Apple Moving Forward with iTV, AirPlay and Gesturing Rumored to Be Included
By 
The Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ) recently reported that Apple executives have been in talks with major media conglomerates to hash out a deal that would allow viewers to start watching a video from an Apple-made television, dubbed iTV, and finish watching it on their phone.
Unnamed sources familiar with the matter told WSJ that Apple executives outlined new ways that their technology could recognize users across phones, tablets and TVs. Apple has been rumored to be developing a television that would wirelessly stream videos from a person’s computer to the iTV.
In addition to streaming content, sources familiar with the matter told WSJ that Apple described future plans for voice and movement gesturing capabilities to be added. “Such technology, which Apple indicated may take longer than some of its other ideas, might allow users to use their voices to search for a show or change channels.”
The meetings were purported to be at the behest of media executives, looking for an update on Apple’s television plans. Some details given in these talks included new ways that the company could stream content from TV sets to smart phones. The iTV would use a version on AirPlay to allow users to control content from iPhones and iPads.
Other details included information regarding new types of services that could be added to Apple’s set-top box, Apple TV 2. Could a subscription-based service be in the works? Some media companies have already opted out of allowing content to be streamed via Apple TV 2. Time Warner, for example, does not let their apps use the technology because they want closer control of how and where their content appears. The WSJ reported that a spokesperson for HBO says it hopes to use AirPlay once it is comfortable with the antipiracy protection.
[via WSJ]
