Shipments of LCD TVs have declined for the first time ever. This may be due to the fact that it makes up 84% of the market and so since most people already have one or more, there isn't much reason to upgrade. However, there have been rumors of an Apple TV and if this is accurate this could definitely jumpstart the industry.
"When the penetration reaches pretty high levels and there isn't a super compelling reason to go out and upgrade a recently purchased TV, it leads to these soft spots, especially with the global economy being as weak as it is right now," said Paul Gagnon, TV analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, on CNNMoney. "People are just more conservative in their shopping behavior and they don't really see reason to go out and upgrade their TVs."
Although consumers have appeared to develop a bit of a more conservative spending behavior when it comes to spending, people will pay big money for what really appeals to them.
"When Apple gets in the game, you know they are going to be the most serious competitor in terms of making stuff that consumers get attached to and spend top dollars for..." Brian Cooley from CNET said on CNN Money. (See video below).
Television sets in general have grown to a significant level in technology, packed with so many features to appeal to consumers. Apple has not made any official announcements concerning an upcoming TV, but consumers can only be hopeful.
"A holiday launch would make for a very merry holiday season for Apple and consumers," Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White writes in a research note. "We believe the pieces are in place for a launch soon, driving an entirely new $100 billion market opportunity or higher (given a higher ASP at Apple), while further strengthening the company's digital grid and providing customers with a new TV experience."
In one other note, White states that he learned on a recent trip to Taipei that Apple plans to use "a special type of motion detection technology on the future full blown Apple TV, rather than touch technology." He adds that "contacts indicate a unique remote control with a touch panel form factor that looks similar to the iPad would be used to control the device," adding that "the bezel is expected to be a plastic composition, rather than the aluminum unibody exterior that surrounds the MacBook Air."
Before his death, Steve Jobs told his biographer, "I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use... it will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."
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