Apple’s new product to-do set for Tuesday (September 10) has sparked speculation that the company will unveil a couple of new iPhones (a new high-end model called the 5S and a low-cost version dubbed the 5C), while also setting off rumors that the company might also introduce a new Apple TV device or (gasp!) offer an update on Apple’s mythological TV set.
Based on the latest reports, don’t get too excited about the notion of Apple making a big advancement on the video front.
According to AllThingsD, Apple is not expected to introduce a new box, TV or any sort of new video hardware on Tuesday, but will likely intro some new software that could include the addition of iTunes Radio and a feature that lets users more easily playback movies and TV shows purchased at the iTunes store on a friend’s Apple TV.
But Apple apparently does have some new video products cooking. Giga Om noted last week that evidence shows that Apple recently received a shipment from China labeled as a “Set-Top Box with Communication Function.”
We’ll learn more on Tuesday, but whatever Apple adds on the video side will pop up alongside a strategy for the Apple TV box that has become increasingly friendly to the pay-TV industry.
Late last month, Apple TV added authenticated plug-ins for Watch Disney, Watch Disney XD, as well as on-demand clips from The Smithsonian Channel and The Weather Channel, and access to Vevo’s music video streaming service. That followed the addition of Watch ESPN and HBO Go in June.
Update: Apple did not push the ball forward at all with respect to the Apple TV. Tuesday's announcement was centered on two new iPhone models, including the iPhone 5C, a device that some are billing as a low-cost model because it costs just $99 with a two-year contract.
