Ahead of the launch of the iPad 3, and perhaps even an upgraded Apple TV, the rumored Apple television continues to play on people’s minds, not least that of Gene Munster, the Piper Jaffray analyst who is keeping his hopes pinned upon Apple releasing a television set. The pundit, in an interview with Bloomberg Radio (via 9to5Mac), has said that the Apple television will be ‘the biggest thing in consumer electronics since the smartphone‘.
Those are some impressive words, continuing to add to the hype of the rumored, and unannounced, television set. Munster also noted his previous statements that this new Apple device will be completely different from any televisions currently on the market, which seems to make sense given that Apple will be releasing the television into what is essentially the most saturated consumer electronics market.
The features that will likely set the Apple television apart from the television sets that are currently on the market will likely be inherently Apple. Therefore the new television will have the Apple sense of design applied to it, in addition to Siri voice control and the ability to access dedicated content from the iTunes Store, either by renting or purchase but by streaming rather than broadcast.
Perhaps the most interesting thing to speculate about is how Apple will differentiate the television set from the existing Apple TV set top box. While an update to the Apple TV is expected to hit alongside the iPad 3, it will be interesting to see how Apple could attract consumers to spend more on a television than simply dropping $99 for an Apple TV to use with their existing set.
Bigger Than Sliced Bread…