14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has considered combining Apple TV and AirPort Express into a unified product, according to people with knowledge of the company’s plans. The device would also feature gaming capabilities and a TV tuner.
Sources close to Apple are telling 9to5mac that “Apple has considered combining the Apple TV and AirPort Express products. Versions of the new Apple TV in testing are said to include an integrated 802.11ac wireless router.”
The reason would be to improve video quality and stability by eliminating the dependency on a separate wireless router, which many people keep in a separate room altogether.
The device is likely to “feature a focus on gaming,” a claim that would corroborate a report from iLounge that said the same thing.
Users would have access to the App Store via this new Apple TV and they would use their iDevices as controllers. MFI third-party gamepads should also be supported.
“Lastly, Apple has been testing versions of the Apple TV with a built-in TV tuner component,” the report adds.
This would make the device an even more popular choice among those who prefer to have all their content in one place.
The price is not discussed, but Apple would be smart not to charge too much extra, in order to create a vast user base before competitors start playing catch up.
Also worth noting – and perhaps indicative of the impending changes highlighted above – is that Apple has opened up an all-new Apple TV section, which suggests that the product is no longer considered a “hobby” internally.
The Apple TV section promotes the set-top box next to accessories and even the AppleCare protection plan. At the bottom of the page, the company offers “answers from the community,” further suggesting that the Apple TV has matured to a business-pillar status.