Next-Generation iMac to Potentially Offer Television Functionality

Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair suggests that Apple may bring some functionality of its rumored television set to the iMac with a revision in the first half of next year.

Blair envisions the company pushing the largest screen sizes of the iMac toward the TV market by integrating Apple TV and iCloud features into a slimmer all-in-one PC with TV capabilities.

“We think this makes sense because while we typically think about the newest TV’s hanging on the wall in large form factors, Apple could effectively start with what they already have on the manufacturing line and slowly push their offering from 27 inches and scale up from there to 32 inches and then move on to the 42, 50 and 55 inch market,” he writes. “In short, we believe the initial Apple TV is their iMac computer that can function as a TV, over the iCloud platform.”

Apple previous offered its "Front Row" software for OS X debuted on the iMac in 2005. The software provided users with an easy access to content while interacting with their Mac via the remote control previously included with most Macs.