I need to create a Marketing Implementation for a new product called Apple TV.
This is the marketing plan everything is based off of. I have nothing else to work with.
The brand is Apple and our idea for a new product is Apple TV. Apple TV gives people the option to have music, photos and videos stream from the computer onto a TV. Apple TV has a wide variety including blockbuster movies, TV series and your favorite sports. Apple TV lets you stream all the video content in the ITunes store to your HDTV with purchases stored in the cloud. Netflix, Hulu Plus, HVO Go, MLB TV, and a handful of other online media services are available, plus music videos and photos can be streamed from iOS devices using AirPlay. AirPlay Mirroring lets you stream any Web video to the Apple TV, if you have a newer Mac running Mountain Lion. And the Apple TV’s user interface is one of the best there is.
The target market for Apple TV is current Apple users who are somewhat technologically savvy. The device caters to iTunes users and it works similarly to the iPod. The price for Apple TV is much lower than competitor products, so Apple hopes to gain users based on their price as well. The Apple TV still has the best design of any streaming video box. It’s a simple, unobtrusive black box with a small white light on the front that illuminates when it’s in active use. Around back are a handful of connections, including HDMI, optical audio output, Micro-USB (for service only), and Ethernet. There’s also built in 802.11n Wi-Fi for connecting to your home wireless network, with support for dual-bank Wi-Fi. Unlike most other streaming boxes, the Apple TV’s power supply is built-in, so there’s no separate AC adapter. It also gives the Apple TV’s a useful heft that keeps it planted even with a heavy HDMI cable hanging out the back.
Apple has to shake things up and find a platform for growth; TV is where there's an opportunity to upend the market. Apple is already laying the groundwork for opening Apple TV up to developers, and that's when the product could really transform television. It seems that every week a few new apps show up on Apple TV; before long will likely have an app store like those on iPhones and iPads.
One challenge Apple has is trying to do with its expansion in apps is prove viability to media content owners. Apple is running into the same challenge getting content owners to sell through Apple as it did with music, which was essentially launched with a small library and was so successful that record labels were forced to sign up. The App Store has made the iPad a hit, something that could translate to Apple TV.
Apple marketing strategy will need to include positioning itself in the TV market and deciding on who will go along for the ride. Devices such as Roku are already more open than Apple TV, so Apple will have to differentiate itself from the competition, potentially by leveraging its existing ecosystem.
What's really exciting for Apple is the possibilities the App Store opens up on a television. If opened up to developers, Apple TV could be a gaming console, a streaming device, and a tool for productivity.
With the iPhone and iPad facing increased competition, Apple needs to make a move to stay ahead of its rivals. The logical move is into our living rooms: Consumers crave a change in the cable TV status quo and Apple could open up a world of possibilities for developers and content owners. We will show how a new and improved Apple TV is not just a product Apple should introduce; it's something Apple needs just to keep consumers and investors happy.