Michael Grothaus 21/08/2017 - 12:57pm

Leaked images claim to show off Apple's OLED HDTV... could this actually be legit? Mike takes a gander

For almost 20 years now–ever since Steve Jobs returned to Apple and launched the iMac, Apple has been contouring one market after the next. The first was MP3 players, a market Apple dominated with the iPod.

Next came smartphones, a market Apple still dominates. Then the iPad was released and it still currently dominates the tablet market. But between the iPod and iPhone Apple also released another product: the Apple TV set-top box. At first, the Apple TV was nothing more than a media streamer–able to display content from your Mac onto a connected television.

But then the Apple TV later morphed into a dedicated stand-alone content delivery box, adding apps like Netflix, Hulu, BBC, and more. Today, the Apple TV, despite its name, is still just a digital media player like the Amazon Fire TV and Roku are–it’s not a bonafide television with a screen.

But for years–at least since as far back as 2010–Apple has been rumored to be working on an actual television set. Yet time after time any such device has yet to materialize. But there have been major clues that, at the very least, Apple has taken the idea of a bonafide television seriously, with Steve Jobs even commenting he had “cracked” the television problem.

The latest rumors of a proper Apple television picked up again with a post on microblogging site Weibo where users posted, albeit blurry, images of what is purported to be a 60in Apple television being tested in a certification lab.

Now as with any blurry photos of a yet unreleased Apple device, these should be taken with a grain of salt. They could be entirely fake–or perhaps the devices isn’t an Apple television, but a new pro display that Apple is working on (as they said they are).

Or perhaps the pics are legit, but it’s just a beta product Apple has no intention or releasing. And even if the pics are legit, they might be years old and the project already long-abandoned.

The fact of the matter is, it’s impossible to tell whether Apple will ever release a television. But let's look at the reasons why they might and why they might not below.

Here’s Why Apple Might Unveil A Television

There are plenty of reasons why Apple might release a proper television set.

First, smart TVs are now commonplace.

People are used to using (albeit usually poor quality) apps on their televisions. And even people that don't have proper smart televisions now often augment their “dumb” TV’s by attaching a digital media player box to them (like the Apple TV, Roku, or Fire TV) and combined, those devices sell in the tens of millions each year–which means there is a huge market for smart TV-like devices.

Finally, smart TV’s are becoming more advanced–HDR and 4K are becoming the norm now–and some even have voice assistants like Alexa built in, not to mention camera for video conferencing.

It’s possible the television is “smart” enough now where Apple feels that could tie all the carrying smart features into one beautiful streamlined device with a gorgeous display that “just works”. But there is another reason Apple may want to finally release a television: the company is about to invest $1 billion over the next 12 months into creating original content (as HBO, Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix do now).

Sure, Apple’s original content could be made available over Apple Music–but that “music” moniker just doesn’t fit for TV shows that aren’t music documentaries or Apple’s Carpool Kareokee. Apple could, of course, serve up its new shows via a new streaming service right through the existing Apple TV setup box, but it might also decide that it’s high-quality original content might need a high-quality Apple-approved display to show it off in all its proper glory.

I could even see Apple offering people a free six months or a year worth of its original programming if they purchase an Apple television to go with it.

Here’s Why Apple Might Not Unveil A Television

But despite all the reasons above, there are a few Apple may not release a television. The first is that, though they have clearly worked on one in the past, it has yet to materialize. It’s entirely possible Apple really did scrap and plans they had at one time.

Another reason is the television market is a crowded one with lots of existing and successful players. Would it really make sense for Apple to enter it to try to compete? I feel they only would if they truly believe their smart television could offer users an attractive package of features other do not–and right now there is no evidence Apple has figured out something about televisions other manufacturers haven’t.

The final reason? The Apple TV digital media player works great as a cheap, stand alone device that is compatible with any modern television. While Apple has no problem cannibalizing their products when they launch a new one, people buy a new television a lot less often than they do a new smartphone.

On average, a household buys a new TV every 7-10 years. That contrasts with new, cheaper digital media players, which people often upgrade to the new one as soon as the next model comes out. In short, Apple may make more revenue from a digital media player people upgrade regularly than a television people only buy once a decade.

Of course, you don't have to wait for Apple to launch an OLED TV in order to get in on the action – there's already plenty to choose from, as you can see below, providing you got a fat stack of cash!