BGR has learned from a trusted source that Apple is planning to demonstrate a brand new version of the Apple TV operating system next week at WWDC. This new OS is said to be much more feature-complete than the current OS that runs on the Apple TV, and is apparently the one that Apple’s upcoming HDTV will run. Yes, that one.

We’ve heard Apple is actively trying to court manufacturers to use a new “control out” API in order for third-party manufacturers to make accessories that are compatible with the new Apple TV OS and the upcoming “iTV.” It’s said that by using the API, it will be possible to control any connected components all from the Apple remote (and the Apple remote iOS app as well, we’re assuming).

This would be a huge change in the home theater landscape, which has until this point relied on a mess of thousands of infrared codes and physical cables in order for devices to be interoperable, or Wi-Fi-controlled apps for each component and piece of hardware.

The control out API is said to work with all aspects of various popular components, even allowing control over things like program guides on a cable operators’ set top boxes and other hardware components.

Our source believes Apple won’t actually show its physical TV at WWDC, but it’s certainly possible. Maybe Tim Cook and Apple are finally almost done “pulling that string.”

Apple’s Chinese manufacturing partner Foxconn has reportedly begun accepting orders to build an Apple TV set, according to Chinese news website Sina. The publication’s sources claim the long rumored iTV is currently in the “trial production stage,” however more details were not given. Earlier this month Foxconn’s CEO denied that his company would soon begin manufacturing a television for Apple. It has long been rumored that the Cupertino-based company was looking to enter the TV market with an HDTV that will reportedly look much like the company’s current LED Cinema Display. The device is said to feature an aluminum casing, iOS, Siri voice controls and an iSight camera for FaceTime video chats. Earlier reports claim that the device would debut later this year, however some reports peg it to launch in 2014.

[Via Business Insider]

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For all the rumors surrounding Apple’s upcoming HDTV, very few well-sourced reports have emerged regarding the high-definition flat-screen television that has market leaders responding even before any official “iTV” is unveiled. Recent claims suggest Apple has an aluminum HDTV in the works powered by iOS and Siri voice controls, but further details are conflicting. A number of analysts have backed away from the idea of an Apple television recently, but late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’s exclamation that he “cracked” the TV conundrum will ensure that rumors continue to swirl. According to some new speculation, however, Apple’s upcoming “iTV” might not be a TV at all.

In a recent blog post, Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey puts forth an interesting concept he says he has been discussing with clients for more than a year. Rather than launch a TV, McQuivey suggests Apple may instead be developing an “iHub” that will serve as the focal point of the Apple-powered household.

“Apple should sell the world’s first non-TV TV,” McQuivey wrote. ”Instead of selling a replacement for the TV you just bought, Apple should convince millions of Apple fans that they need a new screen in their lives. Call it the iHub, a 32-inch screen with touch, gesture, voice, and iPad control that can be hung on the wall wherever the family congregates for planning, talking, or eating.”

The analyst continues, noting that such a device could eventually replace the traditional television for many users. ”My proposal takes advantage of everything Apple has going for it: Its base of super-engaged customers, its bevy of hungry developers, its ability to open our minds to the possibility of post-PC computing form factors, and its spectacular track record with generating elegant experiences that teach us to do things we didn’t know we needed. In fact, I want this so bad I can almost taste it.”

Some believe Apple will launch its iTV — or whatever the Cupertino, California-based company might be cooking up — later this year, though a recent report suggests that it may not be unveiled until 2014.

Both Samsung and Sony, two of the world’s largest television makers, have begun enforcing minimum prices on their HDTV sets, in an effort to preserve profit margins, The Wall Street Journal reported. The plan could also protect retail chains such as Best Buy and Target from being undercut by online merchants such as Amazon. The new policy prevents U.S. retailers from advertising or selling televisions in stores or online for less than a certain price set by the manufacturers. The move comes after HDTV prices have fallen over the past three years, from an average of $644 in 2009 to $545 last year, representing a 15% decline. Samsung and Sony are taking a major risk and could lose sales to rivals LG, Panasonic and Sharp, which are still willing to let retailers offer deep discount on their sets.

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According to a new report from Forrester Research, Microsoft is leading both Apple and Google in the TV and home entertainment sector, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. While Apple and Google may control mobile, Microsoft’s Xbox entertainment system tops both Apple TV and Google TV according to the report. With the Xbox, Forrester analyst James McQuivey believes Microsoft is the farthest along when it comes to delivering users content through their television sets. “Using those metrics, Microsoft is in the lead, offering everything that matters: a growing content library, a convenient engagement path for millions of existing Xbox 360 owners, and a growing ecosystem of partners and developers eager to exploit the platform for their own purposes,” McQuivey wrote in the report. Microsoft has continued to add more content apps — such as Comcast Xfinity, Verizon FiOS and HBO Go — to the Xbox, alongside thousands of games. The software giant has shipped more than 66 million Xboxes worldwide, and Forrester estimates that half of all Xboxes in the United States are connected to the Internet.

