Veteran Apple analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray said an Apple TV is definitely on the way. The new products will come in a range of sizes and will be designed to work with Siri, as well as other Mac and iOS devices.
According to Business Insider, Munster told the blog’s Ignition Future of Media conference that he believes Apple is working on a fully fledged TV that will come in a range of sizes so Apple fans who aren’t planning on owning a 50-inch TV can get a device they can afford.
But affordability seems to be the rub here. Munster said Apple fans will pay a premium for the new device that will cost twice the price of a normal TV in the marketplace. A 40-inch, flat-screen TV today costs around US$800, an Apple TV is likely to cost around US$1,600 Munster said.
Apple will, in its customary way, develop its iTunes Store to deliver console-grade games and high-definition video products over the internet to the new TV.
Apple already has an Apple TV product in the marketplace, a device that plugs into your TV and brings content via iTunes and other iOS devices to the large screen via Wi-Fi.
In a similar fashion, the anticipated new TV will operate seamlessly with nearby iPhones and iPads and the Siri voice intelligence technology will be a useful way of calling up your favourite TV channels rather than trying to remember the actual channel number, Munster said.
Munster predicted the Apple TV will debut in the market in time for Christmas 2012.
