Engadget has received a tip “which has been confirmed by a source very close to Apple” that appears to suggest Apple hasn’t given up on AppleTV just yet. Apparently we may see a new revision of the device based on the iPhone’s operating system that contains only 16GB of storage but is capable of streaming full 1080p video with a price tag of $99.
The rumor goes on to detail a device that’s “quite small with a scarce amount of ports (only the power socket and video out), and has been described to some as ‘an iPhone without a screen.’”
So the next logical question is whether or not it’ll run iPhone and iPad apps. Getting the screen resolution right will probably be a little tricky, but it’s not exactly rocket science. The lack of storage suggests that iTunes may finally be moving fully online so all your music and videos will be housed on Apple’s servers somewhere, though Engadget says that you’ll be able to use an external hard drive and Time Capsule if you so desire.
While $99 seems like an aggressive price, it’s not unheard of in the world of set-top streaming boxes. The real value here may come in Apple’s hardware, user interface, and content delivery system. No word on when we might expect to see this supposed new AppleTV but apparently it won’t be announced next week at Apple’s developer conference. Remember, too, that this is all still in the rumor phase right now so take it with a grain of salt.
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