Sunday, August 23, 2009

HD TVs on Apple by 2011









All the Apple talk lately has centered around either Snow Leopard, iTunes 9 or lest we forget, that not-yet-announced-but-highly-publicized Apple tablet. However, interesting words from senior Piper Jeffray Analyst, Gene Munster have put a new spin on the Apple rumors.

In a memo obtained by CNN, Munster told clients that he thinks Apple will enter the market with a TV that has a DVR and home media functions built in. If Munster's musings are correct then the roadmap for Apple's foray into the television marketplace should go a little something like this:

-The company will release a new Apple TV set-top box within the next few months, with a TV input and DVR built in.

Munster says that with the increasingly popularity of Hulu and Netflix's Watch Instantly, Apple will start exploring a subscription-based offering for TV content available on iTunes.

-The next step would be an iTunes TV Pass within the year. This pass would offer users unlimited access to iTunes TV content for around $30-$40 per month.

-Finally, Munster arrives at an Apple TV set that would have the ability to sync with iPods, iPhones and Macs. With a television set that comes "with software that makes home entertainment simple and solves a pain point for consumers" Apple would, of course, charge a premium price. This is all going to happen in the next two years.


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