It goes without saying all iOS devices will serve as remote controls for the iTV.

The real question is: what’s the default remote control that ships in the box? Is it an iPod touch?

If the price for an iTV is $99, it won’t come with any type of touch-screen device. It will have a “normal” remote control — a rectangle with a bunch of buttons. In Apple’s case, that’s a scroll wheel and some buttons. It *might* have a gyroscope ala a Wiimote but even that is pushing to cost boundaries.

Which bring up another point: why would Apple price the iTV at $99? Other than market penetration and the mucho iTunes Store sales that would come with it, I don’t know. It doesn’t fit their premium pricing model. If it does come out at $99, do NOT expect a revelation in the remote department.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the $99 price point rumors turn out to be false and we see a single $229 to $299 SKU. The $229 model would have a remote with a screen perhaps not unlike an iPod nano while the $299 model would have an iPod touch (or something essentially equivalent) for a remote.

One possibility I do not expect is any type of trackpad. If the remote has any touch capabilities, it will be with a screen.

• The price point will be $99.
• It will run iOS.
• It will have the A4 CPU.
• It will have limited local storage (16GB) and offer streaming via iTunes.

The latest round of rumors peg the video at 720P instead of 1080P or 1080i. Not surprising honestly. That a _LOT_ less data to push.

Also, the name will be changed to iTV.

I’ve already been thinking since last summer it is a no brainer to move the Apple TV iTV to iOS. As a set-top device it is made for it. I wouldn’t even have to be that “good” out of the gate to get massive adoption. Same App Store model but throw on Netflix and Hulu and some games and you’re done. Apple would sell a truckload.

I’ll throw in my own prediction for what we might see from Apple if they do launch the iTV:

In addition to the $99 option with a simple remote, I expect to see a $299 option with an iPod touch. That’s basically no saving over buying an iPod touch separately but I bet it would still sell like hotcakes. Think about it: iTV running iOS with App Store support and an iPod touch thrown in for just $299? Sounds like a bargain to me. I think Apple would see sales split about 50/50 between the $99 and $299 price point. The other beautiful little bit of the $299 package is Apple would insert not just 1 but 2 iOS devices into a household with each sale. Wrap your head around that.

With the introduction of the iPhone 4, Apple is for the first time offering their own form of iPhone protection. They call it the Bumper.