Analyst Survey: Americans Would Buy 13 Million iTVs at $1,060 Each

With the holiday season just a couple weeks away, there’s much talk about Apple’s possible television set. Some, such as Gene Munster, say it is highly likely to arrive next year for the holiday season, while others, such as former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gasée, say it isn’t likely. Morgan Stanley surveyed Americans (Fortune) to find out about their expectations.

Katy Huberty of Morgan Stanley issued a note to investors today highlighting the market that represents an intense interest for Apple, claiming that Apple could sell 13 million iTVs in no time, at $1,060 each.

Morgan Stanley surveyed 1,568 American heads of households recently, and you can read about their findings below:

• 18% of Americans own a smart TV (i.e. with Internet capability) but only 13% know they do, suggesting that there’s a market for a smart TV that’s as easy to use as an iPhone or iPad.
• 11% of respondents said they would be “extremely interested” in buying an Apple-branded TV set, which translates into 13 million units in the U.S. alone.
• 36% said they would be “somewhat interested,” which could translate into another 43 million units.
• The 47% who were either “extremely” or “somewhat” interested is more than twice the 23% who said they were interested in buying an iPhone and the 21% who were interested in an iPad before either of those products were released.
• Respondents who owned at least one Apple device were nearly four times more interested in buying an iTV that those who did not.
• 46% of respondents were willing to pay over $1,000 for an iTV and 10% were willing to pay over $2,000. On average, respondents were willing to pony up $1,060, a 20% premium over the the average $884 they paid for their current TV set.
• Respondents aged 18 to 29 — the largest consumers of video over the Internet — were willing to pay the most for iTV: a 32% premium over their current set.

When thinking about market strategies, Katy Huberty thinks, “Apple could bundle the TV set with its existing Apple TV digital media receiver”. Would you buy an Apple iTV?