Apple iTV expected to launch this year, featuring finger-worn iRing remote control

 As Apple looks to sneak its way into other markets — or in the case of the iWatch, create them  its long-rumored attempt at a television always seems to find its way to the forefront of the conversation. On cue, one analyst detailed very specific components of what Apple’s iTV will have — most notably, an iPad-sized second screen on which to watch media, and a ring you wear on your finger that acts as a remote control.

For the uninitiated, Apple’s iTV — a nickname adopted by the public — isn’t Apple TV, Apple’s little digital streaming box that’s similar to a Roku. The iTV would be a full television, and unlike Apple TV, would ultimately be Apple’s way into the living room — an enormous untapped market, and the goal of just about every new device from the Steam Box and Ouya to 3D printers and tablets. Now, as BGR points out, Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White has been meeting with Apple supply chains in China and Taiwan and absorbed as much information about the iTV as he could, including its size, unique remote control, and killer feature.

In a letter to investors, White noted that Apple will be launching the iTV sometime toward the end of this year, and said that the unit will include “a major innovation that will revolutionize the TV experience.” While that phrasing is titillating, we’ve certainly heard it all before regarding a number of products that didn’t deliver on the promise. However, White does drop a handful of interesting bombs. First, he expects iTV to be a 60-inch television, though there is a possibility Apple will also launch a 50- to 55-inch model. This, as anyone who lives in a relatively small room might point out, can be a disadvantage. An enormous TV in a small room makes it difficult to comfortably watch the TV, like sitting in the front row at a movie theater.

White also stated that the two killer innovations expected to be included with the iTV are the remote control, and a second screen. The remote, while it isn’t expected to interact with the television in a new way, is expected to provide a new control scheme; different means, but the same outcome. Dubbed the iRing, you’d slip it onto your finger, then control the television through motion detection similar to a Kinect, Move, or Wiimote Plus. Along with the iRing, White expects the iTV to come with what he called a “mini iTV,” which would be a second screen measuring in at 9.7 inches that allows you to remotely view content from your TV up to a range of 200 meters.

The mini iTV won’t be a full tablet, but will be a very basic device with the main purpose of watching media from your iTV. Not to leave out the iWatch, White also expects that the upcoming, technically-not-confirmed smartwatch will be integral to the iTV experience, allowing you to interact with your fancy TV on the go. Not to leave out juicy price expectations, White feels the iTV will range between $1,500 and $2,500, putting it around the cost of a decent MacBook Pro or iMac. However, the price will change based on the amount of mini iTV devices that are included in the package, though one mini iTV is expected to be included by default.

While these details are simply the result of one informed analyst’s expectations and not any kind of official announcement, they do align with current trends in the tech industry — specifically the use of a secondary device to enhance the experience of a main device. Whatever the case may be, though, if that 2013 launch date ends up in the ballpark, we’ll find out concrete details soon enough.

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