But there should be another set-top box upgrade until then, says Mark Moskowitz

May 3, 2012 12:06 GMT  ·  By

Analyst Mark Moskowitz with J.P. Morgan has issued a research note to investors signaling that Apple is eons away from releasing its much-rumored connected TV set.

Obtained by AppleInsider, the analyst’s note says that his firm’s research “does not indicate any looming TV-related product launch”. Moreover, there are economic factors at play that are thwarting this potential business model for Apple.

Moskowitz asserts it isn’t until 2014 that Apple will finally begin to take over the living room, and that there will be another set-top box iteration by then.

“We believe Apple can design a smarter set top box to manage all components behind the end user’s TV experience, as well as eliminate the oft-cumbersome user interface provided by the cable and satellite operators,” he wrote.

“We are not sure that the Apple premium could prevail in the TV market, unless there is a radical change of the user interface, integration of the TV programming and data content, and use of gesture or voice control,” Mark Moskowitz added.

Moskowitz also believes that “Enhanced-content offerings could augment Apple’s TV solution but are not a necessity for Apple to be successful in the living room,” he said, speaking for his company.

He added that Apple’s full-fledged TV set, whenever it’s released, may include features like Siri voice control, gesture-based input, DVR support and even gaming capabilities.

In his note, Moskowitz threw speculators a bone claiming his firm believes Apple will set in place a revolutionary mobile payment platform based on near-field communication (NFC) technology. The service would be called (you guessed it) “iPay.”

Apple has been rumored for quite a while to test the NFC waters. The company’s 250+ million iTunes accounts with credit cards are just waiting to be tapped this way.