Apple TV

Foxconn reportedly begins pilot production of Apple TV set

Foxconn, the China-based manufacturing partner of Apple, is in the "trial production stage" of producing the Cupertino company's long-awaited television set, according to China Business News.

No further details were released. It goes without saying: take this with a pinch of salt.

What makes this interesting is that it comes only a fortnight after Foxconn Chief Executive Terry Gou said the company was "making preparations" for the forthcoming television, which was followed by a stern denial a few days later claiming that any reports were "inaccurate".

What may sound like a backtrack is … Read more

Apple TV slated to debut in December?

Apple could unveil its highly anticipated take on the television in December and ship it next year, according to a research note today from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

Munster said he expects the Apple TV product line to cost between $1,500 and $2,000 and range in size from 42 to 55 inches. That's a considerable premium over typical televisions of that size, which have a range closer to $700 to $1,400.

The iPhone 5, which Munster said he believes will make its debut in October, will be the biggest consumer product launch this year and … Read more

TSA wants to buy $3 million worth of Macs and iDevices

The Transportation Security administration wants to spend up to $3 million on 1,000 Apple computers and 1,000 Apple handheld devices over the next three years to support its counter-terriorsim efforts.

The agency filed contract documents (see below), as noted by Nextgov, to explain why it would only pursue contracts with Apple instead of inviting other manufactures to bid. The devices would be used to boost a "widening secure mobile computing pilot" program specifically calling for the use of iOS, the Apple operating system.

The document describes several uses for the products -- which also includes AppleTV, … Read more

Another idea for Apple's rumored TV: An 'iDevice'

It still may be a down economy for many, but the veritable cottage industry for jockeying when Apple will enter the TV business is booming. The latest to weigh in on the topic is Forrester analyst James McQuivey with a suggestion that Apple ought to offer a device that sounds to me like something between a giant iPad, and Microsoft's latest version of its Surface computer.

Without mentioning Microsoft's table computing product, which was revamped last January to work both as a table and mounted to a wall, McQuivey suggests a TV set from Apple would be more … Read more

ESPN denies talks on Apple TV move

Apple's Apple TV set-top box could get more sports programming as part of a deal with Disney's ESPN network.

Bloomberg today relays its chat with ESPN marketing executive Sean Bratches, who said that the company would be game for offering its WatchESPN service through the Apple TV to existing cable subscribers.

"We're a platform-agnostic content company," Bratches told Bloomberg. "To the extent that in the future there's an opportunity with Apple to authenticate through the pay-TV food chain as we're doing with Microsoft, that's something that we will participate in." … Read more

Apple HDTV would lure about 1 in 2 iPhone owners, survey says

If you own an iPhone, you're pretty likely to buy Apple's much-rumored TV set, according to the results of a new study.

Market research firm Strategy Analytics today released findings from its 2012 ConsumerMetrix survey, which says "nearly half" of those who already own an iPhone would be "very or somewhat likely" to buy an Apple TV set.

The survey, which took place in March, was limited to the U.S. and Europe, and consisted of about 6,000 individuals, most of whom were located in Europe.

According to Jia Wu, a Director at … Read more

Welcome to 'contrarian Monday,' Apple fans

Philip Elmer-DeWitt and Harry McCracken authored a couple of great posts chronicling the bizarre way in which Apple rumors routinely get transmogrified into "OH MY STARS, DID YOU SEE THIS?" headlines. My only beef is that they got down to writing this before I did.

From the McCracken post:

For years, Digitimes has been a high-profile rumormonger when it comes to upcoming Apple products, usually crediting its gossip to the Asian component makers who supply Apple with bits and pieces of technology. (The publication says, for instance, that "sources from the upstream supply chain" told it … Read more

Foxconn refutes claim it's making Apple TV sets

Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn says its chief executive made no such mention of working on an Apple TV set at a news conference in Shanghai last week, and that any reports otherwise are inaccurate.

In a statement issued to The Next Web, the company said that Chief Executive Terry Gou "made it very clear that he would neither confirm nor speculate about Foxconn's involvement in the product," and that it is the company's policy not to talk about what it is working on for any customer.

"At no time did [Gou] confirm that Foxconn was … Read more

HDTV maker Loewe surges, even as it nixes Apple rumor

An unconfirmed report that was ultimately dismissed by management isn't enough to turn shareholders off to German HDTV maker Loewe.

The company's shares today are up 22 percent to 5.55 euros following rumors that it would be acquired by Apple as early as this week. AppleInsider, an Apple-tracking Web site, reported on Saturday that it had received a report from a source claiming Apple had offered a buyout deal for a slight premium on the company's stock price, and Loewe's financial advisers had "been advised" to take the offer.

AppleInsider made it clear … Read more

Foxconn chief weighs in on Apple television. Or not

Last updated: May 14 at 9:48 a.m. PT.

It seemed for a moment as if Foxconn chief Terry Gou had let slip that his company is getting ready to start producing an Apple television.

According to China Daily, Gou on Friday, May 11, held a news conference in Shanghai about his company's plans for the future. During that conversation, he seemed to indicate that Foxconn is currently preparing its facilities to start producing Apple's long-rumored television, though "development or manufacturing has yet to begin," the China Daily report said.

Gou's comments were notable … Read more