Apple TV: Will Apple Make Its Own TV?

Apple TV was unveiled by Steve Jobs just a few weeks ago. It was not what a lot of people expected and was a bit underwhelming in terms of the features that were discussed during the launch event. It seems Apple may not be satisfied with its Apple TV either. Could it actually make its own HDTV? The fact that the company has entered in a multi-year agreement with Rovi could suggest just that. It is worth noting that Apple is interested in high margin markets and the HDTV market is not a high margin one.

At this point, it’s too difficult to predict what else Apple plans to do with Rovi technology. It will somewhat depend on what Google and other players in this market do. Apple could be unpredictable, but it is safe to say an Apple HDTV is not too likely to happen anytime soon.

There is some good news for Apple TV customers. It seems Apple is now charging customers’ credit cards, so the device could ship in the very near future. Amazon and other companies that sell Apple TV still list the device as being “unavailable.”

Apple TV has been off to a rough start. A few content producers have complained about Apple prices being too low for their content (NBC being the latest one).

We do not think 99 cents is the right price point for our content. … We thought it would devalue our content

Apple TV is still very much a work in progress. With apps and more content promised for this device, there is a lot to be excited about.

Have you received your shipment notification for your Apple TV order?