If Apple reconsiders building a TV, it should just build a giant iPad
What is a television? Should it be a gigantic panel that catches your eye in the living room, something hanging on the wall, or between wall-sized bookshelves? That’s not necessarily the case, and if Apple is really thinking about making its own TV set, it might want to take a closer look at the upcoming iPad Pro 13-inch.
Apple’s interest in TV sets and television in general goes back at least fifteen years, and in some ways was amplified then Apple CEO Tim Cook told interviewers that Apple considered TVs “an area of incredible importance.” He also noted that there was a big vision for TV at the Cupertino tech company. In retrospect, Cook may have described Apple’s work on the Apple TV 4K streaming box, followed by the TV app (which replaced Video and the iTunes video library and store) and even Apple TV Plus, which introduced the world to Apple’s vision for content streaming. All together this results in a grand vision.
We find ourselves turning the channel back to talk about the possibility of an Apple TV device again because of a short item in Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter that indicates that building a TV set with the ‘Apple’ brand is something that is being evaluated. I know, it’s not much to talk about, and I’ve long been skeptical of the concept of an Apple Television, a seemingly unnecessary piece of Apple hardware.
I don’t deny the appeal of the market. Statista estimates global TV revenues at nearly $100 billion. On the other hand, the market is expected to experience annual growth of less than 1% over the next five years. That could be because people buy these big TV sets and then keep them for at least five years. Apple likes markets that promise annuities like its services (including Apple TV Plus) and markets that have built-in upgrade cycles, like the best iPhones. Television sets on their own provide neither.
It’s always been the iPad
For the sake of argument, let’s just say that Apple is on the TV hunt again. This may happen not only because an Apple TV is the perfect delivery system for its own streaming service, but also because of the obvious home branding opportunity: a large TV set with a visible Apple logo on the chin base. However, I think the real reason Apple is considering making a TV is because it has been selling millions of small TV screens to Apple fans for years.
If we go all the way back to 2013, found a study that more than 50% of respondents watched TV on an iPad. Back then, the entertainment was squeezed into a 9.7-inch LCD screen. As I write this, my TV is on next to me. It’s a 13-inch iPad Pro with a fantastic Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED (two stacked OLED panels) with clear and quite loud sound from four speakers that even supports spatial audio.
With my iPad I have access to Apple TV Plus, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, and my new favorite live broadcast Sling TV. Clearly this is a suitable TV set and, if the rumors are trueThere will be larger tandem OLED screens. In the short term they could still top out at 30 inches, so Apple will likely stick with the technology currently used in the best OLED TVs for… oh let’s call it the 65-inch iPad Pro Max.
The borders
My iPad Pro 13, that is outselling all other iPadsis not perfect television. It is missing a remote control (it’s a touchscreen!) and HDMI ports for connecting a game console, for example. On a real Apple TV in the form of a giant iPad, Apple might still have to avoid HDMI ports, pushing us squarely into the future of wireless streaming – but it could add a separate connection box for anyone who needs them. This can even be wireless, like the LG M Series OLED TVs, so you can maintain a clean space around your TV. And you can use your iPhone as a remote control by default. Admit it, you already watch TV with your iPhone in your hand.
The advantage of the iPad Pro Max 65 inches as a TV set is that all smart functions are built-in. It’s already a gaming platform and, with support for all your major productivity apps, could double as a giant workspace. It’s already a smart home hub and could finally help people, if not fall in love with it, at least adopt Apple Home in droves. In fact, I think the touchscreen TV could come in handy if you can’t find the remote, but I would recommend adding the ability to disable the touchscreen.
Apple, as I see it, isn’t far away from building a TV set, having been selling them for 13 years. The iPad is a TV and it’s time for it to light up completely.
