Apple is still looking at the Apple TV as a hobby, so this is what designers have to say

Jul 6, 2014 15:11 GMT  ·  By

With about three months before the launch of iOS and new iDevices, we are all looking to see what Apple has in store. Besides the iPhone 6 and a new iPad Air 2, the California Tech Giant could release an iWatch and an updated Apple TV. 

 
There are currently no rumors suggesting that the Apple TV may turn into a fully fledged TV, but new concepts appear online every day. We've gathered the most beautiful ones here to discuss potential features and design directions. 
 
The first one takes some design cues from an early Sony TV model and explores the idea of a thin aluminum and glass pane placed over a hefty metal speaker. 
 
The 4K Apple TV would sport, in this designer's vision, a High Definition Display, Blue-Ray integration, FaceTime camera, a frameless OLED panel and 3 USB ports. The Display itself is only 1 centimeter (0.3") thick and has an Aspect Ratio of 1.9:1, just like the digital 4K Cinema. 
 
 
The second Apple iTV Concept was created by an Italian company, SET Solution and it is called CRiSTAL Tv. The 47-inch display has an 8K resolution and looks like a really thin iMac. 
 
The designers imagined an ultra-strong crystal glass that is semi-transparent. You can turn it ON just by asking Siri to do so. The aluminum base has a few ports besides the power connector: Audio IN/OUT, 4 USB ports, 1 Thunderbolt connector, 1 Ethernet and 1 FireWire 900 port. The CRiSTAL TV has a dark grey base stand similar to the iMac.
 
When it comes to connectivity, your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad can be turned into a remote and double as a media player. The current Remote App can be updated with TV Channels and you can always use AirPlay to stream content from your iDevice to the CRiSTAL TV.
 
The most important part of this TV is Siri integration. You can ask it to open an app like "Music" and play a certain song. 
 
The TV has a 10 Megapixel front-facing camera so you can talk to your friends and family via FaceTime or Skype. The Internal SSD can be used for media files storage or TV recording.
 
 
The last concept does not bring any new ideas to the table, besides the curved screen, multiple colors and full iOS integration.
 
The current Apple TV is a puck-shaped box with integrated AirPlay and Wifi capabilities. Apple sells the device for $99 and often updates it with new channels.