Apple updated yesterday iTunes to 7.1 and QuickTime to 7.1.5. While the QuickTime update was mainly a bug-fix release, several additions were made in the iTunes release. The application now supports Apple TV, has improved sorting options and allows full-screen Cover Flow.

Today, after a more thorough analysis of the update, sources on the web claim they have found written proof that Apple TV will support games. Well, rumors of the possibility have been issued before, so this would only come as a confirmation of Cupertino's intentions towards the yet unavailable Apple TV.

"The latest release of iTunes, numbered 7.1, brings clear evidence that the Apple TV will be able to play games", says Alexandros Roussos for MacScoop. He has found code in the resource files of iTunes referring to Apple TV game synchronization options.

This is part of the code he found: 'Are you sure you want to sync games? All existing games on the Apple TV "^1" will be removed'. The ID of the string is 4309.161, you may search for it yourself in iTunes "Localizable.strings" resource file.

Dan Moren at MacUser busts the rumor shortly after it emerged. He says Apple might introduce games for its new Apple TV, but this iTunes code detail is no proof of such a thing.
He says the code is a mere copy/paste error and the string is actually from iPod firmware, and the word iPod was searched and replaced with Apple TV. It's even under the same string code, 4309.161.

Back to Rumorsville, Apple is said to be planning Apple TV games for quite some time now. Sure, the strings in iTunes code seems to be no proof, but other 'clues' still remain. Greg Canessa at PopCap games spoke of customizing their casual games for other platforms, including the Apple TV.

Apple was also reported to have sent recruitment emails to students, both designers and programmers, to work on their games projects. The Mac-making company made no official comments on their gaming plans so far.