Analyst: Apple ripe for HDTV and 'Genius Squad'
Could Apple be at work on a TV set? That's a theory Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has been trumpeting for years now. Joining him is UBS Investment Research analyst Maynard Um with a report today about how the gadget maker could expand its market cap by delving into new services in the coming years, notably the TV set business and an expanded version of its tech support offerings. Um suggests that Apple's in a good position to boost its market cap by anywhere from $50 billion to $100 billion by getting into the business of making and selling connected TV sets. The group cites growth in both the flat-panel TV market, as well as Internet-connected set-top boxes. Whatever Apple would be creating would be a mix of those two that heavily leverages the company's existing media services, the report suggests."Our view is that Apple is unlikely to enter the television set market without a core level of differentiation. We believe that differentiation will be its iTunes ecosystem and, in particular, its content," the report says. Um goes on to argue that Apple's big cash balance can make it more competitive when it comes to getting content for that ecosystem. That strategy could eventually give it an edge over existing players like Netflix with a bigger library and a delivery method that makes use of its growing data center capacity. But what about selling such a device? Would customers just buy a big flat screen TV at an Apple store, take it home and plug it in? That's what they can do now with the Apple TV, Apple's $99 set-top box, along with its computers and mobile devices. Um suggests that Apple could expand its Genius Bar support services with a paid element (not to be confused with AppleCare, or ProCare--Apple's existing paid support options), to help the customer get it set up back at his or her home. "What we envision of Genius Bar is similar to the Geek Squad, which is fairly well known in the U.S. as Best Buy's service department to facilitate technology adoption," the report says. "In many respects, Apple already offers a number of these services in-store. However, in our view, one primary difference between a Geek and a Genius is that a Geek has a car. If Apple ultimately enters the television set market, we believe it may have to offer some type of installation service (wall mounting, delivery, etc.)."Um suggests that the same install from this "Genius Squad" visit could be used to help set up and install other Apple products like the company's wireless networking devices. That same service could also end up laying the groundwork for what Um suggests as another business Apple could deliver later on down the line, which would be home automation technologies:The market for home automation today is fragmented and a number of standards would have to come together for this to likely become more feasible. However, we can envision a home where the television set or tablet, becomes the central console to control the home (lights, security cameras/alarms, audio, video, home theater, HVAC/climate control, door locks, appliances, et al) and that can be accessible from outside the home via a web browser or iPhone application (facilitated through a service from its data center). This, in our opinion, would drive further halo effects or bundled sales of Apple's products, particularly if the company transfers its ease of use to these systems.A report by Dailytech last month cited an anonymous former executive at Apple suggesting that the company was hard at work on a TV set. That set is said to embed the existing Apple TV set-top box technologies alongside a modified version of iTunes. The report also suggested that such a device would actually be made by another manufacturer, and not Apple.Apple rival/frenemy Google entered the TV space late last year with combination of set-top boxes and TV sets that include its Google TV software. Unlike Apple's Apple TV offering, which is primarily focused on delivering rented and purchased content from iTunes, Google's strategy is to blend in with TV content you watch through your cable operator and let users do Web searches while watching programming. Google has also approached game developers, urging them to design TV-friendly entertainment with compatible Web technologies.Um notes that if Apple is indeed working on a TV set, it's not coming this year. In the meantime, he suggests that the company will be beefing up its content offerings and working on a more feature-filled version of its Apple TV set-top box.Apple's last major release of the Apple TV was last September, with the company introducing a shrunken-down box that ditched the local storage and component plugs from the back of the unit. The newer version instead leverages the company's AirPlay technology to stream media from other networked devices.
