UnderCurrent overheard a very interesting conversation yesterday while conducting a private training session in a local watering hole.
On one side of the table was a very well-connected industry veteran. This pro was telling his lunch date all about Apple's mysterious new panel TV project.
The story goes that Apple has been trying to source panels from China and Japan for some time, but haven't been able to secure supply from the leading manufacturers, as they don't want to supply a rival that has the potential to destory their own business.
To overcome this, Hon Hai Precision Industry, owner the Foxconn 'suicide factories' that currently assemble iPhones and iPads (amongst many other products for many other companies), has been buying up stock in Sharp Corporation. That information is true and well known, but this veteran of the industry had some much more revelatory gossip:
Apple and Sharp are co-producting two 'iTVs', he said, in 42-inch and 50-inch. Both will be absolute top-of-the-line in terms of quality, using Sharp's Full HD Quattron technology, and will be announced and released in October or November this year.
Perhaps the most interesting rumour overheard by UnderCurrent was Apple's 'resolutionary' way of selling these TVs. Rather than flogging them at your local Harvey Norman, Apple will sell these panels through the carrier market.
UnderCurrent's fanboy hipster nephew, iUnderCurrent looks forward to calling Telstra later this year to get a new TV on a 24-month contract with Foxtel and subscription content – plus an iPad for mirroring anywhere in the world – all on one handy bill.
Is this industry iVeteran on the ball, or is this just iFantasy? Feel free to have your say below.