Apple TV 3 in the Works

Labeled as a hobby for years, the Apple TV is still on the roadmap for Apple’s future announcements, with a third major new version found referenced in iOS code.

Discovered by people with a keen eye for device designations inside Apple’s developer software, the “Apple TV 3,1” should indicate not just a mere speed bump, but a major upgrade of the set-top box. Even if Apple plans to keep the same minimalistic design, inside, the device will most likely be just as upgraded as the iPhone 4S is.

Those who are reporting on these findings are naturally assuming that said device should be based on the A5 spec with lots more graphics horsepower (as well as more central processing) thanks to the dual-core architecture, enabling 1080P video playback.

iTunes content made for the 1080P standard should also become available when this new device hits the market.