14 DAY TRIAL // A Canadian newspaper is making waves with a story on Apple’s unconfirmed iTV refresh this year, claiming that telcos are already testing the product in their labs.
Citing unnamed sources, The Globe and Mail says Apple has tapped wireless operators Rogers and Bell to pursue partnerships for delivering content to iTV-enabled living rooms around the country.
Apple has been widely rumored to plan the introduction of a revolutionary TV product for years, but content delivery has been regarded as a major roadblock in achieving that goal.
One source who is familiar with the talks said, “They’re not closed to doing it with one [company] or doing it with two. They’re looking for a partner. They’re looking for someone with wireless and broadband capabilities.”
Another source told the paper that both Rogers and Bell were actively testing the product in their labs.
As the Apple blogosphere caught wind of the Canadian report, some said it had also leaked the technical specifications of Apple’s iTV. Sadly, that’s not the case.
The paper specifically states (emphasis ours) that “the product reportedly integrates Siri, Apple’s voice-recognition software that acts as a personal assistant on the latest iPhone, into television sets to help viewers make programming choices.”
To the paper’s credit, the long-speculated Siri integration is well worth mentioning, but under no circumstances should this be regarded as fresh news, or leaked tech specs.
In the same manner, the piece also mentions an on-screen keyboard for surfing the web, conducting video chats and using social networks.
Jeffries analyst Peter Misek is quoted on his analysis of Apple’s patents that suggest the iTV will also integrate with the rest of the iOS ecosystem, which is a no brainer if you ask even non-Apple fans.
Misek believes Apple may well “leverage” partnerships with carriers for content distribution. In the States, for example, Misek sees Apple partnering with AT&T for content delivery. For Canada, Misek has his money on Bell and Rogers.