selling films and offering rentals on a pay-per-rental basis. why not do an unlimited monthly payment offer, where as many films and tv shows can be watched in that beautiful hd quality?

if netflix and lovefilm can do it, why can't apple?

this could easily power the Apple 'TV' box, but especially plant the seed for the apple television's ecosystem.

 

[jdag]

i was thinking about apple's tv today, i mean the actual television they will come out with eventually...

I still don't see Apple manufacturing actual sets.

Consider the mandatory fragmentation just in terms of multiple sizes (20", 26", 32", 40", 46", ......). And also consider that a TV, particularly as you go to larger sizes, is a many year investment for a household, therefore not nearly as many annual or bi-annual upgrades as Apple sees with many of its other product lines.

Also, consider that the TV market has REALLY cooled down over the last couple of years. It was blazing hot many years ago as households updated some or all of the TVs in their homes. That's not happening now, and I doubt will happen again until there is another major shift in technology. (Sure, Apple might be the shifter!)

In any event, the concept of an inexpensive add-on component, like the AppleTV or whatever comes next, that can be sold in multiples seems much more likely a path. Like many people here, I have 2 now and will likely get a 3rd unit soon. And when Apple comes out with the ATV4, I will likely get 3 more then. And when Apple comes out with the ATV5.......

Finally, what can't Apple do in the tiny add-on box that they'd be able to do on the TV set itself?

 

[jlasoon]

apple's rental experience has been great - incredible HD, almost blu-ray playback quality, that downloads fast and streams very well.

I don't want to sound like an audiophile or videophile snob but anyone with a quality system at home knows this is absolute malarkey. I mean Dolby Digital? This is 20 year old technology. Are we suppose to be satisfied with this? Let's be honest, anyone who enjoys quality sound, quality music, and quality video playback is nowhere near products in the living room. And yes I have an TV

It boils down to convenience and easy accessibility, and iTunes provides this very well. I just wouldn't call it incredible HD - audio or video. To me all just sounds and looks bland.

 

[Mrbobb]

if u been following the press... Apple is trying to introduce an intelligence set-top box. Apple, of course wants to control the user experience, but the carriers are balking. Why do they think they are better than Apple for this task me think is just a smoke screen to get a better deal.

IMO, the big problem will be to license from the video content providers. Notice how Netflix, been around for years, still can't get everything it wants. There is some quarters in Hollywood who think the music industry had a bad deal with Jobs so they are not going to be so easy this time around. Stay tuned.

 

[iOrbit]

I don't want to sound like an audiophile or videophile snob but anyone with a quality system at home knows this is absolute malarkey. I mean Dolby Digital? This is 20 year old technology. Are we suppose to be satisfied with this? Let's be honest, anyone who enjoys quality sound, quality music, and quality video playback is nowhere near products in the living room. And yes I have an TV

It boils down to convenience and easy accessibility, and iTunes provides this very well. I just wouldn't call it incredible HD - audio or video. To me all just sounds and looks bland.

Yeah, i have a large blu-ray collection, i'm aware that apple's rental downloads don't match blu-ray in every way, but its certainly much much higher quality than what lovefilm and netflix offer. they don't do streams in the same quality, i don't believe they even do HD. it just looks like pixelated upscaled DVD quality.

i know i'd be with Apple over these 2 companies if they offered a similar package system.

i stand to say that apple's quality in their rentals, is a solid reason to have their own rental service and exclude the likes of netflix and lovefilm. their apple Tv would have a more independent service and ecosystem starting from that. sure things like dolby and the audio quality can be upgraded and improved along the way, much like itunes mp3 qualities were upgraded over time.

 

[obet]

And mind you, until now, I haven't seen an Apple TV yet.
How long has it been?