Siri, What’s on TV Today?

The Apple rumor mill is churning once again, but this time it’s not about an iPhone 5. It‘s a new ’i’ product, one we haven’t seen in this form before: iTV.

(Image: illustration by Ellis Hamberger via Business Insider)

Or at least that’s what some are speculating it would be called. The New York Times BITS blog writer, Nick Bilton, with several inside sources and Apple knowledge, speculates that an Apple TV, a new interface for how we use television could be announced within the next few years. And what would be the big difference, aside from the continual combining of traditional television and Internet streaming? Siri.

Siri, a voice-activated personal assistant, was introduced as part of Apple's iOS 4S earlier this month. It could potentially be used to control an Apple TV in the future.

Speculation for Apple making a move for a more integrated television experience isn’t new, but the following comment from Jobs to biographer Walter Isaacson is what started things up again: “I’ve finally cracked it!” Bilton says this comment refers to Siri being the answer to helping change the television experience.

Bilton writes:

One of the biggest hurdles, according to people with knowledge of the project, has been replacing the television set’s annoying best friend: the awkward and confusing remote control.

[...]

Enter Siri.

It’s the stuff of science fiction. You sit on your couch and rather than fumble with several remotes or use hand gestures, you simply talk: “Put on the last episode of Gossip Girl.” “Play the local news headlines.” “Play some Coldplay music videos.” Siri does the rest.

Bilton continues saying that he heard of such a Apple TV more than a year ago. When he began asking inside sources, they said it was a “guaranteed product for Apple” and that Steve Jobs believed the industry — referring to television — was broken.

A few years ago, Apple did stick it’s toe into the television market when it released “Apple TV”, which could stream iTunes content. But it did not take off with consumers.

[H/T Business Insider]