X

Display boffin: Apple's TV will have a retina display

The head of DisplayMate reckons colour consistency is the name of the game, and that's why Apple's TV will go retina.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
See full bio
Joe Svetlik
2 min read

Apple's TV set is just about the worst-kept secret in tech. But here's something you may not have thought of: it could well pack a Retina display, as seen on the new iPad and the latest MacBook Pro.

That's according to Raymond Soneira, founder, president and CEO of DisplayMate Technologies, a company that makes test patterns to check your screen is working properly. He told CNET he reckons Apple's gogglebox will feature the ridiculously sharp screen, but it's probably not for the reason you're expecting.

Soneria thinks it's not purely about sharpness, but more about making everything look the same on all Apple products.

He said: "My… theory is that colour consistency and accuracy among all Apple devices is more important for Apple than Retina display resolution and will be the strategic basis for the eventual launch of an Apple Television."

Citing his own report, he said: "Starting with the new iPad 3 [sic], images on all future Apple devices and displays will appear visually identical and with extremely accurate colours and images."

He raised the question: Why does Apple need its own TV rather than just a tarted-up set-top box? And he concluded: "Because all existing TVs produce inaccurate and inconsistent colours and images that will be poor matches to Apple's own iPhones and iPads.

"Consumers will love the fact that everything including their personal photos, TV shows, movies, and videos will all look exactly the same on all Apple devices."

It's a good theory. The only thing that worries me, how much is a 50-inch retina display going to cost? Its resolution is higher than HD, so it's not going to be cheap. Though I've no doubt it would look absolutely stunning. Maybe this hints Apple will start making the TV at smaller sizes, maybe around 30-inches, at least to begin with. We'll have to wait and see.

Would you buy a TV with a Retina display? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.