back to article Foxconn chief: we're gearing up for Apple 'iTV'

Foxconn chief Terry Gou reportedly reckons that Apple, one of the contract manufacturer's biggest customers, is indeed preparing the so-called 'iTV'. To be fair to Gou, he didn't actually say Apple is planning to offer an HD TV, but he did say his company is preparing its production lines for such a product, at least according …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just WHY??

    Video cable from PC to Telly, DONE! The telly remains a dumb item, just a screen, it doesn't need to be anything else when the desktop does the work.

    Applites are not savvy enough consumers to be able to figure that one out for themselves. They need Apple to show them the way. Poor 'people'.

    1. Andrew James

      Why??

      Because convergence is the future. And generally people who buy Apple kit are also the sorts of people who dont like unsightly cables.

      1. JEDIDIAH
        Linux

        Re: Why??

        ...except they aren't "unsightly".

        Current television enclosures already solve this problem. This is an issue that you are exposed to ONCE when you buy your TV. After that, it's completely invisible.

        Non-problem already solved.

    2. Citizen Kaned

      its not a monitor though. its a TV. big difference.

      of course the fanboys will be throwing themselves at apple to get a sub-par TV for double the price of the competition.

    3. Steve Ives
      Facepalm

      Of course...

      The *perfect* solution for *everyone* is a PC sitting on the floor with mouse & kb & lots of cables that requires booting just to watch TV....

      I do hope you're watching TV on a screen with no tuner & no speakers...

    4. DrXym

      The Why is because some people clearly don't consider what a terrible idea it is to tie your television set to a software and services provider. All of this could be done in a separate box so that if a better box comes out you don't have to junk the investment in the screen.

      When everything is in a single device, you are reliant on Apple for everything for the lifetime of the television. Will it still offer service in 2 years, 5 years, 10 years?

      This question applies equally to other "smart" TVs that are appearing from Samsung and others. I wonder how smart they'll be 5 years hence when the services are bitrotten and broken.

      1. Andrew James

        @DrXym

        But for everyone who likes the idea of a regular tv with a bolt-on box, there's the existing AppleTV and the world of competitors for it. For the people who can achieve the same thing using a PC, they arent the target market, so shouldn't really be down on the product, they aren't being forced to buy it.

        There will be a lot of people out there who buy a TV based on how it looks, or the brand name attached to it. If its not REALLY expensive, they'll shift loads of them.

        Also, their iPad, iPhone, Mac annual refresh being staggered as it is to help keep god news coming and continually prop up the share price ... that would benefit from a bit of annual good news about new TV variants. Groundbreaking, magical, revolutionary 22" tv's for kids bedrooms or kitchens, for example... to compliment the 32" bedroom variant and the 40" living room variant previously released. Ultimately leading to the 60" iTV Pro.

        1. Dave 126 Silver badge

          Re: @DrXym

          @Andrew James

          These rumours have been pointing towards sets smaller than the 40"+ that is becoming the norm for many people's main TV. The idea of a Siri enabled set makes more sense in the context of a kitchen... "Siri, let John know his dinner's in the oven" or "Siri, what's the weather like today, and is there any congestion on my way to work?"

          Also, when you have hands covered in flour and oil a hands-free device makes sense- "Siri, next page [of a dinner recipe] please"

          (This evening I have tried a wireless dongle in a Humax Fox T2 PVR, as recommended by Reg Hardware... Grrr)

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: @DrXym

            Why do you need a tv in your kitchen for recipies? Is your iPad broken already?

            Or do Apple products just not work?

        2. DrXym

          Re: @DrXym

          "But for everyone who likes the idea of a regular tv with a bolt-on box, there's the existing AppleTV and the world of competitors for it. For the people who can achieve the same thing using a PC,"

          I didn't say PC, I said box as in set top box. i.e. I could buy a device such as Apple's "Apple TV" box, plug it into my TV and get almost identical functionality. It would probably cost me hundreds less than an integrated television set too. And in a few years when Apple produces a new version of the box I can swap out the old one for minimal expense (even relegate it to a bedroom) and enjoy all the new functionality with the same TV.

          Putting everything in the TV essentially means your TV is going to be obsolete in a few years, whenever Apple or app providers decide to pull the plug on the service. It also means you're tied to Apple for your content. If Apple decides (as it's done in the past) to screw rival services then you're screwed too. If they decide to start charging for EPG listings, or for VOD or whatever then you're screwed too.

          This isn't some anti Apple sentiment, the same applies to TVs which are integrating Google TV, or some other proprietary "smart" offering. It's cheaper and more future proof to keep the brains separate from the display.

