Rumor: New Apple TV To Be Released In The Coming Days
by Matthew Sims
November 17, 2011
TechCrunch is reporting that Apple could be working on a new Apple TV for release as soon as the "coming days." Their theory is that Amazon and Best Buy have lowered their price for the device to $89, which is $10 below the $99 MSRP. They go on to say the update would include a bump to Apple's A5 chip allowing for smoother UI navigation and full 1080p playback.
Both sites also added "(2010)" to the names of the product which would hint at a 2011 version as it usually signals clearing out inventory prior to a new version of the device. In true rumor mill fashion they say that "If it’s not out soon, the next version probably wouldn’t be released until 2012."
We aren't saying this is all untrue, the signs for an update are definitely there. However, there are also a few points to be made on the other side of the argument. First and foremost is the price drop.
If you have already taken an early look at the upcoming Black Friday sales you will have noticed that is when this price drop was first announced. Apple may just be lowering the price to better compete during the holidays with the almighty Roku box that has been doing well of late.
Another point in the opposite direction is that since the release of Walter Isaacson's "Steve Jobs" biography, we've heard about Apple's plans to do an actual TV with the current Apple TV's functionality and features built in. It strikes me as odd that the company would update something as small as a chip when it has massive, more expensive plans to do this with a standalone TV.