As rumors continue to circulate that Apple could be close to launching its own TV, a new survey conducted by AlphaWise and Morgan Stanley is sure to keep the subject firmly in the tech headlines for the coming weeks.

Even though nearly 50% of US households would consider buying an Apple-built television, more and more experts are publicly stating that the company will not be entering the market as the TV industry is at odds with Apple's business model. ©All rights reserved

The survey, of 1,568 heads of US households, reveals that 47 percent of consumers are interested in an Apple TV and that on average people would be willing to pay a 20 percent premium over and above the price of a standard TV if it meant owning one.

Interestingly, 18 percent of homes currently have a smart TV but the survey found that 13 percent were unsure as to whether or not their TV could be termed ‘Smart' as the definition is unclear. It also found that 32 percent of all households access internet content on their TVs and that when asked if they would be willing to pay a premium to own an Apple television, the 18-29-year-old demographic, traditionally the one with the least disposable income, would be prepared to pay the highest premium (32 percent more than they would be prepared to pay for a standard TV set) to own one.

The survey also discovered that 11 percent of respondents would describe themselves as "extremely interested" in purchasing an Apple-built TV and a further 36 percent said they would be "somewhat interested." In terms of features, most respondents said they were interested in screen quality and ease of use than anything else.

In recent weeks debate about the pros and cons of Apple moving into the television market has been building with many analysts and investment bankers claiming that the move is pretty much a certainty while tech experts have been busy highlighting that such a move would be at odds with Apple's business model as televisions are not high-profit devices and are only replaced on average every five to 10 years, unlike PCs, tablets and smartphones.

On Monday, investment firm Jefferies issued a note saying that the Apple TV should be a reality by Q3 2013 while on Tuesday Apple executive and leading Apple blogger Jean-Louis Gassee stated categorically that the company would not be building a TV. Calling the persistent rumors an "enduring fantasy," he said that for Apple to move into the market they needed to "put a computer -- something like an Apple TV module -- inside the set. Eighteen months later, as Moore's Law dictates, the computer is obsolete but the screen is just fine. No problem, you'll say, just make the computer module removable, easily replaced by a new one; more revenue for Apple ... and you're right back to today's separate box arrangement."

In other words, if Apple is moving into TV it will be with a set-top box like its existing Apple TV device.