The rumored Apple television might be in the hands of a TV manufacturer.

by bchenglk44 on 2012-02-10 15:21:20

"Today USA" reported that in January, Apple encountered trouble regarding the content of its Apple TV involving American content providers. In November, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves seemed to slip during a profit demand period, when his company decided to "join Apple TV." Moonves' statement was explained as a qualified reference to Apple's rumored subscription-based streaming plan. There has been no word on whether American cable TV providers or telecoms are also working with Apple. It is expected that in reports about Apple TV's new demands, Apple continues to talk with Canadian telecoms Rogers Communications and Bell Canada Enterprises about a possible TV agreement, without any reduction. In the talks, it became so serious that reportedly, Bell and Rogers had prototypes of the Apple TV in their respective development labs, according to "The Globe and Mail," Canada's largest national newspaper.

Speculation and reports about Apple's plans to enter the television market exploded after the publication in October of Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs. "I've finally cracked it," Jobs said in the book, referring to solving the problem of creating a user-friendly TV interface. Shortly after the book's release, "The New York Times" claimed that an Apple TV with Siri-style voice commands was in engineering and could possibly be launched as early as 2013.

Both Bell and Rogers offer wireless internet, home phone services, and television services in Canada. These companies own networks like CTV in Canada (a national television network owned by Bell) and Rogers Sportsnet (a national all-sports channel brand). These services could be key for Apple's plans to bring its TV concept to fruition.

"They're looking for partners with wireless broadband capabilities...," an unnamed source told "The Globe and Mail."

The report did not mention anything specific about Apple's new TV, such as whether the device would exclusively provide online streaming content, include standard cable TV or satellite TV connections, or set up content plans. It may be that Apple is seeking cooperation with cable TV operators to ensure its movies and TV shows have seamless broadcasting services from major suppliers. Or there might be a deeper hardware partnership with cable or Internet service providers for sales.