Some analysts attribute the release date speculation to the recent release of several new technologies which could easily function as part of a new television control interface. Siri the new voice recognition and personal assistant exclusive to the iPhone 4S would be an interesting and futuristic tool if used to select television and movies hands-free using an Apple television. Nick Bilton of the New York times has confirmed that the Apple television is in the works, it’s just a matter of time, and that controlling video content through voice is some futuristic stuff. In his article for the New York Times, Nick Bilton explains how Siri would work with a television set:

Joe Hewitt, former Firefox developer,  speculates that AirPlay is the user interface breakthrough that Steve Jobs was speaking about in his biography. AirPlay is a feature that many television studios and cable providers have been adding to their App Store apps which allows any iOS device owner to stream video from their device to a television equipped with an Apple TV set-top box. Just today both DirecTV and Bloomberg TV launched iPad apps which “turn your iPad into a portable TV” but also allow users to control what’s on the television set with an iPad, and who doesn’t like being able to control more things with their iPad? AirPlay can also be used for gaming purposes, allowing users to stream video from their iOS device while controlling the game going on on the television with their device and its touch screen or gyroscope.

A television equipped with AirPlay and Siri would be an incredible extension to the Apple lineup of iOS products and would only further the already overwhelming Apple halo effect. It’s very easy to imagine a household that already owns several Apple products being tempted to purchase an Apple television set as their next television purchase if these features and more were included.

Would controlling your television with your voice or your iPad interest you? What other features could Apple include?

Source: Business Insider, MacRumors, New York Times  (via MacRumors), Joe Hewitt (via Daring Fireball)

Header image edited from original art by xell.