Saturday, April 7, 2012

Apple iTV to be renamed 'iPanel' ahead of launch

7:30 AM    

Apple's heavily rumoured iTV television set is reportedly set to be rebranded Apple iPanel ahead of launch amid legal disputes 
With rumours rife around Apple’s first foray into the full television market, new analyst reports have suggested the company’s eagerly awaited TV set will land sporting the moniker of the Apple iPanel as opposed to the heavily rumoured Apple iTV.

Despite a potential cause of legal disputes with the identically named British television network, Apple has been widely expected to launch its first television set under the title of Apple iTV with Jefferies & Co.’s analyst Peter Misek now claiming Apple will opt for a different, less contentious title.
“We now believe the iTV could be called “iPanel” as it is far more than a TV,” the analyst said. He added that whilst Apple is trying to negotiate with the ITV broadcaster, the BBC competitor is currently reluctant to permit the use of its name for a new television centric device.

Defending his reasoning for the potential iPanel name change, Misek has suggested that Apple will ditch the iTV branding as the home entertainment device will be far more than a simple television set. “This is so much more than a TV,” he said. “It is a display, gaming center, media hub, computer, home automator, etc. Also, Apple would likely have difficulty getting naming rights from the UK TV network ITV.”

Apple iTV Rumours

Long a thing of speculation, Apple iTV rumours kicked into overdrive in recent months following the publication of the official Steve Jobs biography in which the Apple co-founder and former CEO said he had “finally cracked” how to change the television market.

"I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,” Jobs reportedly said. “It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."

Further Apple iTV rumours have suggested Apple will offer a variety of screen size options when it launches its first own branded television sets later this year. With 37 and 42-inch Apple iTV models reportedly in the works, some rumours have suggested Apple’s Design Chief Jonathan Ive is currently putting the finishing touches to a 50-inch set.

Does all the talk of an Apple branded television set have you excited or are you happy with your current internet-connected TV? Let us know via the T3 Twitterand Facebook feeds.