Apple's TV is generating big-time buzz. Gene Munster, a senior analyst at Piper Jaffray, has reaffirmed Peter Misek's claim that a full-fledged television has made its way into Apple's product pipeline. At Business Insider's Ignition 2011 conference, Munster told his audience to hold their horses if they are looking to buy a new television, as the upcoming Apple TV is going to be great. Munster says it will come in several different screen sizes and have a standard remote control, but could also be controlled with an iPhone, iPad or by yelling "ESPN" at your Siri. It will be tightly integrated with the App Store and iTunes, and will come with iCloud, which will keep it in sync with other Apple devices or a PC. The only caveat: It will cost twice as much as the TVs sold by other companies. And I can't say that's the best strategy. For many decades, televisions have been nothing but a dumb screen. Most decisions made when purchasing a new television revolve around the screen size, screen quality, and aesthetic value. And unlike a mobile phone or a computer, which typically get replaced in a year or two, a television set doesn't get replaced nearly as frequent. Mine has lasted for over a decade. That begs the question, how long will Apple's new TV last before its technology gets outdated, like any other smart devices would? And how many users are willing to pay a premium only to have to get their television replaced every few years? Is it not better to buy a cheaper television with a superior screen, use it for many years to come, and smarten it up with a cheap set-top-box, like the existing $99 Apple TV? As usual, until there's any official announcement from Apple, let's just take everything you've just read with a grain of salt. Apple's TV: Twice the Price of Other TVs?
Apple's TV is generating big-time buzz. Gene Munster, a senior analyst at Piper Jaffray, has reaffirmed Peter Misek's claim that a full-fledged television has made its way into Apple's product pipeline. At Business Insider's Ignition 2011 conference, Munster told his audience to hold their horses if they are looking to buy a new television, as the upcoming Apple TV is going to be great. Munster says it will come in several different screen sizes and have a standard remote control, but could also be controlled with an iPhone, iPad or by yelling "ESPN" at your Siri. It will be tightly integrated with the App Store and iTunes, and will come with iCloud, which will keep it in sync with other Apple devices or a PC. The only caveat: It will cost twice as much as the TVs sold by other companies. And I can't say that's the best strategy. For many decades, televisions have been nothing but a dumb screen. Most decisions made when purchasing a new television revolve around the screen size, screen quality, and aesthetic value. And unlike a mobile phone or a computer, which typically get replaced in a year or two, a television set doesn't get replaced nearly as frequent. Mine has lasted for over a decade. That begs the question, how long will Apple's new TV last before its technology gets outdated, like any other smart devices would? And how many users are willing to pay a premium only to have to get their television replaced every few years? Is it not better to buy a cheaper television with a superior screen, use it for many years to come, and smarten it up with a cheap set-top-box, like the existing $99 Apple TV? As usual, until there's any official announcement from Apple, let's just take everything you've just read with a grain of salt. 