      2. Ted
        Thumb Up

        the AppleTV would have have a "slide in module" for easy, seamless upgrades, so no worries on that.

    5. jubtastic1

      Because it's better

      Sure you can hook up a PC to a telly, but unless you like buying and then trailing extra long video cables across your lounge you have to get up out of your comfy chair to change channels*, and if the content you want to see is on your phone or fondleslab, you'll be arsing around switching cables over as well.**

      Compare this with a proposed iTV, want to change channel? Voice control or app control from comfy sofa, Impromptu baby photos? AirPlay. Guest comes round with a film on their device? AirPlay. Streaming video or music from the Internet on your phone? pop that stream on the TV with AirPlay, using your fondleslab to browse the enormous film library you've acquired in Plex on your PC? you can watch it on your device or the TV with a tap.

      Easy, Better, way less "hold on... I think the TV is set to the wrong input..., no wait, it's the lappy displaying on the wrong screen, just need to tweak the resolution... FFS now the aspect is wrong... " and so on.

      NB, 720p projector and surround sound hooked up to my PC, not hard to appreciate the value proposition here though.

      * Actually, I don't get up, I have a remote app on my device, but while sometimes it works perfectly, often it would be quicker to just go over there and do it the old fashioned way anyway.

      ** There's no way my wife is going to mess around with cables, so any solution that relies on them will always be my job, as is she leaves the bloody cursor on screen when watching catchup, it's poking up people's noses most of the time, drives me crazy and is probably just a little psychological warfare on her part for me making her get up to put her next show on.

      1. JEDIDIAH
        Linux

        Re: Because it's better

        > Sure you can hook up a PC to a telly, but unless you like buying

        > and then trailing extra long video cables across your lounge you

        > have to get up out of your comfy chair to change channels*

        Are you sure you aren't lost?

        This hasn't reflected the state of the art in computing for a VERY long time.

      2. Citizen Kaned

        Re: Because it's better

        many AVRs have airplay on. my Onkyo doesnt but i dont want to be tied to apple anyway so it didnt bother me.

    6. Chad H.
      Thumb Down

      @ Obviously

      Yes, Applites need someone to show them the way, thats why there's a huge trend of 'Doze users hooking up their PC to their TV... Oh wait there isn't.

      Sounds like you're suffering from the same disease MS is with Metro, a single given interface isn't ideal in every situation. The TV does need a different interface to a PC to be at its most effective; whether or not Steve Jobs had "Cracked it" we'll see.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: @ Obviously

        @Chad H

        >'The TV does need a different interface to a PC to be at its most effective; whether or not Steve Jobs had "Cracked it" we'll see.'

        All I know is that there is room for improvement in set-top-box / PVR interfaces. So, who knows?

  2. Andrew James

    I was watching the news on ITV this morning. And over the weekend my wife was watching Britains Got Talent (which from what i saw, is false advertising) on ITV also.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Or an oxymoron.

    2. LinkOfHyrule
      Joke

      iCorrie

      I reckon Apple should just buy ITV - imagine how funny Corrie would become - everyone would be in the Rovers Return on their iPads...

      "oh aye chuck, have a looook at this new t'app in t'app store - I can now order a pint and a Betty's hotpot on me t'Apple t'iPad so dooont have t'go t'bar anymore!"

      Or something like that, I cant do northern, I live in Surrey ffs!

      Also, I'd imagine the sets would become much shinier and minimalist but they'd have to get rid of the cobbles as hybrids and Segways don't get on too well with bumpy road surfaces so I'm led to believe!

      1. Andrew James

        Re: iCorrie

        "i can gerra pint n otpot off t'internet"

        t is used in place of "the" ... etc. The internet = t'internet. The app store = t'app store, but store would be pronounced st-oo-er if you were being authentic.

        1. LinkOfHyrule
          Thumb Up

          Re: iCorrie

          Ta chuck!

          I know a few Yorkshire folk but I am not up to speed on the Lancashire dialect. To be fair I can barely speak English as it is so going northern is rather like doing a masters degree in a subject I can barley pass at GCSE level!

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    iTV?

    Best of luck with that name in the UK Apple

    itv - Company formed from merger of Carlton Communications plc and Granada plc has owned them rights for quite a long time.

    and iPlayer - well guess you have been usurped by aunty beeb on that front.

    So what are you going to call your set top box when it land in blighty?

    1. Andrew James

      Re: iTV?

      iBox

    2. Andrew James

      Re: iTV?

      Oh, you said set top box. That'll be the Apple TV then.

