Every few years analysts and members of the media get together to discuss where Apple will go next. Whether it’s AppleTV, the iPhone, or the iPad, the question is always about future products.
After conquering the media world with its iTunes platform and related products the next direction appears to be the livingroom. There is a lot of evidence that Apple might enter the HDTV space but it’s hard to say.
People are looking for alternatives to the cable networks and the internet has played a major role. There are sites all over where you can get video content whether it be movies, television shows, or user generated content. More and more manufacturers are allowing their televisions to connect to the web as the line between computers and other electronics begin to blur.
The logic is that if Apple were to make their own HDTVs they’d control the whole ecosystem similar to how they do with the iPod and iPhone. The issue is that HDTVs are fast becoming a commodity leaving little room for margin. Apple likes to be in markets where they can not only dominate over time but also make a lot of money in the process.
What’s more likely to happen? Over time there will be an iTunes platform for HDTVs. In the same way that you can watch videos from YouTube on select televisions you’ll be able to connect to iTunes and use it to rent and buy all of your favorite shows. It’s hard to imagine people rushing out to pay for their television by episode instead of by the month but once that change takes place Apple appears to be in great position to benefit.
[Via Forbes]
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