Apple’s Biggest TV Competitor Might Just Be IKEA
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We’ve been talking for a while now about Apple stepping into the television market and about how Sony and Samsung and other technology giants are preparing for the possibility of Apple’s hat in their ring. What we haven’t talked about is how IKEA may be Apple’s hardest competition in this market. Not because the Swedish furniture seller has created the most technologically advanced TV ever, but because they have a monster design department and they know how to use it.
TechCrunch recently reported that IKEA is set to launch an HDTV that Apple would be proud of. The UPPLEVA line of TVs have a sleek design, hidden cable tracks, integrated wireless components and a customizable cabinet design.
What many television makers fail to realize, but IKEA has capitalized on, is that the average consumer doesn’t care about specifications and other details of their TV anymore. They want something that does the job right, but also looks classy in their living room. Most people want something with a 1080p high definition display, HDMI hookups, and Internet connectivity. The UPPLEVA line of televisions has all of that, and looks like a purebred stallion sitting on its customizable media center.
IKEA’s television line will be released in Stockholm, Milan, Paris, Gdansk, and Berlin this coming June with additional countries launching into 2013. The price is not known at this time.
This is why Apple should be on alert. We all know that innovative design is what makes their products stand out above the rest in a sea of gadgets. When, or if, Apple really does launch a television set, it may have IKEA as a worthy opponent.
Check out the product announcement below.
