Apple TV proves a turn off

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 10 Dec 2007 at 09:31

Sales of the Apple TV are proving extremely disappointing, according to a leading analyst.

Apple has only managed to sell 400,000 of the video streaming device, way below initial expectations.

"In addition to the 400,000 Apple TV units we estimate Apple has sold thus far, the company will be lucky to sell another 400,000 in the year-end holiday rush, short of our one million estimate," Forrester analyst James McQuivey tells Macworld. "Unfortunately, the same lack of interest in iTunes video will mean the iPhone and the iPod touch have less video momentum to ride."

The device was launched in a blaze of publicity in March this year, before reaching the UK this summer. According to Forrester's research, half of all online adults have heard of the device, but only 5% are interested enough in what it does to track down the device in a store or read more about it on Apple's website.

Even worse for Apple, only 3% of the people who've heard of the Apple TV intend to buy the device.

The device has been criticised for its lack of support for video formats. Users are forced to stream their video through Apple's iTunes, and only QuickTime or H.264/MPEG4 files can be imported.

Worse still, movie and television downloads cost nearly double the price in Britain that they do in the US.

Apple were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

Click here to read PC Pro's review of the Apple TV