The iTV rumor mill is grinding back to life again this morning on reports that Apple has been conducting meetings with executives from various media companies to discuss Apple’s future in the television market. Citing sources in these media companies, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has made mention of plans for televisions that would be controlled by users’ mobile devices. Voice and motion control, a la the Kinect sensor on Microsoft’s Xbox, would be rolled out eventually. The new TVs would integrate DVR and iCloud functionality, as well as AirPlay streaming technology, allowing users to stream content between their iTV and their iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Apple computer.
Scarcely had the dust settled on the unveiling of the Apple TV when rumors began to fly that Apple was planning to move deeper into the television market. Sooner or later, the rumors went, Apple would move beyond the simple set-top box and release their own Apple-branded television. Much like rumors of an iPad Mini, predictions of an iTV have heated up periodically, with many in the blogosphere certain that the device was coming soon, only to be proven wrong when the expected announcement never came.
An Apple-branded TV is much more likely, however, than an iPad Mini. The Apple TV is by all accounts a fine device, but a television with Apple TV-like functionality fully integrated is exactly the sort of thing Apple likes to do. Even so, WSJ’s rumors put the device still in a relatively early phase. That being so, we’re much more likely to see an Apple TV 3 long before we see any kind of iTV device.
What do you think? Will Apple make an iTV? Would you want one if they did? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: The Wall Street Journal]