Inventec reportedly nets Apple TV order

Inventec Appliances Corp (英華達), a local handset maker that also produces iPod music players for Apple Inc, has reportedly been selected as the supplier for Apple TV digital video boxes.

Inventec Appliances will start churning out Apple TVs this month, the Chinese-language Apple Daily said yesterday.

The Apple TVs are expected to contribute at least NT$500 million (US$15.3 million) in sales to Inventec Appliances, it said.

Inventec Appliances said it would not confirm orders because such confirmation would violated business confidentiality.

Apple TV is a digital video box that will allow iTunes subscribers to download and stream movies, TV shows, music and podcasts.

The box retails at US$299 and will debut next month.

According to Cnyes.com, Inventec will also start producing iPod videos for Apple in the second half of the year.

Inventec Appliances will probably be roped in as the second iPhone assembler, after Foxconn International Holdings Ltd (富士康控股), early next year, the Web site reported.

The outlook for Inventec Appliances' smartphone shipments this year is also rosy, as Palm Inc is expected to shift Treo orders to Inventec from High Tech Computer Corp (HTC, 宏達電).

Inventec's sales last month were NT$7.98 billion, down 52 percent from the same period a year ago. Revenues were NT$104.97 billion last year, a 14.3 percent decline from the earlier year.