So the rumour is that Apple are to bring iOS to the Apple TV. This will be a game changer in the living room and for TVoIP providers and for the advertising industry.
Let's explore a scenario. Apple bring out a new version of their Apple TV set top box. It has the same operating system as the iPhone and iPad (iOS). You plug it into your TV. The device accesses the Internet via your WiFi router. You can download 200,000 apps (well, a lot less if you only want ones in English and if you can only access the app store of one country) but never-the-less you can download tens of thousands. You can now play games on the TV, watch YouTube videos, access your email, surf the web, watch movies on demand, etc. OK, you can do all that already by connecting your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to your TV (and apart from the apps you can do the same with some non-Apple devices that are available).
The main benefit is that you interact with it via the newly released bluetooth multi-touch Apple Magic Trackpad. One for each person if you want multiple-player games.
How about cost? Well, the device is an iPod touch without a screen or a battery. Probably with a faster processor but the speeds are being upgraded regularly anyway. £150 plus a cable? £59 per trackpad.
Everything you want now on your telly?
Almost. Big market? You bet.
Could this explain why Apple have recently built the worlds largest data centre in North Carolina? Streaming video, providing on-line magazines, photos, etc?
Within a very short time many people will watch less conventional channels so advertisers will switch away from TV adverts to use the newly launched iAd service and slots in streaming video. Oh well, bad news for commercial TV channels as their revenue dries up but more work for iAd developers! And many more opportunities for content makers to bypass the middlemen.
Perhaps the next time you want a new TV you'll just buy a computer monitor and disconnect your satellite and TV aerial.