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Why Apple Ditched Its Plan To Build a Television

Posted by Soulskill on from the team-shifted-to-smellovision-development dept.

Apple has been rumored to be developing their own line of HDTVs for years, but a new report from the Wall Street Journal (paywalled) says while those plans did exist, they've been abandoned. Apple began pondering the idea of jumping into the television market roughly a decade ago, as iTunes started hosting video content. The AppleTV made a foray into living rooms in 2007, and other devices reached the prototype stage. The company continued to do research and work on their ideas, but eventually gave up more than a year ago. Apple had searched for breakthrough features to justify building an Apple-branded television set, those people said. In addition to an ultra-high-definition display, Apple considered adding sensor-equipped cameras so viewers could make video calls through the set, they said. Ultimately, though, Apple executives didn't consider any of those features compelling enough to enter the highly competitive television market, led by Samsung Electronics Co. Apple typically likes to enter a new product area with innovative technology and easier-to-use software.

6 of 244 comments (clear)

  1. Why did they ditch the TV? by nbvb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because they have half a clue ...

    Apple doesn't enter a market unless they see the ability to innovate and change it. They aren't always first movers, but they DO bring innovation and of course profits to any segment they enter.

    The magic is in saying "NO" to doing things that don't make sense... entering a crowded, unimaginative, razor-thin margin, mature TV market doesn't make sense for Apple. That's why they said no.... No more, no less.

    1. Re:Why did they ditch the TV? by dj245 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because they have half a clue ...

      Apple doesn't enter a market unless they see the ability to innovate and change it. They aren't always first movers, but they DO bring innovation and of course profits to any segment they enter.

      The magic is in saying "NO" to doing things that don't make sense... entering a crowded, unimaginative, razor-thin margin, mature TV market doesn't make sense for Apple. That's why they said no.... No more, no less.

      My company declines jobs and new markets all the time. We run some quick numbers and make a decision on whether it makes sense to take on X risk for Y% margin. Nobody calls us "magic".

      Apple doesn't enter a market unless they see the potential to charge $1 for a lime that everyone else is selling for 50 cents.

      --
      Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
  2. Quit it with smart TVs by Enry · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have a Smart TV but I don't use any of the functionality of it. I have separate devices that I can use to do the exact same functions and I can replace them easily for a small amount of money if I want new/different features.

    For an example of why I do this, there's how google changed their YouTube API so a bunch of older devices no longer work with it. Watch YouTube on a TV? Replace the entire TV. Watch it off a Chromecast and want to replace it? $35

  3. Re:and it would only work with other apple product by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You realize you just said "You can microsoft on your microsoft with anyone who has microsoft" in defense to Apple apple-ing only with Apple

  4. Re:Compelling? by NotDrWho · · Score: 5, Funny

    And either way, Wired would have called it the greatest and most revolutionary product ever made.

    --
    SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
  5. All they really need as a compelling feature is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    a smart TV with a responsive UI that isn't a nightmare to navigate and actually gets updates after you buy it.

    Although at this point, all I want from a TV anymore is a display with a bunch of inputs, no speakers, no network connectivity, no tuner and no smart features. I haven't used the audio, tuner or smart features on my current Panasonic Viera in years, all it does is display whatever source is selected on the receiver, all the rest of those "features" were a waste of money.