UK broadcaster ITV has written a new letter to Apple warning it not to use the name "iTV" for its upcoming TV set, claims The Telegraph. The newspaper notes that ITV CEO Adam Crozier first raised the issue with Apple when he took office in 2010. At the time, Apple is said to have reassured ITV that it wouldn't use the name, at least not in the UK.
A new Best Buy customer survey is asking for feedback on a potential "Apple HDTV," says The Verge. Mockup promotional text touts that "Apple finally reinvents what a TV can do," and describes the display as a 42-inch, 1080p LED model, running the same version of iOS used in the current Apple TV set-top. Like the set-top, the TV could be controlled via an iPad or iPhone, fetch content from iCloud, and access services like Netflix, YouTube, and Flickr.
Apple is likely uninterested in building a MacBook Air with an ARM-based processor, says Citigroup's Richard Gardner. The analyst met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer at the company's Cupertino campus on Thursday, when among other things Cook repeated a view that iOS expansion will eventually result in tablets outselling conventional PCs. "We have wondered whether Apple might offer an ARM-based version of the MacBook Air at some point; we walked away from this meeting with the impression that Apple feels iPad satisfies -- or will soon satisfy -- the needs of those who might have been interested in such a product," writes Gardner in a new memo.
An Apple TV set could require Apple to pay a higher amount of royalties to Rovi, says Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson. Rovi owns patents to related to interactive program guide technology, for which Apple is paying an annual license fee. The two companies signed a contract in September 2010.
Apple is in the middle of shopping around for parts for its TV, says Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster. The analyst says he recently spoke to sources within a "major TV component supplier," who told him that Apple had contacted the company "regarding various capabilities of their television display components." Munster considers the information "continued evidence that Apple is exploring production of a television."
A newly-published patent application, originally submitted in September, hints at some of what Apple might have planned for its rumored TV set. The filing is titled Apparatus and Method to Facilitate Universal Remote Control, and complains that most remotes need a sea of buttons to control all functions. "The controls that are not normally used clutter the remote control and can cause confusion to the user when trying to locate a seldom-used feature," Apple writes.
The latest generation of Apple TV also received a bump during Apple's record holiday season, selling as many units in the last three months of 2011 as it had in the nine months prior, for a total of "just over" 2.8 million units total in 2011, less than the million units per quarter predicted by some analysts but still making it the most popular device of its type, its main competition being the standalone Google TV units as sold by Samsung and Logitech.
LG showed off a range of new products this week at CES, including a number of new TVs. Electronista took an early look at the company's 2012 lineup, which includes many 3D models and a 55-inch OLED flagship that stunned the crowds with its extreme contrast ratio and color saturation.
Cable channel Showtime has launched a new iPad app, Showtime Anytime. The app provides on-demand access to a selection of movies and TV shows. Showtime in fact promises access to all of its original series, such as Dexter, Homeland, Californication, and Showtime Championship Boxing. Movies include the likes of Inglourious Basterds and The King's Speech.
Comcast has begun an initial rollout of its AnyPlay TV service for the iPad. The technology allows Comcast subscribers to watch live TV over their home Wi-Fi network, regardless of what someone may be watching on a TV in another room. On top of the Wi-Fi restriction, though, the option is currently available only to Xfinity HD Triple Play subscribers, and just those in Denver and Nashville.
Panasonic has announced a huge lineup of new TVs for 2012 at CES. Previously reserving the large screen sizes for its line of plasma displays, Panasonic has now introduced two new lines of IPS LED LCD displays, the DT50 and the WT50. The new sets come in 47- and 55-inch sizes, which are surrounded in by an ultrathin metal silver metal frame.
Toshiba has announced that it will show off several upcoming products next week at CES, including a waterproof tablet and a large glasses-free 3D TV. Aside from the waterproof tablet, which also offers wireless charging, the company will show off a different model that integrates an OLED display.
