Skip to main content

Source: Apple Television decidedly not ‘imminent’

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Though there was much ado about James Kisner’s assertion that an Apple TV was “imminent,” few have echoed that sentiment. Today, Apple Insider reports that another unnamed source is spilling the beans on the in-the-works TV set, but this one sounds a bit less optimistic  and a bit more fishy. Let’s work from the most legitimate claims that he/she made down to the least legitimate.

First, this supposed Foxconn insider says that Apple has begun the initial phase of tests on its TV. That one most likely checks out, as we heard something similar last week. Next, we hear that it’s unlikely anything will ship until at least 2014. While that could certainly prove an accurate prediction, if true, it’s troubling for Apple fans and stockholders alike. The company’s stock price has plummeted of late and the company – known for innovation – is in a bit of a creative rut. The last and most dubious claim from this shadowy source is that Apple plans to show off a prototype TV at International CES in January. Since Apple has historically avoided CES as if it were the plague (they have never attended), it’s hard to believe they would crash consumer electronics’ biggest party with a fledgling design and without anyone’s foreknowledge.

Really, the most important claim here, is the assertion that an Apple TV won’t be ready until 2014. The race has already started and neither Apple, nor Usain Bolt can catch competitors who are half a track ahead. Unless they are planning on closing content deals that others have been repeatedly unable to close, Apple will be left in the dust before it even gets out of the blocks.

For now, we’re going to say that these claims originated from an unreliable source, which means Apple’s TV plans are still shrouded in mystery.

Editors' Recommendations

Adam Poltrack
Adam is an A/V News Writer for Digital Trends, and is responsible for bringing you the latest advances in A/V…
Let’s discuss an Apple TV 4K with a camera
An actual picture of an Apple TV, with a camera lens added by Photoshop's generative AI feature.

This Apple TV with a camera is not real — it's a product of a real Apple TV 4K and Photoshop. And that's likely as close as you'll get to one. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Here’s a not-so-secret secret about tech companies: They discuss all the things all of the time. Good ideas. Bad ideas. Good ideas that turn out to be bad. Bad ideas that, surprisingly, turn out to be good.

Read more
AirPods 4: Everything we know about Apple’s next wireless earbuds
Apple AirPods 3 in their case..

If the many rumors are true, Apple will announce and start selling the next version of its wildly popular AirPods in 2024. While the details remain thin, here's what we know (and what we think we know) about the fourth-generation Apple AirPods.
AirPods 4?
Let's start with the obvious: the name. Keep in mind, we're talking about the successor to the two AirPods models that Apple sells that do not have active noise cancellation—the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3, or AirPods second- and third-gen as Apple prefers to refer to them. In other words, the non-"pro" version of the AirPods.

Apple tends to be a creature of habit when it comes to product names, so there's every reason to think that the next version will follow the existing AirPods naming convention and be called AirPods fourth-generation. (Apple uses numbers and really the generation bit as a way to differentiate, but you get the idea.)

Read more
Is the Apple Vision Pro the ultimate personal home theater?
Apple Vision Pro

For months ahead of its release, people have asked if I thought the Apple Vision Pro might be the next frontier for watching movies and TV shows and playing video games. Will it be better than watching the best TV? Will it be better than watching a movie on a projector and screen? Is the Apple Vision Pro going to be better than the best movie theater you can visit?

My answer has always been a resounding no. My potent powers of tech punditry and prediction allowed me to determine — without having tried the Apple Vision Pro — that it would never be able to replace a quality home entertainment system, let alone a premium commercial theater. And there was one very important reason why.

Read more