Next Apple TV is $99, HD 'iPhone with No Display'
Over the weekend, word got out about Apple's plans for the Apple TV platform.
Just a week or so after Google launched its TV platform, a well-timed tip to Engadget has revealed details of the next Apple TV.
The most interesting part of it all is probably the price; at $99, it's cheap, but given that it's described as 'an iPhone without a display' it's hard to imagine how they could charge any more than a hundred bucks for it.
Engadget's Joshua Topolsky reports that the device will be based on iPhone 4 architecture, which means the same Apple A4 chip as the iPad and presumably the next generation iPhone. With only power and video out, the device isn't exactly rich in the ports department and it comes with just 16GB of flash storage. However, Apple isn't trying to sell a device with tons of connectivity and room for all six seasons of Lost. The company is said to be moving away from local storage and instead going for cloud-based storage. There'll be an option to use a Time Capsule (which comes in 1TB and 2TB flavors) for the folks who can't stand the idea of cloud storage but it'll cost you.
Though it wasn't confirmed in the Engadget report, there's a possibility that apps will also be available because the whole thing is running on iPhone 4. However, scaling would provide a problem.
Don't expect to hear more about this at WWDC next week because apparently, Apple won't be announcing anything TV-related then.

It's a box that you plug into your TV. : )
They must be getting desperate or more greedy than usual. I'll stick with my crappy VHS and DVD player. Note I very rarely watch TV at all, all those hours spent playing wow.
Sorry if it's a stupid question.
It's a box that you plug into your TV. : )
I'm not seeing it. An Xbox360 arcade for $150 will run circles around this thing and already provides more capabilities, features, inputs, etc etc.
A Nettop (netbook with no screen or keyboard) is about $200-300(and does a lot more), but I do see how a device like this might be attractive. Meanwhile, I'll stick with my laptop and plug in to my TV when I want a bigger screen (yaya HDMI and DisplyPort)
First of all, you're missing the fact that an Xbox 360 Arcade has virtually no built-in storage for media files, and it's still a Microsoft product that costs more than the comparable Apple product. That never happens.
Secondly, it would take nothing for Apple to release game controllers that utilize the iPhone's built-in bluetooth. Not to mention the games that are currently available for iPad probably would look decent at 480p upconverted.
Thirdly, find me a new Xbox 360 Arcade for $150. Or $99 for that matter.
The best Apple can do is make their Apple TV is to make it compatible with what Sony and Google have in mine (which is open). Otherwise we'll be saying "Remember that company apple ?" 10 years from now.
Actually... Since it's Apple shouldn't we expect a $99 Apple Video Adapter since composite video is universal?
I purchased the old AppleTV 2nd hand about two years ago - after the first day hacked it and installed XBMC to stream all my series and movies from a NAS. Recently installed the Broadcom BCM70012 HD Decoder and now streaming the latest MKV full HD videos. This is a device I use on a daily basis and feel this new AppleTV will do well.
Apple introducing a new hot device... for $99? Bull.
Speculation and wishful thinking.