The rumors regarding Apple’s plan to connect computers to TVs were true. Steve Jobs today unveiled a product, code-named iTV, (click on thumbnail of picture from Engadget’s live coverage of Apple’s event) that will wirelessly connect the PC or Mac to the TV. The unit will sell for $299 and become available in Q1 07.
Apple has long been working on what was called a “set-top” project, and it’s clear that this iTV is probably that “set-top.” With the introduction of the iTV device, Apple’s video delivery system takes a giant leap into the territory, namely the living room, ordinarily controlled by cable, satellite or phone companies. As Jobs said at the event, “Apple is in your den. Apple is in your living room. Apple is in your car. Apple is in your pocket.”
Oh yeah, Apple also announced that it will sell movies via iTunes, with new releases priced at $14.99 each and older titles priced at $9.99 each. The quality of the films is supposed to be near-DVD levels, which is a good thing given that iTunes will be selling films on the same day they are released via DVD. Disney and its affiliated studios (Miramax, Pixar and Touchstone) are the only companies signed up to sell movies on iTunes…but don’t expect Disney to be the sole studio selling films via iTunes for long.
Despite expectations (at least my expectations), Apple didn’t unveil its big-screen iPod. But Jobs did announce new iPod models, including one with a bigger screen and 80-gigs of storage, which will sell for $349. Jobs also announced a slimmer version of the iPod nano and a matchbook-sized version of the iPod shuffle, which will sell for $79.
Cynthia Brumfield at 4:40 PM|Comments(1)
There's a cute spoof of the Ipod Shuffle news at:
Posted by: Michelle at September 14, 2006 2:11 AM
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