Apple isn't planning to bid on the rights to stream English Premier League football games, claims UK newspaper The Guardian. Earlier in the week, the Daily Mail hinted that Apple might compete with traditional media outlets for the property. The Guardian says "it is understood that Apple has not discussed bidding for the rights," though, and moreover adds that the company is "unlikely to do so, despite rumoured plans to launch an Apple TV device."
Westinghouse has announced that it will formally unveil its 2012 television lineup next week at CES in Las Vegas. The forthcoming offerings will include an expanded size range from 19 to 70 inches, including LED-backlit and traditional CCFL-based models, along with 3D-capable TVs and a thin bezel design.
Apple is working on a TV set measuring 42 inches "or larger," according to a USA Today source. The person is said to have worked at Apple, and claims that the unit is an LCD with built-in Wi-Fi. Jonathan Ive -- the company's senior VP of industrial design -- is moreover said to have a 50-inch TV sitting in his design studio.
The chairman of Chinese LCD monitor maker Amtran has told industry trade publication Digitimes that his company, one of several OEM suppliers to Apple, will consider getting into the OLED monitor and potentially television business after gauging market conditions following the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The recent introduction by LG of a 55-inch OLED HDTV has fuelled speculation that Apple may use OLED for its rumored HDTV product.
FilmOn, which has been engaged in a legal battle with major networks over the licensing of content, has announced an end-run around the issues with the announcement of FilmOn AIR, an ATSC digital antenna that plugs into either computers or mobile devices and displays legal "over-the-air" digital signals from the major networks and any other local broadcasters. The device is free with every annual US-based subscription to FilmOn's service.
Contrary to a recent DigiTimes report, Apple is not planning to show off new iPads at Macworld|iWorld, says The Loop's Jim Dalrymple. The writer cites "a number" of his sources, who say that an iPad 3 won't show at Macworld, or even at the Consumer Electronics Show; both events are scheduled for January. The sources also add that Apple's upcoming TV set won't make an appearance.
LG has disclosed additional details surrounding an 84-inch 3D TV that is expected to arrive on the market sometime next year. The panel is capable of displaying 4K content with 3840x2160 resolution, though it also displays in standard 1080p resolution.
Three more companies could be potential suppliers for the Apple TV set, say DigiTimes sources. These include Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Siliconware Precision Industries, and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Sharp and Samsung were recently reported as producing LCDs and chips, respectively.
BBC HD and Two are tonight airing a new documentary on Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, titled Steve Jobs: Billion Dollar Hippy. The special goes on at 9PM local time, and is said to include insiders like Steve Wozniak and John Sculley, as well as other personalities like actor Stephen Fry, and an inventor of the web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. It is however described as presenting a more "ruthless image of Jobs," for instance revealing that Wozniak cried after he learned through a book that Jobs had scammed money from him during a game project for Atari.
The Apple TV is on track take 32 percent of the Internet-ready TV set-top market in 2011, claims research firm Strategy Analytics. Both Apple and Roku set-tops are said to be doing well as a result of their makers lowering prices. Globally, the market for such devices is forecast to reach just under 12 million units by the end of the year.
Global iPlayer will make it to the iPhone and iPod touch on December 8th, the BBC has announced. The paid video-on-demand service has been available on the iPad for about five months. A list of countries getting the iPhone app on the 8th includes Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
The BBC has expanded its Global iPlayer service for the iPad to Canada, says The Hollywood Reporter. Users can access BBC TV shows on demand, something normally reserved for UK license fee payers, who can tap various forms of iPlayer for free. In Canada iPlayer access costs $9 a month, or $85 a year. Content is based on local demand and rights, but some initial shows include Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, Whitechapel, Hustle and MI-5.
Lenovo is reportedly preparing to launch a 'smart' television, which will be designed to work in conjunction with smartphones, tablets and computers. The company has yet to disclose full details, though the new TVs are said to take advantage of Internet connections and capable of sharing content between the company's range of devices.
The Cyber Monday deals continue with price cuts on HDTVs. Amazon.com has a fantastic deal on a LG 55-inch 1080p LED-LCD HDTV with 3D Blu-ray player and four pairs of 3D glasses for only $1368.98, that's $531.01 less than the list price of $1899.99. Bargain basement pricing is available at OnSale.com on the refurb. Emerson 42-inch LCD HDTV with 1080p resolution, it was $549.99, but is now only $329.98.
