Apple TV: Is this Apple’s genius plan for television?

More reports are emerging that Apple is indeed working on a dedicated Apple TV television set, in addition to a new television set-top box that would allow users to choose their own cable provider using Apple’s interface.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is trying to create a television set-box that would include a cloud-base DVR to store television shows online. In return, users could play that content on their television, iPhone, iPad or Mac.


“Another significant feature of the Apple set-top device is likely to be its user interface, which could resemble the navigation icons on Apple’s iPad,” according to the report. “While the design may change, the interface is expected to be easier for people to use than existing cable on-screen menus, widely viewed as clunky.”

How would this device work? Apple would sign agreements with various cable providers, like Comcast, to allow them to access their cable, but in a much-enhanced user experience. The user would still pay their monthly cable bill to their provider and not Apple. And then of course, you could easily pull up your extra apps, like Netflix, MLB TV and movies on iTunes.

That’s the not the only trick up Apple’s sleeve.

Rumors of a dedicated television set could be true. According to Peter Misek, a financial analyst at Jeffries & Co., Apple already has its iTV in full production. The dedicated television set will only be able to leverage cable content from AT&T and Verizon, however.

“We believe the iTV is in full production,” Misek writes. ”Recent data out of Sharp, Hon Hai, and other specialty chemical and TV component suppliers support this. Also, JDSU noted that they have a new non-gaming customer for its gesture control modules. They indicated this is a new “living room” based customer. We believe Apple will leverage AT&T’s and Verizon’s content deals for the iTV. Additionally, the WSJ’s sources indicate Apple may also consider a set-top box version for the cable operators.”

The deals with AT&T and Verizon make sense, but those services are quite limited right now from city to city.

According to the report, the iTV could be released as early as this year’s fourth quarter or the first quarter of 2013.

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If Apple invests, Twitter could replace iTunes Ping

Apple’s recent talks with the popular social networking site Twitter could lead to a much-improved social network on iTunes.

Last week, the New York Times reported that Apple could invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the 140-character-loving Twitter — a move that could increase the social network’s value from $8.4 billion to $10 billion. For Apple, the purchase is the equivalent of someone buying an external hard drive for their laptop. It’s an important purchase and the cost is relatively insignificant, especially when you have $117 billion in the bank, like Apple does.


Today the Wall Street Journal followed up the report saying the investment is unlikely, but if it did go through, Apple fans could have expected the company to ditch its sorry-version for a social network — Ping — and replace it completely with Twitter. It could still happen, however.

“Apple and Twitter remain tight and continue to talk about future product integrations,” the Journal writes. “They include more deeply melding Twitter and iTunes, according to two people briefed on the matter. Apple is preparing to phase out its own troubled social network for iTunes, called Ping, later this year. iTunes users can currently link their Twitter and Ping accounts together to do things like find people they follow on Twitter on Ping.”

The reaction to this news was taken very well. Loyal Apple users swear by the products because they look beautiful and have an impressive user experience. They’re not interested in social networks.

“I have a great suggestion for Apple,” one MacRumors forum poster wrote. “How about focusing on getting some quality professional desktops out to your long-time users. I have been using and praising Apple products for over 18 years. I went through all their tribulations. They care more about stupid Twitter crap and swiping through tabs on web browsers than actually writing decent graphic drivers and building machines that don’t contain 2- to 3-year-old hardware laptop parts in them. It’s getting bad for professionals. Very bad.”

Tells us how you really feel big fella.

“I have always been against the social networks integration,” another forum poster writes. “It cheapens the Apple product to me.” Is that true? Let me know how you feel below

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