During yesterday’s Q3 earnings call Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the company sold 1.3M Apple TVs in Q3 2012, up more than 170% year over year, that totals at 4M units so far this fiscal year and 6.8M since Apple began selling the iOS-based, $99 model (Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3). Tim Cook called these numbers “pretty incredible.”

Cook also said that “Apple TV is still at a level that we would call a >>hobby<<” but he admitted that the company continue to pull the string to see where it takes them. “There is a lot of people here that believe in Apple TV. We do it because we think it’ll lead us somewhere,” he added.

Where? Apple has been long rumored to be working on an Apple TV set, which, according to the latest rumors, could be released in 2014.

Back in May China Business News reported that Foxconn, Apple’s Chinese manufacturing partner, has already started a pilot production of the new Apple HDTV:

Insider sources told China Business News that a Foxconn factory in Shenzhen has received orders for an Apple “smart TV” and is producing them on a trial basis.

Other rumors claim that Sharp is set to begin delivering LCD TV panels to assembler Foxconn in order to begin building Apple television sets.

According to the experts at Stuff, when Apple HDTV does finally hit the market, it may start as a US-only release, because of the content rights.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the rumored Apple TV set.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Tim Cook took the stage at the D10 conference this year to discuss Apple Inc., iOS, Samsung, lawsuits, patents, Steve Jobs, and the almighty Apple TV. The new head of Apple made one thing abundantly clear; the Apple TV is no longer a “hobby” project: ”This is an area of intense interest for us,” Cook said, referring to the TV business. We’re going to keep pulling this string and see where it takes us.”

While on stage, he through out some amazing numbers that go a long way in expressing the growth in this arena, such as:

• 2.8 million Apple TV’s sold in 2011
• 2.7 million Apple TV’s sold already this year

With numbers like this it is obvious that Apple is going to continue to develop their products in this area. Cook made a point to say that Apple does not “toy around” with anything. Everything they work on is with great intention. We were given a clear image that there are great innovations to come, on the horizon, in the area of the Apple TV line of products.

Though the sales numbers are nothing in comparison to the other product lines Apple currently dominates in, Cook was quick to say that the ATV is nota third wheel. The Apple TV is here for good and it is only going to get better. Perhaps my favorite quote from the Tim Cooks interview is where he attempts to express that they are just as dedicated to the Apple TV as they are iOS, iMac, and iTunes:

“…Our tendency is to put all of our wood behind very few arrows!”

The question has become a simple one: when Tim, when?!

See more of Tim Cook discussing the Apple TV at D10:

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the rumored Apple TV set.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

It was reported last week, by AppleInsider and the guys over at Cult of Mac, that the Apple CEO Tim Cook was spotted at Valve’s headquarters located in Bellevue, Washington. You may recognize Valve for their gaming platform Steam, and their work in creating games such as Half-Life, Team Fortress and the wildly successful Portal.

It is far too easy, and fun, to begin speculating at what this could mean. We all know that Tim Cook doesn’t spend his time visiting companies like this for no reason. So what could it mean? For me, it seems like a perfect fit. Get involved with a company to that already has a digital gaming platform integrated for mac, PC and platform games alike.

According to sources to Cult of Mac:

Apple is working on a television set with an iTunes-integrated touch screen remote and Siri-like voice command technology. The TV set will be coming before the end of 2012. Furthermore, Apple’s television set will come with an Apple-branded, Kinect-like video game console. The interface will rely heavily on motion and touch controls.

Simply put, we are one, well designed, physical remote away from Apple taking over the gaming sector. There I said it! I have been a long time lover of iPad mirroring iOS games to my Apple TV 2. The limitation has always been controls. If Apple integrates either Kinect –like features or and external remote. I may be sold!

Update: Valve co-founder Gabe Newell has said that Tim Cook never visited his company, but, according to Cult of Mac sources, Apple is still working on a Kinect-like video game console:

The company’s plans are always subject to change, but gaming for the upcoming television is definitely on the table right now.

[via: Cult of Mac]

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

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Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Apple has sold record 1.4 million Apple TVs during the last holiday quarter but, interestingly, the company didn’t reveal this figures in yesterday’s press release in which it proudly details record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs. The record figures for Apple TV were revealed during the Q1 2012 earnings live call: asked about Apple’s strategy for the living room, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said “the Apple TV product is dealing very well,” and he gave the numbers: in the last fiscal year – ended in September 2011 – Apple sold 2.8 mln Apple TVs, and in December quarter – record 1.4 mln units.

However, Cook added that “if you dollarize it… we still classify it as a hobby,” but he also said that Apple continues to “add things to it.”

Apple’s CEO also admitted that he “couldn’t live without the Apple TV” and said:  “We continue to pull the strings to see where it takes us.”

Since the Apple TV 2 launch in September 2010, Apple has sold over 4.2 million of the set top boxes.

Apple has been long rumored to be working on an Apple TV set that, according to Gene Munster, could be introduced around WWDC 2012.

You may also want to read:
AppleTVHacks Best of 2011
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Apple TV 3 or Apple TV set?

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!