Apple might be planning a new version of its Apple TV, the $99 set-top box that lets owners stream media to their television, according to component information found within the code of iOS 5.1 beta.
The code references the next generation Apple TV (3,1) that could contain Bluetooth 4.0 technology as well as a more powerful A5 chip, reports 9to5Mac. What does this actually mean for you? Well for starters it means, a better remote control and the possibility turning the set-top box into a mini gaming device. [Although, as GamesBeat lead writer Dean Takahashi has noted (most recently), Apple doesn’t really get gaming. So, games on an Apple TV would either be a bit of a stretch… or a huge disappointment.]
The addition of Bluetooth 4.0 in the Apple TV would allow it to connect with a greater number of wireless devices faster and more reliably. Either Apple or third-party manufacturers could certainly take advantage of this by creating motion sensitive game controllers or remote controls that took advantage of Apple’s voice assistant feature Siri. Of course, for Apple to really take advantage of gaming it would have to give Apple TV owners access to the Apps Store in some capacity.
The point is, there is plenty of potential for Apple to take advantage of Bluetooth 4.0 technology within an Apple TV.
On a more practical note, adding voice and motion sensitive controls to the Apple TV will keep the device competitive. And now that Microsoft’s Xbox is beefing up its media center capabilities, it would certainly be a smart move on Apple’s part.