Apple engineers are less than enthusiastic about Apple’s living room hardware strategy, as it remains poorly defined and lacks a coherent vision, says a new report from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman.
In his latest “Power On” newsletter, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman says that Apple engineers have personally expressed concerns to him about the direction of Apple’s living room hardware strategy.
Earlier this year the Apple TV got a small update, including a redesigned Siri Remote. Apple’s full-sized HomePod was discontinued. The Cupertino firm is also said to be developing a combined HomePod-Apple TV device with a built-in screen and FaceTime camera.
In Gurman’s opinion, while there are obvious benefits in owning an Apple TV for those heavily invested in Apple’s ecosystem, the set-top box lacks the appeal of cheaper streaming box alternatives from Amazon, Roku, and others. Gurman says Apple needs to debut a cheaper, more competitively-priced version of the Apple TV such as a stick-like device, or offer more features if it wants to remain part of the living room conversation.
However, “as of now, it’s hard to believe that will happen soon,” says Gurman, “especially with Apple engineers telling me that the company doesn’t have a strong living room hardware strategy and that there isn’t much internal optimism.”
Apple’s combined Apple TV-HomePod device is said to be on schedule for release in the 2023 timeframe.