You're the Pundit: Will we see any Apple TV announcements next week?

So this is a few days old, but here's my thoughts. In about 38 minutes from now, Tim Cook will introduce the new iPad that has all the goodies previously mentioned, plus the two new until-now secret features. One is the haptic feedback, but two is 802.11ac networking. Along with that, I believe (hope) that Apple will introduce a new AppleTV that is 1080p, but has 802.11ac. And last but not least, to tie everything together, Apple will introduce some sort of update AirPort appliance that supports 802.11ac.

You haven't seen the preview video of the new AppleTV?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzo_5q_dhIM

I would love to have attached storage support. Keeping a Mac Pro turned on to serve up movies to aTV seems like a waste.

3D iPad

The new Apple TV 2 will have a camera and support Messages/Facetime

Apple TV will support 1080p streaming and will add Bluetooth 4.0, as will the new and refreshed iPads, matching the iPhone 4S. This will allow them to communicate without any potential network issues, so iPads and iPhones can be remotes. Apple will also ship a new remote with a noise cancelling mic for using Siri with the Apple TV. Existing ATV boxes should be able to add Bluetooth via USB dongle, but will only stream 720p.

iOS 6.0 will add support for discovering and managing TV peripherals via Bluetooth and HDMI. By year end there will be cable boxes and disc players that can be integrated with the Apple TV and controlled by Siri. All of this will pave the way for the iSet in time for the next Super Bowl.

This is one that I don't have a solid opinion on. Do I think Apple has something big up their sleeves in the way of content for the Apple TV? I don't think so, not yet. Does the Apple TV need much beyond some content deals between Apple and some networks? Again, not yet. However, this announcement could be coupled with new iPad and iOS features that immediately make me say "yeah, they're going to need a new Apple TV now."

I think the determining factors are still up for speculation, and I don't feel confident in my ability to predict this one.

I can see 2 things happening:

1) Apple unveils a bumped Apple TV to take advantage of the rumored 1080p iTunes Store video bump that's supposedly going to coincide with the iPad 3's release... or...

2) Apple partners with 1 or more cable providers in the US to unleash an Apple TV set-top box provided by said cable provider, which will provide IPTV service (on-demand network TV), sans PVR recording, that ties back to the iTunes Store (example: watch a pilot episode of a show, complete with commercials, via IPTV, which then provides links to the iTunes Store Season Pass at end of episode)


I think #2 is more likely than a whole television, personally, as the benefits of an Apple television would be heavily marginalized due to most cable television being provided and controlled by a set-top box that Apple can't manipulate via its own interface.

I would like to see the iPad 3 and a new Apple TV, but I really hope they announce an iCloud replacement for the MobileMe Gallery and iDisk.
I love the simplicity of being able to upload from iPhoto, knowing that my family will receive an email notifying them up updates to the gallery. The iCloud gallery should be able to publish from the photo stream instantly, but we would also need the ability to edit what was in the stream.
We shall have to wait and see!

Didn't the invitation say something about they having something we can see? Maybe that's the TV!