Rogers and BCE Already Have the Apple iTV in Their Labs, Controlled with Voice and Hand Gestures - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Rogers and BCE Already Have the Apple iTV in Their Labs, Controlled with Voice and Hand Gestures

apple tv favorite tv showsThe Globe and Mail reports that Apple is actively seeking launch partnerships with Canada's Rogers Communications and BCE Inc. to offer their upcoming Apple TV.

“They’re not closed to doing it with one [company] or doing it with two,” said one source who is familiar with the talks. “They’re looking for a partner. They’re looking for someone with wireless and broadband capabilities.”

According to the newspaper, these companies already have the Apple iTV in their labs.

Siri voice control is reportedly integrated into Apple's new television to help viewers make programming choices. Viewers can then control the TV with voice or hand gestures. Even an on-screen keyboard can be invoked without any special hardware (emphasis ours):

An on-screen keyboard, meanwhile, can also be activated in a similar manner, allowing viewers to surf the web, conduct video chats and use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook – all without any physical interface.

The paper isn't clear about the sourcing of the details for the hand gesture control, and later cites an analyst for some other details. They do seem to specifically have a source with knowledge of the matter.

The Globe and Mail is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

Apple Preparing 'Most Significant Overhaul in the iPhone's History'

Sunday March 29, 2026 8:18 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has high expectations for Apple's first foldable iPhone. In his Power On newsletter today, he said the foldable iPhone will be "the most significant overhaul in the iPhone's history." "iPhone 4, iPhone 6 and iPhone X were clearly a big deal, but this is a whole new design," he said. Like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, the foldable iPhone will reportedly open up like ...
Apple Event Logo

Apple to Launch These 15+ New Products Later This Year

Friday March 27, 2026 2:03 pm PDT by
March has been an incredibly busy month for Apple, with the company unveiling more than 10 new products and accessories. We said hello to the MacBook Neo at the start of the month, and we bid farewell to the Mac Pro at the end of it. Nevertheless, there is still a lot more to come this year. Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches, Apple's all-new smart home hub is...
Apple Apps Grid

Apple Releasing Two New iPhone Apps This Year

Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release two new iPhone apps this year, including an Apple Business app and a Siri app with chatbot-like functionality. With the Apple Business app, employees at businesses using the new Apple Business platform will be able to install apps for work, view contact information for colleagues, and request support. Apple Business is launching on April 14, and it replaces Apple ...

Top Rated Comments

basesloaded190 Avatar
185 months ago
They can't be that dumb can they? Releasing this information when Apple obviously would not let them and most likely having signed a NDA. Apple would go ballistic if true information about this was revealed.

I don't believe this report.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
185 months ago
I think this is a good solution to many problems people have. For example, a remote control is not only too precise and predictable in operation, but it also responds too quickly with minimal lag.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arn Avatar
185 months ago
If Siri doesn't work without an Internet connection then it's already failed.

If you are partnered with a cable provider, you don't need a specific internet connection. Set top boxes communicate back to the server without subscribing to full internet service. It's just part of the TV service.

arn
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MBHockey Avatar
185 months ago
If Siri doesn't work without an Internet connection then it's already failed.
Yeah, because it would be impossible to include a wifi chip in an Apple television set.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gorskiegangsta Avatar
185 months ago
An onscreen keyboard controlled with hand gestures? I am very interested in seeing how Apple makes it work.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
185 months ago
So... Kinect? Not bashing Apple here, but a lot of this already exists on the Xbox 360 with Kinect, so I'm interested if this is in any way more advanced, and, if so, how well it will appeal to people buying a new TV set.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)