Apples kicking off a new Home products strategy this year, and an Apple Television is reportedly being evaluated as a future product. Recent trends in the TV space reveal how much opportunity there is for Apple to disrupt the market with a new product and better direction.CES this week was full of glimpses into TV makers plans for the year ahead. And those plans, unfortunately, reflect a focus on gimmicky software and AI features that provide little true value to users.Scharon Harding writes for Ars Technica:The trend reveals the implications of TV brands increasingly viewing themselves as software rather than hardware companies, with their products being customer data rather than TV sets. This points to an alarming future for smart TVs, where even premium models sought after for top-end image quality and hardware capabilities are stuffed with unwanted gimmicks.Hardings full report goes in-depth on the examples she observed from CES. These include:LG turning its remote into an AI Remote that removes its input button in favor of one that loads a webOS dashboardwhich only makes sense when considering the companys recent pushes to show more ads throughout webOSTVs adding far-field microphones for Google Gemini supportwith fuzzy privacy implications and the prospect of getting a cut of Google subscription revenue laterSamsungs faulty AI tool for analyzing food on-screen and offering related recipescoincidentally, the company has a new Instacart partnership for grocery ordersLG and Samsung both implementing Microsoft Copilota chatbot with seemingly little value on a TV setIf you want to get discouraged about the prospects of future TV hardware, read the full piece.Opportunity abounds for an Apple Television to think differentOverall, these innovations in the TV space reveal a growing need for another player who can create a quality product without gimmicks or privacy hazards.In other words, an Apple Television needs to actually happen.Ive previously outlined five key reasons why Apple should absolutely make a TV set.This new CES report is an easy number six. Some might argue that modern Apple is big into services revenue and AI too.Apple has been growing its services revenue, sure. And its very focused on AI at the moment too.But unlike these other companies, Apple has a solid understanding of what makes a good product.Its hardware, software, and services coming together in a way that creates a compelling user experience.Modern TVs can provide great hardware, but the experience is harmed by the software and services pieces.My hope would be that if Apple launched a TV set, its emphasis on user privacy and thoughtful integration of hardware, software, and services could initiate a shift in the market.Thats probably a misguided hope. But one things for sure: with the troubling trends for new TV sets coming out of CES, I want an Apple Television more than ever.Would you buy an Apple Television? Do current TV trends bother you at all, or are they no big deal? Let us know in the comments.Best Apple TV and Home accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel