When Apple's CEO Tim Cook described their interest in an HDTV with Brian Williams earlier this month as one that was intense, you knew that something could be up at Apple because their legendary stance on Apple TV has been one described as an Apple "hobby" product. Apple's tiny digital media player known as Apple TV first debuted back in March 2007. A week ago BrightWire reported that Apple was collaborating with its Asian suppliers and testing several large-area high-definition TV (HDTV) design plans. Today, a new report out of Taipei emphatically states that "Apple's Inc.'s television sets have gotten underway at Hon Hai Precision Industry Co."
Although Hon Hai, the world's largest contract electronics maker, has declined to respond to the reports, saying that it never comments on specific business deals with any single client., a source inside Hon Hai said that "the initial phase of tests on the television has kicked off."
The source also predicted that "Apple TV shipments could be huge and that new Apple TV-related products might be put on display at the well-known international consumer electronics trade fair, CES, to be held in Las Vegas in January." That would certainly be an uncharacteristic move for Apple if that panned out.
For the record, Tim Cook's comment about Apple's interest in TV being Intense could be found at the 18:29 mark of the noted interview video.
At the end of the day, we're like everyone else and would love to see a high-end HDTV debut from Apple, as it's been something that Patently Apple has following for years. In fact we have a special archive for Apple TV related patents.
Yet today's report has been characterized as a rumor because the news report is running with the account of a single insider source. Whether this is another piece of the Apple TV puzzle or just an account from an excitable Apple fan within Hon Hai isn't known at this time. But it certainly has a plausible foundation. What are your thoughts on this rumor? Send in your comments below.