    3. heyrick Silver badge

      Re: iTV?

      No, that's not correct, the merger is officially "ITV plc". However ITV as a name has been around since the sixties or somesuch (before my time), so I doubt that fruity-loops will have much luck claiming to own it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITV

  4. M_W

    It's pointless for the UK market

    As with all Apple things, they seem to fixate on the US market and Apple UK obviously don't have any way of pushing stuff we like over here. So it'll be an Apple iTV with Netflix and iTunes vs a SmartTV with iPlayer, 4OD, Lovefilm, Netflix, DLNA etc.. etc..

    I have an Apple TV 2 and it's OK - but it desperately needs the proper UK TV catchup services to be a big seller in the UK and with Apple it's unlikely to ever happen.

  5. Sterling101
    Stop

    First move for trademarking?

    Wonder who will blink first seeing as the UK has had Independent Television (ITV) for a lot longer than apple's had iAnything?

    Guess we'll have to wait and see what comes out of the fruit stall as the launch date gets confirmed...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: First move for trademarking?

      This was my first thought! Another apple v the world court case, yawn. The only saving grace is it might actually give Independent TV a much needed case injection.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Appel TV set top boxes are very good - especially if you already have other Apple gear and iTunes already. Would be good if they added more content but if you have an iPad / iPhone and iTunes / Netflix you have a ton of content available anyway.

    Native BBC, C4 players would be nice and a bit more UK specific content but certainly worth £100 for it being small, very easy to use and they can certainly add more features in the future.

  7. Jeebus

    Can we get paid add-ons in show.

    To see Maude divorce Steve press 1 and it'll only cost $4.99

    To see Maude go on a killing spree press 2 and it'll only cost $49.99

    Also can the shows be nearly the same as others but shinier and with more rounded corners for the innovation.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Margins are no problem to Apple. They can charge whatever they want for a TV and millions of brainwashed idiots will *still* queue up all night for it, convincing each other that a TV that only lets you watch what Apple wants you to watch is a genius innovation.

    Ditto trademarks. If Apple wants it, the courts will hand it over to them. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if ITV end up handing over the trademark.

    1. Andrew James

      They've probably got a rebranding exercise underway as we speak, just in case.

      "yeah, we were always going to be channel 3 anyway"

    2. Dave 126 Silver badge

      @ AC

      Tedious comment, that. Tedious, unoriginal, unsupported and boring. That it is offensive is the least of it.

      "millions of brainwashed idiots"

      Some Apple buyers will inevitably be idiots, but any tech gets its 'first adopters' - those who wait in line outside an Apple store on the first day do not represent the majority of their buyers. I think you'll find that many Apple buyers are a) older b) less inclined to faff around getting things to work, and c) richer than you are. Sounds like a financially sound market segment to aim for, to me.

      "They can charge whatever they want" er, no. That would suggest that they just pluck RRPs out of the air. The evidence is that they exhibit more business sense than that. Yes, they do have large margins, but they have put a lot of effort into putting themselves into that position - be it through R&D, acquisitions, or just being very good at managing their supply chain.

      If you gave reasons as to why they were idiots (they enjoy display ratios hardly available elsewhere, an unrivalled selection of apps and third party hardware and docks) your tone might have some merit. Since you can't, we'll just consider other peoples choices to be 'horses for courses'.

  9. Chris D Rogers
    FAIL

    To iTV or not iTV - That is the question

    Whilst I'd like to get my hands on a bigger monitor than Apple's current 27in expensive beast, not too sure about a iTV and Apple's restricted ecosystem.

    I already have a 42in LCD linked up to a mac mini - this is my media centre and a USB stick provides Freeview reception - using Front Row, you can do quite a lot with Apple's little remote, never mind £500 quid for a iPhone to use as a remote.

    Actually, my existing set-up is far superior to what the iTV will be, and if its work related, I use my big iMac - I certainly do not like the cloud nonsense, so drawback is quite a few cables running around that are unobtrusive.

    The only thing that would get me excited is a 32in Apple monitor linked up to a decent spec'd mac mini - that's if Apple can ever be arced to actually manufacture one.

    Actually, a good 42in monitor without any guts would be perfect if it had good resolution for both working on and watching TV/Movies - so a Siri enabled iTV is not really for me - Warranty issues are also poor - Dell give a 5 year Warranty, Apple only three and that's expensive.

    In a nutshell, people want LCD TV's to last a good five years - it would be utter madness to refresh every 12 months, so I'll give this a fail.

