Apple Television to Come in Three Sizes

 

Fresh rumors out of Australia claim that Apple will release an HDTV in three sizes, including a 32-inch model, a 55-inch model and a third size somewhere between the two. The rumored HDTVs could be released as early as mid-2012.

 

The news came from Australia's Smarthouse, a site covering the home-theater industry, which said it had received its information from a "major Japanese company" involved in manufacturing the new TVs . Consistent with previous rumors, Apple's new Siri voice-activated personal assistant would be integrated into the TV for hands-free control, a new Apple processor that will be unveiled in the iPad 3 next year would power the TVs  and content would be sourced from iCloud , Apple's new cloud service, for streaming movies, music  and TV shows.

 

The Apple TV rumors (not to be confused with AppleTV, the company's palm-sized media-streaming device) have gathered steam since the release of Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs. In the book, Jobs is quoted as saying "he had 'finally cracked' the problem of building a television."

 

Whether this is all wishful thinking on the part of the public or the realization of Steve Jobs' pet project remains to be seen. However, Piper Jaffrey's lead Apple analyst, Gene Munster, earlier this month said to expect an Apple television in 2012. He went so far as to advise people to wait to buy a new TV because the Apple product will be so "awesome."  He also said the TVs would cost about twice as much as current smart TVs, which would put a 32-inch set at around $1,600 and the 55-inch model somewhere between $4,000 and $6,000. No whispers yet on whether or not the Apple HDTVs would be 3D capable.