If finding the right HDTV deal out in the retail stores didn't quite work out this Black Friday, don't worry, there are still plenty of great low prices online. Amazon.com today has the LG 32-inch LCD HDTV which features 720p resolution and LED backlighting technology for $299 after an impressive 46% price break from the list price of $549. Get the latest 3D technology with the LG 47-inch 3D LCD HDTV which features 1080p resolution and includes four pairs of passive 3D glasses, it has seen a massive 61% price cut from $2499.99 down to only $969.99 with FREE shipping at Buy.com.
Sony has kicked off its holiday sales a few days ahead of Black Friday, offering a variety of discounts on direct purchases. The company has slashed prices for a variety of products, including home theater systems, speakers, televisions, Blu-ray players and bundles, with free ground shipping on all orders.
(Updated with info on Apple investment in Sharp) Apple is forecast to begin commercial production of a TV set in February, at a Sharp plant in Japan, according to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. In particular Apple is said to be partnering with Sharp for LCDs, and starting production at the latter company's Gen 10 Sakai plant in Osaka. The TV is said to be in position for a mid-2012 launch.
Before his death, former Apple CEO Steve Jobs wanted to revolutionize three more fields of technology, biographer Walter Isaacson tells the New York Times. The author says he deliberately avoided going into detail about future Apple products in his book because he felt it wasn't fair to the company. In particular, Jobs is said to have been interested in photography, textbooks, and TV.
DirecTV has posted a new version of its iPad app, v1.3.1. The app is normally intended to be used as a guide and remote control. The v1.3.1 update, though, introduces support for in-app viewing of live TV. Users must be DirecTV subscribers, and on the same Wi-Fi network as a compatible DirecTV HD DVR.
Business news agency Bloomberg has launched a new iPad app, Bloomberg TV+. The app's core feature is access to a 24-hour live feed of Bloomberg Television. Notably the access is free, unlike a number of similar iPad apps, which require subscriptions in order to view live feeds.
PBS will air a new Steve Jobs documentary on November 2nd at 10PM Eastern, the network has announced. Titled Steve Jobs: One Last Thing, the special will allegedly take an "unflinching" look at Jobs, who is characterized as "a creative genius whose innovations transformed the lives of millions" but also described as having had a "difficult, controlling disposition." Another recurring theme will be the influences that affected his character and drove him to success.
The Apple TV set is being held back by content and licensing deals, claims Sterne Agee's Shaw Wu. The analyst cites "checks with industry and supply chain sources," who also allegedly learned that Steve Jobs was "very excited" about the opportunity presented by a TV, which the company could differentiate from the competition through user experience. Wu notes though that while iTunes currently has plenty of content, it's intended mainly for downloading, and Apple has dropped TV shows from rental options.
A Saturday Night Live dress rehearsal sketch, now online, satirizes industry reactions to the death of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Executives from many companies were quick to praise Jobs in the days immediately after Apple's formal announcement. The SNL sketch jokes, though, that many corporate heads claim to admire Jobs without actually understanding what makes Apple products work.
Apple has been working on prototype TVs since at least September, claims Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. The information comes from a September meeting with a "contact close to an Asian component supplier," and Munster has not offered any more details from the encounter. The fact is mentioned in the light of Steve Jobs' own admission that he had "cracked" the concept of a smart TV interface.
Entertainment Weekly has revealed that the Discovery network is assembling a documentary on the life of Steve Jobs, co-hosted by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, the duo behind the popular show "Mythbusters." The documentary will examine Jobs' larger impact both inside and outside Apple, and will feature interviews with early colleagues such as Homebrew Computer Club founding member Lee Felsenstein and Daniel Kottke.
