Apple’s iTV Rumors

Digg founder and CEO Kevin Rose has done another round of his semi regular Apple predictions on his blog, this time focusing on the rumored AppleTV replacement, dubbed the iTV. iTV was for a short time the name used by Apple to refer to the Apple TV prior to its release. ITV is also of course, the name of the oldest commercial television network in the UK and they are already preparing to defend the name and trademark should Apple go ahead with the supposed name change.

According to Rose, Apple’s new iTV will run iOS, the same kind currently being used in iPhones, iPod touches and iPads and that it will be sold for $99. So far what he’s saying does not contradict the popular rumor surrounding this new device but Rose went a little bit further.

He claims that the device will run apps that may be specific to itself and the functions that the device is being planned for, namely home entertainment. The device will also deliver content based on apps instead of the regular television channels. He said it will, “destroy the television side of the cable and satellite industry.” The content will be on demand and runs off your internet connection instead of the conventional methods.

The current AppleTV can be hooked up to MobileMe and Flickr to view shared photos but the iTV will be able to share photos and videos directly from your iPhone. In other words, you can send photos and videos from your iPhone to the iTV of your choice.

Rose also said that the iPad will be the preferred remote control for the iTV. Viewers will be able to interact with the primary content through the iPad, receive alternative camera angles, control games, edit videos, and customize viewing experiences.

It needs to be said that Rose has been accurate before with his predictions such as having the pasteboard functions in iOS 3.0, the line up of past iPod nano, and iTunes 8 mockup, but his iPhone predictions were way off the mark.

Rose predicted in 2006 that it would run on CDMA, holds two batteries, and has a pull out keyboard. In 2008 he claimed the iPhone 3G would have two video cameras with video chat support, something that did not eventuate until iPhone 4 this year. On the other hand, back then he could have been tipped information regarding iPhone projects which took longer than expected. After all, the iPhone 4 went through a two year development cycle.