In a blog post over the weekend, Digg co-founder Kevin Rose noted that he is hearing rumors that Apple's revamped Apple TV hardware, reportedly set to be rebranded as "iTV", will launch as early as next month. The hardware refresh, initially reported in late May and again addressed earlier this month, is said to be based on Apple's iOS and carry a $99 price tag.
From what I hear we should expect to see the iTV launch in September. Also, keep an eye on GoogleTV - this is going to be a hot space in 2011.
Rose also shares some other details of his expectations for the iTV, including an arm of the App Store dedicated to the platform, the ability to subscribe to ad-supported content from individual television stations, MobileMe-based sharing of photos and videos, and integration of the iPad as a "big badass remote control" to offer control of and interaction with iTV content.
Apple is reportedly planning its annual iPod-focused media event for mid-September, and it seems likely that Apple would include an iTV launch there if it is in fact planning a September launch for the new hardware.
It is not entirely clearly how much of Rose's information is reliably sourced and how much is mere speculation, as well as whether all of the cited features are expected to appear in the initial device launch. Rose has weighed in with a number of other Apple product rumors in the past and has at times offered correct accurate information.
