Forrester: Maybe Apple’s TV Isn’t a TV

Rumors that Apple is planning to release its own television have been circulating for months, and now Forrester Research is saying that Apple’s best move into the television market may be to make a TV that isn’t a TV at all.

Forrester thinks Apple's TV may be a family hubForrester thinks Apple’s TV may be a family hub

Instead of making a traditional HD television, Forrester’s James McQuivey thinks Apple could give consumers a big touch screen that serves as a hub for family life. He said,

Apple should sell the world’s first non-TV TV. Instead of selling a replacement for the TV you just bought, Apple should convince millions of Apple fans that they need a new screen in their lives. Call it the iHub, a 32-inch screen with touch, gesture, voice, and iPad control that can be hung on the wall wherever the family congregates for planning, talking, or eating — in more and more US homes, that room is the dining room or eat-in kitchen.

He proposed a setup where family members can share calendars, view photos and videos, FaceTime chat, and more.

“This non-TV TV could take off, ultimately positioning Apple to replace your 60-inch set once it’s ready to retire,” Mr. McQuivey said.

He added, “If you think about it, my proposal takes advantage of everything Apple has going for it: Its base of super-engaged customers, its bevy of hungry developers, its ability to open our minds to the possibility of post-PC computing form factors, and its spectacular track record with generating elegant experiences that teach us to do things we didn’t know we needed.”

So far, Apple’s television offering has been AppleTV — a device the company calls a hobby. AppleTV streams content from the Internet and user’s computers or iOS devices, and physically is another set top box.

Apple isn’t saying whether or not it is working on a television, but that isn’t stopping analysts and consumers from hoping the company is. Assuming an Apple television is on the way, the company is no doubt planning on positioning it as something different from the current crop of TVs, and maybe a family hub might be part of that spin.