08.21.09 A TV SET MADE BY APPLE IN 2011?

A senior analyst at Piper Jaffray predicts that the company will enter the television market by the year 2011 with “an Apple-branded television set with digital video recording and home media functions (music, movies, games, interactive TV) built-in.”  It will also, no doubt, make owners feel superior to people who don’t feel like paying so much for a TV.

The timeline for product release, according to Gene Munster:

1. A new Apple TV set-top box within the next few months, with a TV imput and DVR built in. “With the popularity of ad-based internet TV (Hulu.com) and subscription models (Netflix’s Watch Instantly), we believe a-la-carte (iTunes) video purchases have lost share against other video models in recent months. As such, we believe Apple is exploring a subscription-based offering for its TV content in iTunes.”
2. An iTunes TV Pass within the next year. “Apple could leverage its deep library of content with many network and cable channel content owners to provide unlimited access to a sub-library of its TV shows for a standard monthly fee ($30 to $40 per month). Such a product would effectively replace a consumer’s monthly cable bill (~$85/month) and offer access to current and older episodes of select shows on select channels.”
3. An Apple television set within the next two years that could wirelessly sync with iPods, iPhones and Macs. “Such a device would command a premium among a competitive field of budget TVs; 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).”

You know, I enjoy Apple products, but I’m hesitant to be enthusiastic about this because it’s just one more thing for Mac snobs to be pretentious about.  Yeah, that’s great that you love your computer so much, can you at least try not to look down on me for not having an extra $600 to spend on a laptop?  Thanks, now take that sleek white design and jam it into your iHole.