Will Apple Get Into Television Market? New iMac Suggests They Might

Yesterday, Apple released some new products and updates to their iMac, Mac Mini and Macbook line, without much fanfare. Insiders in the tech world knew something was brewing but it wasn’t hyped up like normal Apple events. The one product that stood out to me most, was the iMac. It’s a slimmer, more powerful iMac, one that now resembles a television. When I saw the pictures of the new design, I started to chuckle to myself because a few months ago, my brother, who is an avid tech/gadget follower, said to me “watch Apple come out with a TV in the future. It’s just a matter of time.” Little did I know he may have been on to something.

What this new iMac does is put Apple in a very interesting position, one that may see Apple enter the television market in a way no one has really implemented. Yes, there have been televisions with widgets (Vizio), and the ability to connect to the internet, but Apple could create something more, and maybe even better. Here’s how:

Apple already has Apple TV, so if they were to get into the television business, they’d definitely have Apple TV included inside the television, making it much easier to purchase and download content. It also makes their TVs more appealing over a competitor’s. The television would of course be internet ready with Airport like capabilities currently found in all iMacs and Macbooks.

An HDTV from Apple could include many other things like widgets, or even applications. I’m constantly using my Macbook weather widget to get a quick glance of the weather even though it’s not the most detailed weather widget, it’s still quick and easy to use.

Apple will obviously need to implement some sort of multi-touch capability. If the rumored Apple tablet ever comes into fruition then Apple will already have the technology to make it happen on a television sized screen. Although that may be a stretch (and cause eye problems faster than you can imagine), it worth noting, that it may give them an distinct advantage over most television sets.

The other great thing about having Apple create a television would be turning the iPod Touches and iPhones into full fledged remote controls. This would continue to help Apple link many of their products together, similar to what Apple did with the iPhone and their Mac computers. The more iPhones and iPod Touches people bought, the more likely they were to buy an iMac.

The prospect of Apple releasing a television may seem like a bad idea to many, but at one point, so did the iPhone when Apple first announced they were working on a cell phone. But after its release, the iPhone has changed the way we look at smartphones and has created innovations unlike any time before. The same could work in the television business. Just keep in mind one thing, don’t expect a HDTV from Apple to cost $500. You know Apple will never go that low, it’s just now their way of doing business.