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Sony and Panasonic are reportedly in talks to develop the technology needed to mass produce next-generation OLED televisions, according to Reuters. The two companies would be playing catch up to their South Korean rivals, Samsung and LG, both of which plan to market 55-inch OLED TVs later this year. “Overseas competitors have gotten a head start in this area and I feel like they’re stepping into this too late,” said Masayuki Otani, chief market analyst at Securities Japan. “There’s no question OLED TVs are going to be the mainstream. The issue is price and size of the displays.” OLED panel technology, which Sony pioneered in 2007, provides users with improved picture quality, deeper color saturation with high contrast, and allows vendors to make TVs as slim as 4 millimeters that consume less power than traditional LCD sets. There is a barrier, however: current OLED TVs are very expensive — Samsung’s upcoming 55-inch OLED TV will cost $9,000 when it launches in South Korea in the coming months.

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Despite a slew of rumors and speculation that Apple plans to enter the TV business, analysts are beginning to back away from the idea of an “iTV,” Fortune reported. Richard Gardner, formerly of Citigroup, warned in December that “Apple has not even defined specs yet.” Barclays’ Ben Reitzes in February suggested that Apple was focused more on lining up content partnerships than on the production of a full-fledged television set. And now, Analyst Andy Hargreaves of Pacific Crest called the idea “a terrible use of retail space.” 

“Investment in Apple television makes little sense without a unique TV content offering. An Apple television could drive substantial profitability if it helped Apple capture service provider profits,” Hargreaves wrote in a note to investors. ”However, we do not expect U.S. broadcast or cable networks to provide Apple content if it risks cannibalizing existing revenue, which makes a unique Apple service and an Apple television unlikely.”

The analyst continued by saying, “An Apple television would be a terrible use of retail space relative to iPhone, iPad or the Apple TV set-top box. A 46″ Apple television would likely generate less than 1/200th the gross profit per cubic foot as an iPhone at retail, and less than 1/50th the gross profit per cubic foot of an iPad. We believe this is critical given the limited inventory space at many Apple and partner stores.”

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Dish Network made no friends among the major television broadcasters last week, but it will likely pique the interest of tens of thousands of consumers in the coming weeks as news of its latest feature proliferates. Dubbed “Auto Hop,” Dish began rolling out a new commercial-skipping feature to owners of its multi-room digital video recorder, the Hopper. Currently compatible with recorded shows originally broadcast on ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX, Auto Hop skips commercials automatically when enabled, with no action required by the viewer. Groups of ads are replaced by a single black frame for separation, and then the Hopper will skip directly to the next segment of the program.

“Viewers love to skip commercials,” Dish Network VP of Product Management Vivek Khemka said. “With the Auto Hop capability of the Hopper, watching your favorite shows commercial-free is easier than ever before. It’s a revolutionary development that no other company offers and it’s something that sets Hopper above the competition.”

Of course networks aren’t quite as impressed as viewers. ”I think this is an attack on our eco-system,” NBC chairman Ted Harbert said during a conference call on Monday. “I’m not for it.”

Dish Network’s Hopper multi-room DVR hardware and service costs $10 per month, just $4 more than Dish’s standard DVR, and the company’s new Auto Hop feature is now available at no extra charge.

Foxconn Technology Group founder and chief executive Terry Gou has reportedly gone on record in stating that his company will soon begin manufacturing a television for Apple. Production has not yet begun, China Daily reports, and the electronics manufacturing giant is currently preparing its facilities for Apple’s HDTV. The site claims Gou made the comments during a press conference in Shanghai on Friday. Apple’s long rumored HDTV, or “iTV” as it is often called, will reportedly look much like the company’s current LED Cinema Display. It is said to feature an aluminum casing, iOS, voice-powered remote control features courtesy of Siri, and an iSight camera for FaceTime video chats. Earlier reports claim that the device will debut later this year, though another recent report suggests that it might not launch until 2014.

UPDATE: Foxconn denied the report in a statement given to The Next Web. “Any reports that Foxconn confirmed that it is preparing to produce a specific product for any customer are not accurate,” a spokesperson for the company said.

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Samsung on Thursday announced plans to launch its new flat-panel OLED TVs during the second half of this year, according to The Washington Post. OLED technology is still new and therefor very expensive. The company’s high-end 55-inch OLED TV will be priced double Samsung’s current offerings, costing more than $9,000 when it launches in South Korea. The technology provides users with improved picture quality and deeper color saturation with high contrast. OLED technology also allows vendors to develop thinner and lighter TVs, and Samsung believes it will take two to three year before it becomes an industry standard. The South Korean electronics giant previously announced that it would showcase its 55-inch OLED HDTV at Berlin’s IFA trade show in late August after first showing it off at CES in January.

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According to an LG executive, the South Korean firm plans to launch an Internet-enabled Google TV in the United States the week of May 21st, Reuters reported on Monday. The company is looking to gain a larger share of the emerging smart TV market and defend itself against Apple, which is widely expected to unveil an HDTV later this year or early next year. “Production of Google TVs will start from May 17 from our factory in Mexico and U.S. consumers will be able to buy the product from the week of May 21,” said Ro Seogho, LG’s executive vice president of its TV business. The executive said the company will decide whether to expand its Google TV offering to Europe and Asia based on sales performance in the U.S. market.

