Tim Cook: 'Intense Interest' in Redefining the Television Experience

As part of its teaser for tonight's Rock Center interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, NBC points quotes Cook as hinting that Apple is indeed focused very seriously on redefining television.

What’s next for Apple? Did Cook leave us with a clue?

“When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years,” Cook told Williams. “It’s an area of intense interest. I can’t say more than that.”

apple tv 2012 interface
Cook's hint comes as Apple has reportedly been struggling to reach content deals that would allow it to create the revolutionary television experience it is looking for. Talks are said to be ongoing, but launches for any new Apple television products, which could include a set-top box or an Internet-connected television set, are said to not be imminent.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...

Top Rated Comments

peterdevries Avatar
152 months ago
Don't think this iTV will save Apple from falling. TV set is completely different market, people don't change TV every two years.

Don't think a mobile phone will save Apple from falling.

Don't think a tablet computer will save Apple from falling.

Oh wait! Haven't you learned Apple does things differently? Do you really think that Apple executives don't know that people don't change their TV set every 2 years?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bisnicks Avatar
152 months ago
If that's not a hint, I don't know what is.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Allenbf Avatar
152 months ago
Ohhh man let it be.

If Apple can offer unbundled channels, I'm so in.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
odditie Avatar
152 months ago
One word: Siri.

The great thing about the TV is that it is always connected to power and network. Imagine if it detects via a motion sensor that you are in front of the TV and automatically activates Siri. Without a single press of a button.

Then it will fail.

I don't want to do hand signals to my TV and I don't want to talk to it and be frustrated when it doesn't understand me. I want it to just work without delay.

Same with having an iPhone or iPad used as the primary input device. If that's the solution it will fail. You can't ask people to own another expensive device and have it available at all times to control your TV.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
derbladerunner Avatar
152 months ago
Many asked before and I'll ask again: Why not let the user decide on a TV brand (be it current HDTVs or 4K TVs in the future)?

The TV is "dumb" in this scenario, all it does is display content via HDMI or wireless

I still think Apple should continue to focus on the AppleTV box and improve it. The user experience is great for setup, all it takes is a single HDMI cable and Apple can sell into millions of homes who already own HDTVs.

Apart from integrating a surround system into the TV like Bose did...

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/home_theater/hdtvs_with_built_in_home_theater/videowave_ii/index.jsp

...I don't see any advantage in Apple selling its own large TV sets. Just think of handling, shipping and storage of these sets in crowded Apple stores etc.

Microsoft has great ideas in this area with the Xbox360 and Kinect, the new Nintendo Wii U also has nice features (control TV with the gamepad, "second screen" info, metadata, EPG...).

Unfortunately, Apple is falling behind in the living room in my opinion.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
152 months ago
if you still don't believe Apple is working on changing TV as we know it then you're in denial.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)