"Star Market Daily" November 18th News (Editor Zhu Ling) Television has always been one of the areas that the company has not yet conquered, and also one of the markets that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs most hoped to enter during his lifetime. He once told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had already overcome the difficulties of creating an efficient interactive television set. Now, according to the latest issue of "Power On" newsletter by well-known Apple leaker Mark Gurman, Apple is considering launching its own brand of televisions. $Apple (AAPL.US)$ Television has always been one of the areas that the company has not yet conquered, and also one of the markets that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs most hoped to enter during his lifetime. He once told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had already overcome the difficulties of creating an efficient interactive television set. Now, according to the latest issue of "Power On" newsletter by well-known Apple leaker Mark Gurman, Apple is considering launching its own brand of televisions.

It may take a few more years.

According to Gurman's report, Apple seems to be planning to enter the television field with a more cautious strategy. Apple plans to first release a low-end smart display that looks like a low-end iPad, jokingly referred to as "HomePad" by outsiders.

It will come in silver and black, with a screen of about 6 inches, built-in battery, speakers, and FaceTime camera. Its sensors can change the interface based on the user's distance from the screen. It will also come with wall brackets and a base with extra speakers, so it can be placed on a table, bedside table, or desk.

This product will serve as Apple's smart home command center, competing with products like Amazon Echo Hub and Google Nest Hub. Apple's goal is to establish its presence in the home field through this device, using its HomeKit ecosystem and brand new homeOS operating system.

This smart home command center can run Apple's main applications such as Safari, Notes, and Calendar, but its interface will focus on a customizable home screen featuring widgets and smart home condition similar to iOS. Users can control various smart devices in their homes, such as lights, fans, view home security footage, and even make video calls between different rooms through FaceTime for instant communication within the home.

Subsequently, Apple may introduce high-end TVs with larger screens and robotic arms. As Apple is expected to launch a low-end smart display early next year, Apple-branded televisions may still need a few more years.

However, all of this is predicated on the success of the low-end smart display. If this product fails to gain market recognition, apple may reevaluate its strategy in the smart home field, and may even abandon the plan to launch apple-branded televisions.

It is worth noting that foreign media personnel do not seem bullish on apple's low-end smart displays and televisions.

Gurman said that apple's previous home products were not very popular, and for $350, one can basically replace apple's low-end smart display by purchasing an entry-level iPad and a home wall bracket from amazon.

Tech website 9to5Mac commented that Apple TV set-top box has made significant contributions to the market. Although apple may have a role in the high-end TV market, it is very niche. On the other hand, apple hopes to promote customers to use apple Vision Pro as a home theater, which contradicts the goal of apple-branded televisions. This means that apple-branded televisions may never become a reality.

The dream of television for over thirty years

In fact, as early as 1993, apple attempted a combination of television and computer - Macintosh TV. However, this advanced product failed to gain market acceptance due to high prices and regional restrictions, and was quietly removed from the shelves after only five months on the market, with sales of only about 0.01 million units.

In 2009, well-known technology analyst Gene Munster first predicted that apple would introduce a television set, expected to be launched in 2011. This prediction lasted for four to five years, and many believed that apple planned to launch a television set by the end of 2012 or 2013.

It is worth mentioning that Isaacson wrote in 'Steve Jobs' biography that Steve Jobs had many ideas and projects to implement. He also wanted to apply the innovations he had made in computers, music players, and phones to televisions, making them simple and elegant. This concept still remains visionary to this day.

"I want to invent a very simple and easy-to-use all-in-one television that can seamlessly sync with all your electronic appliances and iCloud. Users will no longer need to fiddle with complex DVDs and TV remote controls. It will have the simplest user interface you can imagine. I finally started working on this." Jobs told Isaacson.

Unfortunately, with Jobs' passing, this vision seems to have been put on hold. Since then, although Apple has made several attempts in the television field, such as the Apple TV set-top box, it has never been able to launch a truly Apple-branded television set.