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Apple’s upcoming high-definition television is real, and it will reportedly feature an aluminum construction, Siri, FaceTime video calling and more. An anonymous source speaking with Cult of Mac claims to have seen a prototype of Apple’s upcoming “iTV” in action, and a number of details have been reinforced as a result. “It resembled an Apple monitor, only much larger,” the unnamed source told the site, referring to the aluminum LED Cinema Displays Apple currently sells alongside its Mac computers. Cult of Mac, which has revealed accurate details surrounding unannounced Apple products in the past, also reports that the HDTV will feature Siri, Apple’s sophisticated voice recognition software, and an iSight camera for FaceTime video calling. Many expect Apple to launch its debut television later this year, though a recent report suggests that it may not hit the market until 2014.

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Rumors surrounding the imminent launch of an Apple-branded HDTV have been swirling for the better part of a year, and while some industry watchers expect the “iTV” to launch as early as this summer, one analyst suggests that we’re still more than a year away from seeing Apple launch an iOS-powered television. JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz said on Thursday that his firm does not believe Apple will release an HDTV in the near future.

“We are not sure that the Apple premium could prevail in the TV market, unless there is a radical change of the user interface, integration of the TV programming and data content, and use of gesture or voice control,” the analyst wrote in a note to investors.

Instead, Apple is likely to introduce a more feature-rich version of the Apple TV, the company’s set top box that streams iTunes content and partner content to connected televisions. ”We believe Apple can design a smarter set top box to manage all components behind the end user’s TV experience, as well as eliminate the oft-cumbersome user interface provided by the cable and satellite operators,” Moskowitz wrote.

The analyst then sees a possible HDTV launch some time in 2014, though he notes that Apple’s desire to maintain high margins on its products could potentially pose a barrier.

Earlier reports suggested that Apple’s Siri-enabled television is already being tested by partners ahead of a fourth-quarter launch this year. The company’s competition is said to be in “crisis mode” as Apple prepares to dominate the high end of the TV market with a product that features voice and gesture controls along with a unique content model that offers channels in a format similar to apps.

​Approximately 27 million U.S. households, more than one in five, have either an Internet-ready TV, game console, standalone Blu-ray player, and/or smart set-top box connected to their home network, according to ABI Research. Gaming consoles are the most popular devices, with a connection rate of over 80%, followed by Internet TVs (27%), standalone Blu-ray players (24%) and smart set-top boxes (13%). The research also indicated that a relatively large number of consumers have not connected some devices to their home network, most notably Internet-ready TVs. ABI predicts that the combined penetration rates of all of the devices will reach 60% by 2017. The firm notes that while not all of these devices will be connected to a network, there is room for growth, however, as only 48.5% of consumers with a home network currently have one of these devices connected to the Internet.

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Apple’s upcoming entry into the high-definition television space is set to blow the high end of the TV market wide open while current market players continue their struggles to compete on price. Market research firm KAE along with online polling company Toluna recently conducted a survey and determined that 25% of consumers in the United States would purchase a physical Apple television set if the Cupertino-based company launches one. Beyond early consumer interest, however, current TV industry players may have left a gaping hole that will bring Apple billions when it fills the void.

“The TV set industry is in crisis mode,” said Michael Lantz, CEO of Accedo, in a statement emailed to BGR. ”The manufacturers are scrambling to cut costs but still add features to roll out ever higher volumes of TV sets through struggling retailers. Even though design is an important feature for high end TV sets, this is a much smaller share of the market than it should be. It is my firm belief that there is a wide open market slot for a high-end design-led Apple TV set in this market. Apple should be able to market and succesfully [sic] sell $2000-3000 TV sets with unprecedented margins.” Accedo is a leading smart TV applications provider that has built apps for HBO (HBO Go), NBA (NBA Gametime) and other companies.

There are no confirmed details surrounding Apple’s “iTV,” however recurring rumors point to a Siri-powered hands-free remote system and an a la carte subscription model that positions channels like apps in the App Store. But whether or not Apple has plans to innovate on the technology side, Lantz believes Apple’s design will be a main focus for consumers.

“Of course, these TV sets will have the Apple TV built in and seamlessly integrate with other Apple products, but fundamentally I think Apple will sell on superior design and quality of the actual TV set,” the executive said. ”By using their Apple stores as the main outlets for these TV sets, they have a natural sales channel and can use the current market momentum to sell the TVs. The recent appointment of Dixon’s John Browett as head of Apple’s retail operations ensures that the more complex distribution chains for TV sets can be dealt with cost-efficiently.”

“Selling TV sets might never be as important for Apple as selling mobile devices, but they should easily be able to create a $5-10BN business area out of it,” Lantz concluded. The latest round of rumors suggests that Apple will launch its debut HDTV in the fourth quarter this year.