Is Apple finally going to make a TV set? Maybe. Here's what it'll depend on

Is Apple planning an entry into the television hardware market?  Rumors say it may be so.

In a recent Bloomberg article, Mark Gurman discussed Apple's upcoming smart home command center, similar to the Amazon Echo Hub and Google Nest Hub. He went on to say that if the product finds success, it likely will open the door for other Apple household devices such as home cameras, speakers -- and even a television.

An Apple television was first proposed over a decade ago, but the company is reportedly "evaluating" it again.

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Just a rumor? Gurman is one of the most well-known and reliable names in Apple-related news, so his information is usually very credible. Apple is reportedly only "evaluating" the prospect of a television, but the evaluation is serious enough that insiders are paying attention. 

Gurman didn't offer any details on the potential device, only saying that if customers don't buy into the command center, future devices, including the TV, likely won't see further development. 

It was more than a decade ago that Apple first proposed a television. At the time, the 40-inch set, which had a projected price of $2,000, was essentially an Apple TV device with a flat-screen display. 

Of course, the biggest question is whether consumers will be interested. Affordability isn't at the forefront of Apple's strategy with anything, and you can get a very capable 65-inch television for under $500 these days. (And that's not even considering the deeper discounts during Black Friday TV sales.)

It's unlikely Apple could produce a set with an exceptionally better picture than the competition, so the TV's selling point would have to be user experience and integration with other Apple products. In an already crowded television market, Apple would have to do something truly special to find a place of its own.