Analyst Tips Nov. 2013 for Apple TV Set

Will Apple ever launch its own TV set? Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster believes so, just not anytime soon.

In a recent report, Munster pointed to a possible November 2013 release, just in time for next year's holiday season. The set is likely to cost between $1,500 and $2,000, boasting screen sizes in the 42-inch to 55-inch range.

"We expect the beauty of the design to be a feature," Munster said in the report. "But the most important feature will be the ability to use the TV as the main interface for the living room across multiple devices."

More than a year ago, Munster made a bold prediction, telling VentureBeat in August 2011 that he believed the television's debut would come in late 2012 or early 2013, running with some variation of Apple's iOS.

Jefferies analyst James Kisner placed the launch a little sooner, saying last week that some sort of Apple TV experience is "imminent." Kisner pointed to an unnamed North American cable provider who is allegedly "working to estimate how much additional capacity may be needed for a new Apple device on their broadband data network."

Still, one Apple exec denied any plans for an Apple TV set earlier this year.

During an August meeting with a research analyst, Apple's senior vice president for Internet services and software, Eddy Cue, reported that an Apple-branded TV set is "unlikely in the near term." Cue apparently held firmly to Apple's mantra that the company will enter a new market if it can create great experience for customers and address a key problem.

Munster, meanwhile, also said he expects the launch of an Apple radio service in March, alongside a new product like the iPad mini with Retina display or an updated Apple TV box with TV App Store. The company's involvement in the annual WWDC should offer previews of the next OS X and iOS 7 — with new features including additional Passbook wallet options, Groupon/LivingSocial integration for Siri, and, of course, Maps improvements.

Munster also predicted the next-gen iPhone - the iPhone 5S - will again be unveiled in September, with a faster processor, more RAM, and a better camera.

For more, see PCMag's review of the existing Apple TV set-top box.