Apple is definitely building a television set, according to Nick Bilton of the New York Times. The TV, which will include extensive voice control courtesy of Siri, could be announced as soon as late 2012 with a consumer release in 2013. Bilton quotes anonymous sources saying that an Apple television is a "guaranteed product for Apple" because "Steve thinks the industry is totally broken", which is echoed by passages in Steve Jobs' biography.
Bilton says the project has been in the works for years, perhaps as far back as 2007 (the year the iPhone launched and the company launched the Apple TV set-top box. As far as controlling the new set:
It’s the stuff of science fiction. You sit on your couch and rather than fumble with several remotes or use hand gestures, you simply talk: “Put on the last episode of Gossip Girl.” “Play the local news headlines.” “Play some Coldplay music videos.” Siri does the rest.
Of course this experience goes beyond just playing TV shows or the local news. As the line between television programming and Web content continues to erode, a Siri-powered television would become more necessary. You aren’t going to want to flip through file folders or baskets of content, checking off what you want. Telling Siri to “play videos of cute cats falling asleep” would return an endless YouTube stream of adorable napping fur balls.
Bilton firmly believes the television is coming, but says the company "still has quite a bit of work to do on the project", citing the physical design of the TV in particular. He also cites the expense of the display itself, though those prices are falling rapidly.
In a bid to set aside the speculation about if an Apple television is in the works, the piece finishes simply, "it is coming though. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when."
Apple television mockup courtesy Nick Bilton/New York Times