iPad and Kindle Fire- The top 5 technical annoyances
iPad and Kindle Fire: The top 5 technical annoyances
Users of the iPad and the Kindle Fire share some of the same technical issues but also face their own unique challenges, according to a study out yesterday from FixYa.Analyzing the array of problems seen by site users who own one of the two popular tablets, FixYa boiled the list down to the top five major glitches.Looking at Apple's iPad, Wi-Fi connection issues came in first, cited by 35 percent of FixYa site users included in the study.iPad 2 owners have bumped into trouble connecting or staying connected to Wi-Fi networks. The site noted that this problem often affects users with a Wi-Fi-only tablet or those with a 3G tablet close to their monthly data allotment. Turning Wi-Fi on and off, renewing your device's DHCP lease, or resetting the entire Wi-Fi network usually does the trick.Next on the list was LED display issues, while screen issues in general took the fifth spot. Specifically, FixYa reported a problem with backlight bleeding in which iPad users noted patches of light around the edges of the screen. Though tricky to resolve since it's a hardware issue, the problem can sometimes be lessened by just tweaking the brightness of the display.FixYa seemed confused about the third most prominent issue, pointing to microphone problems in its chart but citing the iPad not being recognized by the computer in the actual report. Assuming the site is referring to USB issues in general, it offered a few suggestions if iTunes isn't detecting your iPad.Make sure you're running the latest version of iTunes. Try unplugging and then reconnecting the USB cable between your computer and your iPad. And finally, plug your iPad directly into a USB port on your computer rather than going through a USB hub.FixYaTurning its focus to Amazon's Kindle Fire, FixYa reported the one-click shopping experience as the top issue, cited by 30 percent of the users. The ability to buy an item without having to enter a password has opened the door to accidental purchases and unauthorized purchases by children. It could present even bigger problems should the tablet be lost or stolen.FixYa didn't have much advice other than to set up a Wi-Fi password at home so your children can't go on a spending spree buying items from Amazon.Related storiesHow to fix 95 percent of iOS app crashesMake a Kindle Fire safe for kidsAmazon Kindle Fire owners reporting Wi-Fi bugCNET review: Apple iPad 2CNET review: Amazon Kindle FireLike the iPad, the Kindle Fire can have trouble with Wi-Fi connections.In this case, FixYa recommended upgrading to the latest 6.1 or 6.2 version of the Fire software. Resetting your router or setting up a static IP address for your tablet were also suggested."Product call centers are the closest thing to consumer hell, making the web the new owner's manual," FixYa CEO Yaniv Bensadon said in a statement. "We see this first hand and have experienced an explosion in consumer issues with tablets, mainly the variety of devices running Android software. Despite Apple's god-like status with consumers, it is no stranger to consumer issues, as noted in [the] report."
Users of the iPad and the Kindle Fire share some of the same technical issues but also face their own unique challenges, according to a study out yesterday from FixYa.Analyzing the array of problems seen by site users who own one of the two popular tablets, FixYa boiled the list down to the top five major glitches.Looking at Apple's iPad, Wi-Fi connection issues came in first, cited by 35 percent of FixYa site users included in the study.iPad 2 owners have bumped into trouble connecting or staying connected to Wi-Fi networks. The site noted that this problem often affects users with a Wi-Fi-only tablet or those with a 3G tablet close to their monthly data allotment. Turning Wi-Fi on and off, renewing your device's DHCP lease, or resetting the entire Wi-Fi network usually does the trick.Next on the list was LED display issues, while screen issues in general took the fifth spot. Specifically, FixYa reported a problem with backlight bleeding in which iPad users noted patches of light around the edges of the screen. Though tricky to resolve since it's a hardware issue, the problem can sometimes be lessened by just tweaking the brightness of the display.FixYa seemed confused about the third most prominent issue, pointing to microphone problems in its chart but citing the iPad not being recognized by the computer in the actual report. Assuming the site is referring to USB issues in general, it offered a few suggestions if iTunes isn't detecting your iPad.Make sure you're running the latest version of iTunes. Try unplugging and then reconnecting the USB cable between your computer and your iPad. And finally, plug your iPad directly into a USB port on your computer rather than going through a USB hub.FixYaTurning its focus to Amazon's Kindle Fire, FixYa reported the one-click shopping experience as the top issue, cited by 30 percent of the users. The ability to buy an item without having to enter a password has opened the door to accidental purchases and unauthorized purchases by children. It could present even bigger problems should the tablet be lost or stolen.FixYa didn't have much advice other than to set up a Wi-Fi password at home so your children can't go on a spending spree buying items from Amazon.Related storiesHow to fix 95 percent of iOS app crashesMake a Kindle Fire safe for kidsAmazon Kindle Fire owners reporting Wi-Fi bugCNET review: Apple iPad 2CNET review: Amazon Kindle FireLike the iPad, the Kindle Fire can have trouble with Wi-Fi connections.In this case, FixYa recommended upgrading to the latest 6.1 or 6.2 version of the Fire software. Resetting your router or setting up a static IP address for your tablet were also suggested."Product call centers are the closest thing to consumer hell, making the web the new owner's manual," FixYa CEO Yaniv Bensadon said in a statement. "We see this first hand and have experienced an explosion in consumer issues with tablets, mainly the variety of devices running Android software. Despite Apple's god-like status with consumers, it is no stranger to consumer issues, as noted in [the] report."
