On Apple "iTV" rumors

There have been rumors about an Apple "iTV" - i.e. Apple's own take on the television that is expected to "disrupt" the TV industry, just as the original Mac, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, and iPad have disrupted the PC, MP3 player, digital distribution, smartphone, tablet, and not to mention app market industries. This is my very brief take on those rumors.

The latest rumor I've read is this article from Cult of Mac. The new Apple television is said to have Siri and FaceTime capabilities, and it looks like the current Apple Thunderbolt Display (ATD), but with sizes ranging from 40 to 60 inches (whereas current ATDs are 27 inches in size).

My thoughts? I think it might be called "the new Apple Cinema Display," and for its first iteration it might indeed look more or less like the current ATDs. But I think it will essentially be just a bunch of over-sized monitors that, with the right accessories (e.g. an Apple TV or even a Mac mini with OS X Mountain Lion), turns into a traditional "TV." [Addendum: It could also be called "the new iPanel," as others have suggested.]

But I think beyond the hardware, Apple might have some new concepts on what a TV should be. I have some ideas of my own and I'll talk about them in a later post.