Having done the business when it comes to phones and tablets, Apple's next target seems to be interactive TV.

So despite Steve Jobs' talk that the technology was only a hobby because people won't buy set top boxes, rumours about a significant reboot of Apple TV continue to swirl.

Analyst Shaw Wu of Kaufman Bros is reporting sources who state the next version of the tech will run iOS 4 using Apple's A4 chip, and provide access to a dedicated app store.

Of course, whether you'll be able to download and run iOS apps and games from the main App Store on your TV, as Apple TV currently offers in terms of music, films and TV via iTunes, remains uncertain.

Going universal

It seems more likely that the best user experience would be gained by a specific Apple TV store.

Clearly, one issue would be how to control such apps, especially games, with a remote rather than a touchscreen. But as developers such as Majic Software with its Chopper 2 game have demonstrated, the big screen can already be supported via TV-out using suitably developed universal apps with either an iPhone or iPad used as a controller.

Hence, similar to the approach taken with iPad, such a TV-only store could eventually expand with developers releasing universal apps that cover the various types and resolutions when it comes to the range of iPhone and iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV hardware, or specifically optimised and priced versions where more appropriate.

[source: AppleInsider]