If there is any accuracy to the rumors, a 4K HDTV is expected by late 2013 or early 2014 from Apple, which some are dubbing the 'iTV'.
The TV is expected to have voice and motion control, and a 3840x2160 resolution (doubling the standard res of 1920x1080 HDTVs), according to the story directed by sources in Apple's supply chain.
A 2013 launch date may be premature, as it has been stated that they are having ongoing difficulty gaining access to the 4K panels. The story states that existing manufacturers are maxed out currently, filling orders for TV vendors out of China.
The panel makers used by Apple right now are "expected to allocate most of their panel production to the company's iPhone, iPad and iPad mini products instead," according to the report on
DigiTimes. With that said, it seems Apple might be counting on LG Display to provide the needed panels if they step up their production by year's end.
It would come as no shock if the rumor mill is accurate in this account given the continued focus towards higher res displays by Apple over the past couple of years. They have managed to make super high-resolution displays on handhelds a popular feature, and with the Retina MacBook Pros, is making it happen on larger devices as well.
But whether the sticker price will be on the more affordable level remains to be seen, given that nothing less than about $20k has been put out thus far in the 4K category.
Many people though aren't holding their breath regarding this rumor, even coupled with a similar
announcement made at the end of last year in the
Wall Street Journal. It has been suggested that
DigiTimes may not be highly reliable when it comes to stories involving Apple.
The Motley Fool provides an interesting viewpoint on why this is likely not to happen, ultimately stating that "Apple may launch a 4K TV one day, but not for a very, very long time."
With this story flooding the Internet, and many publishers forgetting to include the words "rumor" or "alleged" to their version, perhaps if enough people believe it, it will become a reality.
A question many are asking though is whether or not it really matters? Again, the prices are still on the high level, with content availability on the low level. And can people really see all those pixels anyway? I'd personally rather by a boat.
Photo credit: [DigitalTrends] Apple iTV: It's real. I've seen it. And it has Siri, FaceTime, says mystery source
