Apple Reportedly Testing Large Screen HDTV Designs

Steve Jobs had claimed in his biography by Walter Isaacson that he had discovered a way for reinventing the television market. Ever since then, there are rumors abound that an Apple Television will soon be introduced by the company.

To add further metal to these rumors, the Wall Street Journal claimed that Apple has already begun testing TV designs with the help of its component suppliers from Asia. This suggests that Apple is getting prepared to invade the living room as well with its products.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a couple of executives working in Apple's supplier companies have relented that Apple is testing designs with the companies to develop a high definition large screen television set. The report specifically pointed out the companies Foxconn and Sharp as the ones testing the designs.

The executives said that Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (trading as Foxconn), which is the company that puts together iPhones and iPads, has been working with Sharp Corp. in Japan to test the designs for TVs, for several months now. They said the project is still in early stages.

Even if this is true, Apple has a long way to go before establishing itself in the TV market. Apple would face a huge hurdle if it wants to make deals with the fragmented content providers existing in the US.

Apple already manufactures the Apple TV box. This is just a jack-in box powered by ARM acting as a content repository. It is a media hub allowing the user to stay connected to Apple products. If the company decides to combine Apple TV with a product which has its display made by the company, the market just might have a winner. Even then, the highly competitive market of television will be extremely difficult for Apple to scale with LG and Samsung well-established in the market.