Though Munster believes Apple could be ready to release the iTV by late 2012, the question of content still remains. In December there were reports that Apple was meeting with executives from major content providers to discuss Apple’s plans for entering the TV market. Shortly after, there were reports that Apple wanted to offer users access to custom channel lineups, rather than the package-based options currently offered by cable companies. While Apple could easily have an iTV ready by the end of the year, the kind of agreements necessary to implement such a programming model would likely take considerably longer.

Munster’s report noted Apple’s tendency to revolutionize the markets it enters, and believes that if Apple is entering the already quite well-established television market, it must be planning to offer a “revamped TV content solution.”

Munster suggested three alternatives for such a content solution. First, Apple could offer a TV that managed users’ live TV service as provided by their cable company. Rather like TiVo, such an iTV would would integrate users’ pre-existing cable or dish service with Apple’s own software solutions (and maybe DVR). While Munster believes this solution to be “easiest and most likely,” he also says it would be “the least revolutionary.” Such a TV would have much the same functionality as the currently existing Apple TV. While integrating such functionality more deeply with the actual television would be a major step, it is not quite meet the standard of revolution Apple set for itself with previous devices like the iPhone and iPad.

The second option Munster sees involves Apple offering access to live TV from network channels as well as other web-based video options like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon, and others. He also speculates that under this scenario the iTV would get something that Apple TV users have wanted for ages: the App Store. Under this scenario, the iTV integrates Apple TV functionality into the TV, as before, but presents the user with a wider array of content options.

The third scenario is what Apple reportedly wants to do: offer a monthly subscription that allows users to choose live TV channels a la carte from the content providers. This is the option that would require Apple to secure deals with the networks, no small task considering how much they currently make on the traditional cable TV package model.

Though Munster sees the first option as most likely, I’m guessing that Apple will follow a plan similar to what the one that made the iTunes Music Store such a success. Apple will do what it has to to get an iTV into the hands – or onto the walls – of users. Once the device has been available for awhile and is popular with users, Apple will leverage its success to get the kind of content deals it really wants.

[Image Credit: Guilherme Schasiepen]

Kotaku is reporting that their sources have told them that the next Xbox, dubbed the 720 for obvious reasons, is updating everything about the console for a release in 2013.

The sources are claiming first and foremost that the next Xbox will do away with the DVD format opting for Sony’s industry standard Blu-ray format. A Blu-ray disc can hold either 25 or 50 GB and easily best the DVD’s paltry 9 GB.

The sources also claim that the next Xbox will ship with an improved Kinect sensor that would further Microsoft’s plans of having Kinect invade every living room around the world. They say that the new Kinect would feature an on-board processor, a feature cute from the original Kinect. This would allow the Kinect to detect motion more effectively while freeing up the resources of the actual console to do the heavy lifting when it comes to games.

The most interesting rumor to come out all of this though is the potential for Microsoft to equip the console with some kind of software that would prevent the playing of used games. This could either be done through tying each game to a person’s account or through something hardware related. It’s too early to tell and don’t take it as fact just yet. A move like that would be drastic and anger a large portion of the gaming community who rely on stores like GameStop to obtain cheap used copies of games.

Reports from IGN also indicate that Microsoft will be using AMD’s Radeon 6000 series of graphics cards to power their console. This would put the next Xbox at about six to eight times more powerful than the current Xbox 360 and two times more powerful than Nintendo’s Wii U console expected to launch later this year.

Fudzilla is also reporting that the CPU for the Xbox 720′s development kits are already going into production for a late 2013 release. Those within the industry are saying that Microsoft is on track to deliver Xbox 720 dev kits to developers as early as March of this year.

As with all rumors, especially the anti-used game system, take them with a grain of salt. If any of this is true, we should hear more about it in the months leading up to E3 in June.

The fact that Apple has kept the iPhone’s screen size consistent through five generations of phones has not stopped repeated speculation that the next iPhone would have a bigger screen. Now Chris Caso, analyst for Susquehanna, is predicting that Apple’s sixth iPhone will finally be getting a larger screen. In a note sent to clients this morning, Caso predicted that Apple would begin production of their sixth-generation iPhone – which most analysts are calling the iPhone 5 – in June of 2012, and that it would sport a 4-inch screen.

This is going to have to go in the “believe it when I see it” file. As already noted, Apple has consistently – almost stubbornly – kept the iPhone’s screen size the same. As Android phones of all sizes have come into the market, Apple has held to the 3.5-inch screen. While anything is certainly possible, Apple tends to be a creature of habit when it comes to things that work, and the iPhone’s 3.5-inch screen has worked well through five generations of iPhones. It doesn’t seem likely that they’ll change it now.

[Images Source: ADR Studio]

Images and a product description for Chinee’s iPad 2S Hypercover can be found here. Though case manufacturers have jumped the gun and produced cases for Apple products without knowing the final design specs before, this certainly looks legitimate. Apple is in the habit of providing specs to case manufacturers shortly before the launch of a new device in order to give them time to get cases ready for market. Usually, though, those cases are not unveiled until the actual device launch (though designs sometimes leak out).

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this case is the name. Several recent reports have suggested that the next generation iPad was virtually identical to the iPad 2, in terms of its external design. That in turn has led to speculation that Apple would name the device something other than “iPad 3.” Chinee’s choice of name suggests that that might actually be the case. Assuming, of course, that they have access to the actual specifications of the device, and are not basing the design on rumor.

An early March release for the iPad 3 would be the earliest iPad launch yet. The original iPad was announced in late January 2010 and released in early April, while the iPad 2 was announced in early March and released later in the same month. A late-February announcement/early-March release continues the trend of a narrowing window between announcement and launch (which we’ve also see with the iPhone), and is not so early as to be unbelievable (unlike some other rumors that have popped up in recent months).

