Cupertino is looking into several designs for a large-screen, high-resolution device

Dec 12, 2012 12:31 GMT  ·  By

Asian suppliers are putting forth their existing solutions for Apple to test out and determine the feasibility of a full-fledged television set, according to people who are familiar with the Cupertino giant’s plans.

The Wall Street Journal breaks word that Apple has been hard at work with Asian component suppliers “to test several TV-set designs,” citing people familiar with the situation.

Unnamed officials at some of the company’s suppliers said [Apple] has been working on testing a few designs for a large-screen high-resolution TV,” seemingly confirming analysts’ beliefs that Apple is moving at a fast pace with its plans to take over the living room.

Two Foxconn employees reportedly said Apple has been collaborating with Sharp on the design of the new television product, with one of the people saying “It isn't a formal project yet. It is still in the early stage of testing.”

The same people said Apple has been testing several TV prototypes over the years, and WSJ confirms that the company has also been talking to cable television operators about building a product that carries live TV.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise since Apple’s CEO himself confirmed during an interview with the NBC that television is “an area of intense interest [for Apple].” Cook added, “I can't say more than that.”

Just hours ago we reported on a research note from Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty who cited a September survey of 1,568 U.S. households indicating that America is willing to shell out thousands on a TV set stamped with the Apple logo on it.

11% said they would be “extremely interested” in buying an iTV, as Huberty refers to it in the research note to avoid confusion with the existing set-top box product.

That number translates into a 13 million units for the U.S alone which, in turn, spells $13 billion / €10 billion in revenue.