    1. Andrew James

      Re: To iTV or not iTV - That is the question

      Surely they could refresh their lineup every year and not expect everyone to upgrade what they bought last year. Not all Macbook owners upgrade annually, and despite Samsung releasing a new tv range at least once a year, not everyone with a samsung tv upgrades to the latest and greatest, and they get along just fine with the old one.

      I mean, you can still buy an iPhone 3GS brand new. Whats that now, 4 years old nearly? And thats in the fast moving world of mobile phones. Its crap, and outdated, but they still sell it and support it to a great extent.

    2. TeeCee Gold badge
      Coat

      Re: To iTV or not iTV - That is the question

      ".....my big iMac......"

      Ooo, interactive ersatz-meat-product-inna-bun. How novel!

  10. Senior Ugli
    Megaphone

    Hopefully everyone agrees actual itv on the tv is the crapest channel there ever was?

    the type of programming for stupid thick people.

    1. John H Woods Silver badge

      ITV2

      Can't remember which sketch show it was, but a wonderful 10 second clip of the ITV2 logo with the voiceover "This is ITV2. Move along, nothing to see here" is very hard to forget.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I do agree, but I wonder why you feel the need to have everyone agree with you? Are you insecure about your thoughts on the channel?

      The idea that intelligence could/should be judged by the type on entertainment someone enjoys is sadder than the stuff on ITV. Each to their own.

      While I'm at it, the recurring comments that we have an ITV already in the UK every time a story about this TV comes up are getting old now. I know this, everyone else on these forums know this, and Apple will know this. As I understand it the name 'iTV' hasn't even come from Apple, it's just the name people are using as no name (or product) has been announced.

      Anonymous because this post is more trolly/grumpy than usual.

  11. Alex Walsh
    Trollface

    I'd love to see the Apple IP attack dogs strip ITV of the right to use ITV because they've not properly trademarked the name.

    1. Tel Starr

      Maybe in 2017 if Apple attack poodles are still around?

      http://www.ipo.gov.uk/domestic?domesticnum=2469652

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    C'mon guys

    I love reading these comments, people are slagging on Apple and saying it will suck because it'll just be the same as having an Apple TV hooked up to your TV, and be no different from the other "smart TVs" being sold.

    Pretty much what people were saying in 2006 when the rumors about an Apple phone really started to heat up and everyone was saying it would basically be a Razr that synced to iTunes. They were way wrong then, and they'll be wrong now. I don't know what Apple is coming up with, but I do know it won't be a warmed over version of the lame "smart TV" features that all the TV vendors have been adding on lately to the collective yawn of consumers worldwide. It also won't be the same thing you could get by hooking up an Apple TV or other set top to your TV, except without cables.

    If all Apple does is save one power cord and one HDMI cable by having the set top built into the TV, I'll be first in line to join the Apple haters in saying it sucks and only fanboys would buy it. But what will they do if it redefines the market like the iPhone did, not necessarily by inventing something that had never been invented before, but taking a lot of things that mostly had already been invented but just implemented poorly and never working well together until Apple rethought it? I suspect the Apple haters will still claim it sucks. They'll claim Apple didn't innovate, they either copied or were just lucky to be first to market with obvious ideas. And ignore how the next TV they buy is a way closer to Apple's new set than the ones on the market today.

    1. Snapper
      Thumb Up

      Re: C'mon guys

      Excellent post. Well argued and I completely concur.

      Watch the Anti-Apple Anything and the I-Love-Wires-Me brigades downvote you though!

  13. Euchrid

    Only according to one reporter

    None of the other hacks present have reported Terry Gou syaing this. So did they drop the ball or did the China Daily hack get it wrong? I suspect the latter.

    Why on would Gou blab this kind of information? How many of Foxconn’s customers would be happy knowing that its CEO will talk about their unnanounced products in the pipeline?

    The Next Web (http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/05/11/foxconn-chairman-confirms-company-is-to-build-apples-new-televisions/) has printed a comment from Foxconn about this:

    “In remarks at a media briefing during the groundbreaking of Foxconn's new China headquarters in Shanghai on May 10, Terry Gou, Foxconn's Chief Executive Officer, made it very clear that he would neither confirm nor speculate about Foxconn's involvement in the production of any product for any customer because Foxconn's policy is not to comment on any customers or their products.

    At no time did he confirm that Foxconn was in development or manufacturing stages for any product for any of its customers. He did say that Foxconn is always prepared to meet the manufacturing needs of customers should they determine that they wish to work with Foxconn in the production of any of their products. Any reports that Foxconn confirmed that it is preparing to produce a specific product for any customer are not accurate.”

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