FoxConn Lets Slip Apple iTV Preparations

So we might have been a bit early in the iTV speculation. That’s okay! It looks like the hardware might finally be coming, and fairly soon. Foxconn CEO Terry Gou let slip an interesting tidbit at a news conference in Shanghai: the company is already “making preparations for iTV.” Note that that doesn’t mean manufacturing has begun.

At its best, that means that Foxconn is assembling the necessary equipment to manufacture the mythical Apple device. However there’s a lot of leeway in his words. It could also simply mean that Foxconn is getting ready for whenever Apple contracts them to make the iTV, though it’s not exactly certain that Foxconn will get the contract. It’s also worth noting that China Daily didn’t directly quote Gou, so this could all be down to a miscommunication.

There seems to be little doubt that an iTV is eventually coming. We’ve seen the reports that Apple has tried multiple times to reach agreements with broadcasters to create hardware, and it was shot down every time. Apple originally wanted to create a set top box like the Tivo or the Dish’s Hopper that would be distributed by cable or satellite providers at a premium, and integrate with iTunes. That deal never went through.

But we have heard enough rumors to know that Apple is making another go at it. After all, “Apple doesn’t do hobbies as a rule,” according to CEO Tim Cook, and the Apple TV has long been Apple’s hobby. Between the rumors, the speculation that the device was ready to launch when the new iPad was revealed, and Foxconn talking about preparing for the device, I’d say there is a fair bet the device will be along shortly.

The Verge