Apple Television May Start In The iMac

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We’ve heard a lot about the Apple television in recent days, but one new report to emerge from the analyst sector suggests a new possible dimension that no one has considered before, and likely, for good reason. A new report is suggesting that, when we finally do see the Apple television, it will make its debut as part of the iMac as opposed to a full television.

Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair put out the theory earlier, suggesting that the iMac could act as a sort of gateway device to the larger Apple television, providing people with the Apple television experience on a much smaller scale, showing you what could be done, before then offering you a larger screened version on which to do it yourself. In a way, something like this would match up with earlier reports that suggest three sizes are already being built–two much bigger than an iMac display would be normally and a third of as yet unknown size–as well as some earlier-noted possibility of a 27 inch iMac being in progress.

But still, there would be some substantial engineering problems involved here, like trying to bridge the gap in terms of resolution. An iMac screen is geared for someone sitting only a couple feet from the display, while a television is commonly geared for distances of several feet out, and the resolution is rendered accordingly. Speaking here as someone who actually once used a television with an S-Video input as a computer monitor, the experience doesn’t always translate well. Usable, sure, but not ideal. Plus there are issues of operating systems–since Lion took Front Row out of the picture, getting basic television function might be a bit of a challenge.

Personally, I doubt this would happen–Apple doesn’t really need intermediary forms of anything to get consumer interest. They got people interested in the tablet PC with the iPad, and they would likely get people interested in Apple television just from the television alone. Adding Siri-style functionality alone would get some people in the door.

But what do you guys think here? Figure that a small Apple television in the form of a bulked-up iMac is in the cards? Or is this another analyst projection that will go nowhere fast? No matter what you think, we always like hearing from you, so head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think!