At any rate, the iPad 3 will certainly be coming out sometime in the next couple of months. Look for more concrete information to surface the closer we get to the actual launch.

[Source: MacOkatara]

There have been rumors for some time that Apple would keep the iPad 2 around at a reduced price to appeal to a broader spectrum of would-be tablet users. The traditional price point of the iPad makes it cost-prohibitive to many, who opt instead for less expensive Android-based competitors. Reducing the iPad 2’s cost upon launch of the iPad 3 would be a way to target those consumers directly.

If the report about the first quarter order of iPad 3 displays is correct, then Apple is apparently anticipating higher demand for the iPad 3 than we saw with the iPad 2. The initial production run for the iPad 2 was 5 million units. Demand for the iPad 2 was high enough that the tablet was scarce for the first few weeks after launch. The iPad 3 is likely to see a similar level of demand, if not greater. An extra 1-2 million units in the initial production run of the tablet will hopefully avoid some of the supply issues that plagued many who wanted to buy the iPad 2 last year.

[Source: DigiTimes]

Over the weekend, industry insider Kevin Dent, took to Twitter to lay a little rumor on us. He said that his sources claimed that THQ was looking to sell the company and that they had canceled their entire 2014 line-up and the planned Warhammer 40K MMO.

Dent started on Twitter claiming that the Warhammer 40K MMO had been canceled and then went on to say that THQ was offering itself to Asian firms to increase their value.

Even more damaging was the rumor that THQ had returned IP to Disney after paying an advance with no refund. This part isn’t entirely out of the question as children IPs are harder to sell and generally don’t pay off in the long run.

Dent then explains that the problem stems from THQ pushing their uDraw peripheral onto HD consoles when the first one on the Wii just sold ok. He then says that THQ didn’t have the money to take that kind of creative risk. He also says that the company was not in the position to make an MMO, with a minimal investment of $140 million.

Finally, he says that the company’s biggest mistake was releasing Saint’s Row 3 into a hyper competitive market. While the title reviewed well, it was stuffed into the same period as the usual heavy hitters like Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed.

Of course, this is just the rumor mongering of one man, albeit a trusted industry insider He can be, and he hopes, he’s wrong.

THQ finally responded to the rumors with a kind-of denial to VG24/7:

“As part of the ongoing review of our business, we have made decisions to ensure that the company is strategically addressing the most attractive markets. As we have previously announced, we have dramatically reduced our commitment to the kids’ boxed games sector which leads to a significantly more focused release schedule moving forward. Our slate for calendar 2012 and beyond is focused on high-quality core games and continues to build our digital platform and business. We are excited for our pipeline of original and high-quality content along with our relationships with some of the best talent in the industry.

“Additionally, we are thrilled with the great performance of Saints Row: The Third, which on a like for like period in North America has tripled in sell-through from Saints Row 2. In addition, WWE ’12’s worldwide sell-through sales are up almost 40% year-over-year for the same sales period with fewer platforms. According to NPD, for the month of December and the 2011 year, THQ was the #5 publisher overall, #4 third party, with reported sell through growing over 18% in a market that was down almost 6%. And coming up next, we have two great titles for the first half of the year including UFC Undisputed 3 and Darksiders 2.”

After the statement, Dent went on to Twitter to clarify that he never said this was set in stone. He hopes the best for THQ and is happy with their statement. That doesn’t change the fact that the statement is somewhat of a kind-of denial that never sits well with anybody.

Their statement doesn’t exactly confirm or deny anything except that they are not canceling anything at this time. 2012 is looking good for THQ and hopefully this will soon just be another rumor that never amounted to anything. Still, THQ is not out of the woods yet and they are still up in the air about the fate of their Warhammer 40K MMO. This isn’t over yet, but like Dent, I wish THQ all the best.

In a note to clients, Huberty said that the forthcoming iPhone would take advantage of new touchscreen technology (possibly Gorilla Glass 2?) that would allow the device to be thinner than the iPhone 4S. She also said that the new iPhone would include a new quad-mode chip from Qualcomm that would enable it to run on all of the 3G and LTE networks currently in operation – including T-Mobile, the last of the four major carriers not to offer the iPhone.

As to when the next iPhone would launch, Huberty speculated that it would be ready at the end of the second quarter, but that it would launch sometime in the third quarter, depending on competition.

Huberty also had some insights into the forthcoming iPad 3. Though she avoids the phrase “retina display,” she does say that the iPad 3 will have a better display than the iPad 2. She predicted that the iPad 3 would be going into production during the first quarter and release sometime in the spring.

Finally, Huberty expect demand for Apple’s products to remain high, even as the rest of the market suffers a slight dip.

[Source: AppleInsider]

ET News also reports that Sharp was in the running to make the panels, but did not manage to meet Apple’s requirements for mass production. The report also states that Apple is planning to order more than 65 million panels at least for the iPad 3 in 2012, and that the initial production run will be around 5 million.

[Source: ET News]

Apparently the early start to the iPad 3’s production is made possible by the unusually early Chinese New Year this year. The New Year’s festival is a major Chinese holiday, and usually impacts production.

A few details about the iPad itself have surfaced in the last few days. Reporting from CES, iLounge has said that the iPad 3 is externally nearly the same as the iPad 2, except with a larger camera (presumably to match that of the iPhone 4S), and an extra millimeter or so of thickness (presumably to accommodate a retina display). If Apple is planning a March launch for the iPad, as seems likely, then look for more (and more reliable) details to start popping up in the coming weeks.

[Source: MacOkatara]