Sibling TV news parodies The Daily Show and The Colbert Report both aired short segments in memory of Steve Jobs on Thursday night. On The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart remarked that Jobs would sometimes call the show in reaction to segments, whether he liked or hated them. Jobs was "charming and generous with his time," according to Stewart. The former Apple CEO was compared with Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, and Stewart made brief jokes about Jobs disappearing too soon.
A small survey interviewing 158 students across eight colleges and universities has concluded that students are spending less on technology compared to last year, and bringing their electronic arsenal with them to school -- but leaving TVs at home, in a dramatic drop from last year. Computer sales were up slightly with the student group, with Apple's share of the purchases in the last three months jumping up sharply from last year, reports Fortune.
TBS has launched TBS for iPad, its first foray into iPad video. Coming from the same parent company the title is essentially a mirror of its TNT counterpart, the main feature being access to full-length episodes of shows like Conan or The Office. Gaining access to complete content requires authenticating with a cable or satellite provider.
Turner-owned cable network TNT has released its first iPad app, simply titled TNT for iPad. The software allows access to complete movies and TV shows, although as with some other apps, users must prove they already have access to the network through a conventional TV provider. Some other content includes clips, episode guides, and show schedules and reminders.
Fox is doing a rare TV show giveaway on the US iTunes Store, reports note. The network is currently offering the pilot episode of New Girl, a sitcom will only officially premiere on September 28th. Show downloads should remain free until around that date, after which people will have to pay normal iTunes prices. Variety comments that the giveaway may mark only the second time a US broadcaster has given away a complete sneak peek, the first instance being Fox's failed series Lone Star.
In addition to expanding to Japan, Hulu has released an updated Hulu Plus iOS app for the US. Of special interest is the return of HDMI output support for the iPad 2. The option was blocked in April, little more than a month after the launch of the iPad 2 itself.
Flipboard will begin carrying movies and TV shows in the near future, Reuters reports. The developer's CEO, Mike McCue, says that he will take on the project at the end of 2011. The executive is refusing to comment on which studios have been approached; it is also unclear how the content might be formatted, though by definition the change will suddenly put Flipboard into competition with other iPad video apps such as Netflix and Hulu.
Apple and Starbucks are expanding the Pick of the Week iTunes promotion to include TV shows and books, the latter company has announced. The coffee brewer has been giving away music download cards for some time, and recently began offering apps. The first non-music offering in the expanded promotion, just made official today, is in fact the Shazam Encore app. Firemint's SPY mouse is slated for next week, and then an unspecified song is scheduled for the week after that.
Apple will probably not use OLED in its rumored TVs, say "directly involved" sources cited by the Korea Times. "It's true that Apple has keen interest in TV, allowing users to stream music, videos and TV shows via iTunes, though that needs some iPhone and iPad integration, however, Apple is still pessimistic about using OLED displays," one source is quoted as saying. The person elaborates that because Apple is worried about costs and technical problems associated with large-sized OLEDs, rumors that Apple has asked LG Display to supply OLEDs for TVs are "groundless."
LG has cut its 2011 sales target for TVs by 20 percent, from 40 million to 32 million units. The South Korean electronics giant follows rival Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic in lowering its expectations for the year. The weaker sales are primarily the result of the struggling economies in the US and Europe.
Hitachi is reportedly planning to shutter its TV manufacturing operations, as part of a strategic refocus on products with higher profits. The company currently operates a single LCD production plant in Japan, however the facility is said to be set to close by the end of the year.
Apple may be on the verge of rolling out a video subscription service, says Jeffries analyst Peter Misek. "As part of Apple's roll-out of cloud video services (and eventually an iTV)," he writes in a memo, "we believe Apple has unannounced deals with all/most of the studios/TV networks that are similar to the subscription streaming deal between Amazon and CBS." Business Insider remarks that during last night's CBS earnings call, CEO Les Moonves is quoted as saying "We hear about Apple wanting to buy content, and Google. Et cetera, et cetera. And Microsoft."
In tandem with implementing the option for Apple TVs, Apple has also enabled redownloading purchased TV shows in iTunes, checks show. The feature is located with the Purchased tab in the iTunes desktop software. Movies cannot be redownloaded as of yet.