Apple makes September 9 iPod event official
Apple makes September 9 iPod event official
Updated 10:30 a.m. PDT after having a chance to catch my breath.Apple has sent out invitations for a music-related event next week, and the smart money is on new iPods.The invitation, titled "Let's Rock," went out Tuesday morning inviting media to the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts in San Francisco next Tuesday at 10 a.m. PDT. Rumors have been building for weeks that Apple is set to introduce new iPods at what will be its fourth September iPod event in as many years.We'll be there, and we'll be live-blogging the event, so make sure to come back here next Tuesday.We've been expecting Apple to hold a September iPod-related event since March, when audio chipmaker Wolfson informed its shareholders that it had been shut out of the design of next-generation media players from "a major Tier 1 customer" who planned a third-quarter launch. Launching in September gives Apple plenty of time to build distribution and marketing for new iPods ahead of the holiday shopping season, when the company sells the bulk of its iPods for the year.But what exactly do Steve Jobs and Co. plan to trot out during this episode of their trademarked special event? When we conducted our iPod poll back in May, readers said the two things they wanted most in a new iPod were more capacity and wireless connectivity.This mockup of a revamped iPod Nano on the right, next to a Microsoft Zune, is a leading rumor for the fourth-generation iPod Nano design.iLoungeThe most persistent buzz over the past month has circled around a revamped iPod Nano that brings back the long, slim design from earlier generations but provides for a widescreen video display as found on the current generation. That rumor looks even more promising after the discovery of "fourth-generation" iPod Nano cases by Engadget Spain over the weekend that would fit the design laid out by iLounge and Digg's Kevin Rose.Another likely candidate is a revamped iPod Touch at a new price. The iPod Touch looks set to get the curved outer shell (manufacturing efficiencies) and the cheaper price tag (marketing efficiencies) that came along with the introduction of its sister, the iPhone 3G. And Apple has said that iPod customers responded well to the price cut on the iPod Shuffle, so perhaps it wouldn't be much of a surprise if Apple decides to test how they'll respond to more capacity at the same price point.What else might be coming? Apple is expected to release OS X 2.1 at some point in September to try to move past the widespread bugs introduced along with the 2.0 release, and next week's event might also deliver a preview of that software. The wireless industry will be in town that week for the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment show just a block away from the Yerba Buena Center, and I expect Jobs will take the occasion to release sales numbers for the iPhone 3G.We expect Apple to introduce new notebooks fairly soon, but it would seem a bit odd to try and cram new notebooks into a major music-related event. The old iTunes music-subscription rumors resurfaced last month, so that's a possibility. And Apple's decision to highlight "rock" gives credence (of sorts) to my goal of predicting an iTunes-Beatles partnership to arrive before every upcoming Apple music event, figuring I'll be right at some point.More details might trickle out before next Tuesday's event, so pay attention. And don't buy an iPod between today and next Tuesday if you're looking for something new.
Updated 10:30 a.m. PDT after having a chance to catch my breath.Apple has sent out invitations for a music-related event next week, and the smart money is on new iPods.The invitation, titled "Let's Rock," went out Tuesday morning inviting media to the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts in San Francisco next Tuesday at 10 a.m. PDT. Rumors have been building for weeks that Apple is set to introduce new iPods at what will be its fourth September iPod event in as many years.We'll be there, and we'll be live-blogging the event, so make sure to come back here next Tuesday.We've been expecting Apple to hold a September iPod-related event since March, when audio chipmaker Wolfson informed its shareholders that it had been shut out of the design of next-generation media players from "a major Tier 1 customer" who planned a third-quarter launch. Launching in September gives Apple plenty of time to build distribution and marketing for new iPods ahead of the holiday shopping season, when the company sells the bulk of its iPods for the year.But what exactly do Steve Jobs and Co. plan to trot out during this episode of their trademarked special event? When we conducted our iPod poll back in May, readers said the two things they wanted most in a new iPod were more capacity and wireless connectivity.This mockup of a revamped iPod Nano on the right, next to a Microsoft Zune, is a leading rumor for the fourth-generation iPod Nano design.iLoungeThe most persistent buzz over the past month has circled around a revamped iPod Nano that brings back the long, slim design from earlier generations but provides for a widescreen video display as found on the current generation. That rumor looks even more promising after the discovery of "fourth-generation" iPod Nano cases by Engadget Spain over the weekend that would fit the design laid out by iLounge and Digg's Kevin Rose.Another likely candidate is a revamped iPod Touch at a new price. The iPod Touch looks set to get the curved outer shell (manufacturing efficiencies) and the cheaper price tag (marketing efficiencies) that came along with the introduction of its sister, the iPhone 3G. And Apple has said that iPod customers responded well to the price cut on the iPod Shuffle, so perhaps it wouldn't be much of a surprise if Apple decides to test how they'll respond to more capacity at the same price point.What else might be coming? Apple is expected to release OS X 2.1 at some point in September to try to move past the widespread bugs introduced along with the 2.0 release, and next week's event might also deliver a preview of that software. The wireless industry will be in town that week for the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment show just a block away from the Yerba Buena Center, and I expect Jobs will take the occasion to release sales numbers for the iPhone 3G.We expect Apple to introduce new notebooks fairly soon, but it would seem a bit odd to try and cram new notebooks into a major music-related event. The old iTunes music-subscription rumors resurfaced last month, so that's a possibility. And Apple's decision to highlight "rock" gives credence (of sorts) to my goal of predicting an iTunes-Beatles partnership to arrive before every upcoming Apple music event, figuring I'll be right at some point.More details might trickle out before next Tuesday's event, so pay attention. And don't buy an iPod between today and next Tuesday if you're looking for something new.
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