According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, the giant company may be adding an Apple-branded TV by 2011.
And according to a research note to clients covered by AppleInsider, the TV will probably have media-management features like that in the existing Apple TV setup box and DVR and subscription-based content viewing.
“We see potential for Apple to offer best-in-class software and hardware and charge a premium,” Mr. Munster wrote.
He believes that the iTunes Store is slowly losing its shine in the online video market and in order to retain their place in that arena, would launch a subscription-based service on its one TV sets.
He also believes that Apple will enter the TV market using their own tried-and-tested method: by changing the rules and offering better user experience – just like what it did with iPod, iTunes and iPhone.
“[An Apple-branded TV] would command a premium among a competitive field of budget TVs,” he wrote. “We believe Apple could differentiate itself with software that makes home entertainment simple and solves a pain point for consumers (complicated TV and component systems).”
Source: http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/analyst_expects_apple_to_offer_television_set_by_2011/
