Apple TV Focuses on Sales, Competition Focuses on Refunds

Apple TV Focuses on Sales, Competition Focuses on Refunds -

Apple TV may be a hobby for Cupertino, but Google TV devices are a nightmare for manufacturers. 

Logitech, manufacturer of the Google TV enabled Revue, recently admitted to "very modest sales" of the set top device in the last quarter. So modest, in fact, that numbers were actually upside down during the quarter, with returns outpacing new sales. Which is never good. Logitech is countering by reducing the price of the Revue from $249 to an Apple TV-ish price of $99; this massive price slash will cost Logitech $34 billion in one time charges, which is really never good. 

One possible ray of hope for the once-heralded "Apple TV killer" is that Google plans to upgrade Google TV with Honeycomb by the end of summer. This timing, however, sort of coincides with the scheduled release of iOS 5, which is rumored to include Apple TV with some fierce new features.

Steve Jobs has explained why Apple uses the phrase "hobby" when describing the Apple TV: mainly, he blames it on the theory that the market is ruined because TV viewers do not want to buy boxes for viewing, they want them as part of a monthly bill. Without a viable "go-to-market" strategy, Apple TV remains something neat and fun for a niche market segment, like, well, a hobby.

For now. 

(Via Mac|Life all.)