Apple is reportedly ‘evaluating’ the launch of its long-lost TV set – and now could be the perfect time
- Apple is reportedly considering whether to make an Apple-branded TV
- It was rumored years ago, and it may be coming back
- People may pay a premium for privacy and long-term software support
Apple doesn’t make TVs, but that could soon change. Apple is seriously considering an Apple-branded television set, according to a new report. And that might not be a bad idea, even in a very busy industry.
As you know, Apple isn’t currently a TV manufacturer: it instead makes the excellent Apple TV 4K, which brings Apple’s system and smart features to any television, as well as a widely available Apple TV Plus app.
Apple TVs have been rumored for a long time, but it’s a very low-margin business and if there’s one thing Apple hates, it’s low profit margins. But there’s one thing Apple loves, and that’s profiting from other companies’ mistakes. And the TV industry may have given her the opportunity to do just that.
Why an Apple TV could be a big hit
It is important to emphasize that the story, of Bloombergsays Apple is just “evaluating” whether it will make a TV; that doesn’t mean it will be. But there are some good reasons why this might be the case even if it wasn’t before, and why an Apple TV might not be just another expensive project that was abandoned at the time, like the Apple Car.
There’s no doubt that Apple can make a TV. But the bigger question is why that should be the case. And the answer could be: privacy.
As we reported last month, a serious new report has accused many streaming services of being a “Trojan horse,” a sinister surveillance system that undermines not only privacy but also consumer protection. What used to be a simple transaction – you pay money, you get a TV and you no longer have any contact with the maker unless there is a warranty claim – has become a morass of services that demand your data through fair and foul. This privacy-gathering smart TV technology is built-in all of today’s best TVs, and people are starting to take notice.
Apple has long made privacy a key part of its offering to us across its Macs, iPhones and services like Apple Intelligence. And the same policy for a TV would be a key differentiator against many other companies.
There is also a second problem: software support. Apple sticks to its stuff for many years, so you’ll get iPhone updates longer than Android updates; the current Apple tvOS, tvOS 18, works with Apple TV devices dating back to 2015’s Apple TV HD.
How many smart TVs from 2015 are still updating their apps? Once again, people are starting to get frustrated that services may stop working on their TV. Samsung recently addressed this issue with a promise of seven years of updates for its TVs, while LG promises five years. It’s a problem that needs to be addressed, and Apple can easily promise to do so.
The downside, of course, is that an Apple TV wouldn’t be cheap if the company wants to maintain its usual profit margins in a cutthroat market – and the company would be looking to OLED for the screen, and the best OLED TVs are never cheap.
But you could say exactly the same about the best iPhones, the best iPads and the best MacBooks. But as with these products, Apple may be able to offer its rivals something else that justifies the higher prices.
