With only a few hours until Apple’s October 22nd iPad event, TechCrunch’s MG Siegler has revealed some more information which suggests what we can expect Apple to unveil today surrounding the many rumours we’ve heard about a new Apple TV.

Whilst Siegler previously claimed Apple may be releasing some sort of redesigned Apple TV hardware (“with some sort of newfangled control system”) in October, it seems that this project has been delayed.

While I still haven’t heard anything concrete, the most recent whispers I have heard is that the Apple TV project has been delayed a bit.

Whilst we’re not expecting to see any major update to the Apple TV today, we can still expect to see a small bump to the specs and maybe the addition of 802.11ac wireless support.

Siegler continues to say that the big update to the Apple TV was looking to land around the November timeframe:

Originally, I had heard this new-style Apple TV (not an actual television, by the way) was slated for sometime around this November. It’s hard to imagine Apple holding a third event following the iPhone one in September and the iPad event next week. But who knows? Not me, this time.

So it seems details are relatively scarce about exactly what Apple have up their sleeve for a completely redesigned Apple TV, but it appears clear that we’ll be probably seeing a small update to the platform today at Apple’s media event.

Stick around here at Apple TV Hacks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) for more coverage on the new Apple TV.

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Following increased rumours that Apple will be releasing an updated Apple TV for 802.11ac support at their iPad event in October, it was thought the announcement would be a relatively small one. However, a recent appointment into Apple’s exec team might indicate that Apple has plans for something special lined up for a 2014 release.

CableLabs exec Jean-François Mulé has recently joined Apple in the role of engineering director and his appointment comes just weeks before Apple are set to announce the new model of their Apple TV. But it’s his LinkedIn profile which has got the rumour mill speculating, as according to his experience Mulé is “challenged, inspired and part of something big” at Apple.

A new Apple TV

So what exactly is he doing at Apple?

Apple have been releasing new media apps to the Apple TV over the last few months, including HBO Go, WatchESPN, Sky News, Disney Channels, and MLS to name a few, and then of course there was the 6.0 firmware which added a ton of functionality, so it’s clear to see that the Apple TV is no longer a hobby to Apple.

Factor in Mulé’s appointment with Apple’s interest in purchasing Ultra HD TV panels from LG, together with the rumors Apple is in talks with the company behind the Xbox Kinect, as well as Tim Cooks vision for the future of Apple TV and you start to build a picture of just what Apple might have up their sleeve with their ‘something big’.

Tim Cook has been very vocal in expressing his disappointment in customers experience with TV and the interaction with cable providers. Given Mulé’s expertise, this is certainly something that Apple could explore changing.

There have been numerous concepts built showing what Apple could easily create to revolutionise the living room experience, and with the release of the Xbox One of Ps4 imminent, now would be a great time to get their foot in the market. The most logical conclusion is that it will be a standalone TV set with integrated services probably powered by iOS, but it could equally just be a redesigned set top box, allowing the consumer to attach whatever display they choose.

It’s an area where Jony Ive could really come into his own; when asked about his favourite Apple design, Ive answered:

“It’s a really tough one. A lot does seem to come back to the fact that what we’re working on now feels like the most important and the best work we’ve done, and so it would be what we’re working on right now, which of course I can’t tell you about.”

Could it be this ‘important work’ that is the Apple TV? Perhaps they have the design, the interface, and the interaction all figured out but just needed that last ingredient – Mulé could be that ingredient.

One thing’s for sure, Apple have something special up their sleeve and it all seems to revolve around the Apple TV. Sit tight folks, although we’re still only looking at a small update for the Apple TV in October since Mulé was only appointed a few weeks ago, it spells big news for what Apple might have planned for 2014.

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A new WiFi standard called 802.11ac, which enables significantly faster transfer speeds than 802.11n, has recently began to find it’s way into consumer devices, including the new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule base Station. Now it seems the Apple TV is about to get the same treatment, with speculation that a new Apple TV will be released soon with 802.11ac support.

If you’ve ever used devices that take advantage of the 802.11ac standard, you’ll definitely notice the increase in speeds and performance in places of low reception or high interference when transferring files or streaming media.

Given the new AirPort Extreme is 802.11ac capable, it makes sense to optimise the Apple TV to take advantage of these faster WiFi speeds, since it’s more than likely that the Apple TV will be one of the devices that will be connecting to it.

The faster speeds will become even more noticeable with Apple’s enhancements in the 6.0 firmware which was recently released, taking advantage of iTunes Radio and iCloud, as media can reach the Apple TV at a greater transfer rate.

Apple TV 802.11ac

It is expected that Apple will release the new Apple TV model in the next few weeks, potentially alongside the new iPads at the upcoming October event. Expect it to be a relatively small announcement, much like the recently refreshed iMac’s which were introduced without much attention.

802.11ac will not only enable faster data transfer speeds, but will also result in stronger signals and more resistance to interference.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ to be first to know when the Apple TV 4 comes out.

Via: Product Reviews and MacRumors

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