Apple to Unveil Television Set Operating System at WWDC?

BGR claims to have received information from a "trusted source" indicating that Apple will demonstrate the operating system for its television set at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month. The company is reportedly making a public unveiling of the operating system ahead of the actual product in order to allow third-party manufacturers to build functionality into their components to allow them to be controlled from the Apple television set and remote.

This new OS is said to be much more feature-complete than the current OS that runs on the Apple TV, and is apparently the one that Apple’s upcoming HDTV will run. Yes, that one.

We’ve heard Apple is actively trying to court manufacturers to use a new “control out” API in order for third-party manufacturers to make accessories that are compatible with the new Apple TV OS and the upcoming “iTV.” It’s said that by using the API, it will be possible to control any connected components all from the Apple remote (and the Apple remote iOS app as well, we’re assuming).

The report's source indicates that Apple is unlikely to show off its actual television set at WWDC, and most rumors have suggested that the company won't introduce the product until late this year at the earliest.

apple tv 2012 interface
BGR has a mixed track record of late, having accurately offered information on several iOS releases last year while being more hit-or-miss on hardware-related claims.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: BGR
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Caution)

Top Rated Comments

deannnnn Avatar
154 months ago
Seems like a lot to be releasing at WWDC.
iOS 6, OSX Mountain Lion, New MacBook Pros, new iMacs, and now the Apple TV set (or just it's OS)?
No way we're going to get all of these things at once.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
charlieegan3 Avatar
154 months ago
as long as its after all those new macs...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adildacoolset Avatar
154 months ago
When tim cook says that there's a lot to look forward to, I'm in suspense. New redesigned macs? A TV? Redesigned iPhone? All of the above? What do they have in store for 2012?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wankey Avatar
154 months ago
This a gigantic year for Apple. I gotta say this year's lineup of updates are better than last year.

Wow nothing has actually come out yet, Apple has one of the most effective hype machines ever.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
paradox00 Avatar
154 months ago
Well they're at least half right. Apple TV runs iOS and iOS 6 will be released to developers at WWDC. Hopefully Apple TV becomes a full fledged member of the iOS family this time around.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
154 months ago
I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of rumors prior to WWDC, most of which are probably BS.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...