Tim Cook on the Apple TV

Written by

Tim Cook talking about the Apple TV:

So, with Apple TV however, despite the barriers in that market, for those of us who use it, we’ve always thought there was something there. If we kept following our intuition and kept pulling the string, we might find something that was larger. For those people that have it right now, the customer satisfaction is off the chart. We need something that could go more main-market for it to be a serious category.

Hmmm, what could that be?



  • Vamsmack

    It’ll be an Apple branded television which will be lauded as a failure right out of the gate to only become Apple’s third largest selling product line completely ruining the lives of other TV manufacturer’s executives.

    • http://picuous.com Martin Pannier

      With mean MRSPs of TVs, it could probably be even bigger than the iPad. Unlike tablets, TVs are a “must have”.

      • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/CO36G2RP7H3Q43ZWVK4IQAQLAM Ronald

        MSRPs for TVs are high, but what is more important from a financial perspective is margins. Apple typically has very high margins on its products, and TVs have very low margins (which is why so many TV manufacturers are losing money hand over fist).

        It will be interesting to see what Apple can bring to the table that would encourage people to pay a premium for Apple to be able to make money off of it. Apple has kept costs down on its iPhones and iPads through volume deals with suppliers, but TV manufacturers like Samsung or Sony already have very high volume. I don’t think Cook’s supply chain wizardry will help as much here.

        Personally, I would love to see Apple do something magical for TVs. I do think the interface and user models with TVs leaves a lot to be desired, and I think Cable TV is very poor value.

        What I don’t understand is why does Apple need to make a TV. Couldn’t they put all of their magic into a box that would connect to a HDMI port on the TV, and have all of the user’s interaction with the TV go through that box? Let the TV manufacturers deal with cut-throat low margin TV displays, while Apple brings something magical to make the TV’s work properly, and makes a killing in the process.

        • http://picuous.com Martin Pannier

          Well, first of all, the comment did say “largest selling product line”, as ranked by revenue :)

          As far as your last paragraph is concerned, the best PC metaphor I could find is “let Apple take care of the OS and let the hardware manufacturers deal with cut-throat low margins”. Which is misguided on both counts: not only is the integrated approach better (for Apple AND the customer) but Apple can make healthy margins by making people happily pay more for, because they will be more statisfied.

          My 2¢.

    • http://www.mrericsir.com MrEricSir

      Let’s hope it’s better than Apple’s previous TV.

  • http://www.theangrydrunk.com The Angry Drunk

    “Hmmm, what could that be?”

    Content? Nah, that’s too pedestrian. Let’s go with a giant inventory-chain convoluting piece of glass that doesn’t actually add anything of value to the system. That’t the ticket.

    • His Shadow

      I’m glad we can depend on you to shoot the Unicorns. But for this this, nothing less than a gatling gun will do…

  • Picollus

    I am a dreamer :

    Imagine, a apple TV as the multimedia center/telecomunication hub of your house. This could replace the computer and become the main hub/syncing device.

    Siri as the Articifial Inteligence of your lifestyle.

    Facetime in the living room.

    Waking up, open your apple TV, calendar apointements, weather, etc…

    Imagine you TV as the screen of for your remotes (ipad/ipod/iphones)

    Imagine all the content possible streamed to that box and from that box.

    Back to the future 2015 is near !

  • Dot

    All I want is a way to subscribe to just the channels I like and not all the other ones.

  • http://ComicsPundit.com/ Shawn L.

    I’ve heard it speculated that Apple may make a version of AppleTV that would essentially be a cable box.

    This sounds more credible than most of the AppleTV fantasies.

    If this included giving the AppleTV DVR functionality as well, and they can improve the interface. I guess this would be a “Premium” version of the AppleTV, not the $99 unit that sells today, but subsidized to a degree by the cable/satillite companies that partner with Apple.

    I know everyone is hoping for that golden device that will drive a stake through the heart of cable companies. I doubt that will happen.

    I had the same hopes for the iPhone when it was just a rumor. I hoped that the iPhone would be a higher end version of Tracfone, essentially going around the cell phone companies. Nope.