Apple may not be interested in making afull-on television setafter all, ifYukari Iwatani Kane’s scathing book, titledHaunted Empire: Apple After Steve Jobs(available on theiBooks Store), is anything to go by. Needlees to say, that’s not stopping those mockups from coming.
Take, for instance, German website Curved.de which today put out an interesting concept envisioning Apple’s rumored oversized iPad, theiPad Prowith a 12.9-inch edge-to-edge screen.
The same outlet previously mocked up a next-generationApple TVconcept sporting an interesting looking remote with touch controls that resembles theiPod touch. Unlike some other crazy concepts, the publication did its homework by basing the renderings on rumor-mill reporting.
I’ve included both concepts for your viewing pleasure right below the fold so have a look and tell us what you think in the comment section…
Let’s take a look at the iPad Pro concept first.
Back in June of last year,The Wall Street Journalset the tongues wagging by quoting by citing people familiar with Apple’s plans as claiming that the company had been testing a prototype iPad device with a 12.9-inch screen.
The rumor-mill readily picked up the report though recent reporting seemingly suggests that Apple may have put the project on hold. The usually reliable Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, for instance, thinkswe won’t see the iPad Pro until 2015although the company is accelerating development of the device.
And earlier this month, the hit-and-missDigiTimes claimedApple had actually shelved the project due to various developmental issues, based on supply chain and channel inventory sources.
A few salient points by Curved.de:
Here’s the full gallery of iPad Pro mockups.
For what it’s worth, I’m not entirely convinced that the iPad Pro makes sense. Even though such a device would no doubt win heats and minds of creative professionals – think touch-optimized Aperture and Final Cut Pro on a 12.9-inch multitouch screen – it would admittedly lack mass-market appeal and Apple rarely caters to niche markets.
And now, on toCurved.de’s Apple TV concept.
The website is envisioning a 4K resolution-capable next-generation Apple TV thanks to an HDMI 2.0 port, driven by the A7 chip already used in the iPhone 5s, iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display.
“The main attraction is the revamped remote control, completely redesigned as a touch device that might be wirelessly rechargeable via Apple TV,”the story notes, adding you’d still be able to control the set-top box through Apple’sfree Remote iOS app.
They are calling for grey, gold and silver finishes, with the box dimensions measuring 9,8 x 9,8 cm, which is about the same size as the second and third-generation Apple TV. And due to technological advances, the fourth-generation Apple TV could be even thinner with 1,67 cm.
And here’s the full gallery.
The publication goes on to put DVD Audio, SADC, Dolby Digital Plus, True HD and dts-HD, 32 channel audio and 1536 kHz sample rate on their wish list. We’re of course expecting anApple TV App Store for gamesas well, in addition to speedy 802.11ac Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth and more.
At any rate, these mockups are just that – mockups – so don’t read too much into them as we’re reposting the images here for the discussion’s sake.
