The Apple television problem is simple to solve

Fortune yesterday reported that "after meeting with Apple execs, analyst expects no television solution any time soon."

Others have explained that the problem with Apple producing a tv is that the hardware inside would get stale; people don't update their tvs as quickly as they do their computers or cell phones.

The solution is simple: decouple the display from the hardware. An Apple television should be in two parts: the large monitor + the AppleTV box.

The tv screen won't be changing anytime soon, now that the threat of 3D displays has fallen away. The only questions remaining are (a) how large and (b) should the display handle 4K. Given the BMW-nature of its customers, then the answers probably are (a) "large" and (b) "yes."

By decoupling the guts from the display, Apple can get its customer base to pay another $99 every year for updated AppleTV boxes.

Of course, AppleTV boxes are available now, so all that Apple needs to introduce is a 55" version of its line of monitors, launching them with the "amazing" marketing halo to ensure line-up sales.