The TV and set-top box industries are starting to get nervous at the upcoming launch of an Apple TV, which some are already calling a game-changer.
With the launch of the Apple TV looking to be around mid-2012 according to Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek who noted that production will begin in February at a Sharp plant in Japan. This move will pit Apple against once-ally Google on another front – as the search giant partners up with Samsung and others on an Android-based TV system “Google TV“.
Google TV has struggled with market penetration, something Apple TV will also face – as the networks do not want to give up control and start to fade into insignificance following the music labels’ path. They are already restricting the shows Netflix and Hulu will be able to stream in the future, and Apple will likely not have an easier time.
The one thing Apple TV will have over its competitors, however, is Siri – which could remove the need for a remote control. But with all the content locked up by the big media industries, will the removal of the remote be enough for people to make the switch?
Who wants a bet on the name? iTV? That could get tricky…
[via GBR]