While Apple has not given any details regarding its supposed plans to release its version of a television set, the amount of rumors surrounding its existence have been ramping up. Understandably, Apple has been coy about giving any details for its product. This is understandably justified. As Apple has revolutionized the music and cell phone industries in the past, Apple knows it has a lot to gain from entering the television market and doesn’t want to give its competitor’s a heads up on its plans to change the game again.
Regardless of Apple’s secrecy, rumors always slip out. The latest rumor concerning the Apple TV speculates the way television programming would be delivered to the device. If Apple had its way, its customers would be able to decide which channels, maybe even shows, they want to watch. The programming would then be delivered over the internet in a subscription-based model.
This form of delivering content to Apple customers is obviously very different than the all-or-nothing, tired format of today’s cable providers. It is much similar to with iTunes’s approach of supplying media: buy what you want when you want it.
iTunes already has a diverse library of movies and TV shows available for download, and movies are available for rental. Live television, however, is seemingly the missing piece that would complete iTunes’s offering.
This proposed form of content delivery would revolutionize the way the television industry functions. The main problem Apple faces is not in creating an attractive device with a beautiful user interface, the success of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad prove that, but the largest obstacle is negotiating content deals with the television networks.
Apple’s largest competitors, like Google, Sony, and LG, have rushed products to the market to try to establish their brands in the growing smart TV market. Surely, Apple’s TV will be just as functional as these devices. However, if Apple were able to secure deals with network TV providers to supply their customers with customizable content packages, Apple would have a huge leg up on its competition. Not that it takes much to fall in love with an Apple product, but the customizable programming would be the key differentiating feature for an Apple television.
Speculation that an Apple television launch is imminent started when Jobs was quoted on the subject that he had “finally cracked it.” Rumors point to the mid-2012 launch of a Siri-controlled device.
About the author: August Drilling works in the marketing department for CliqStudios.com, a cabinet manufacturer that sells oak kitchen cabinets and more factory-direct, and is a blogger and Apple fanatic.
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