Have you been wondering what are Apple’s plans for the Apple TV?

Recently Apple dropped the price of the 160GB model by $100 and discontinued the 40GB model fueling the rumor mill that changes to what Steve Jobs has described as a pet project are forthcoming. Here is just some of the coverage and commentary:

• Wired wrote a peice titled “Why Apple TV Must Evolve to Avoid Extinction” and referenced industry analysts James McQuivey of Forrester and John Barrett of Park Associates. Together they claimed that the Apple TV didn’t have much life left in it, that Apple needed to dramatically improve the product to compete and suggested things like a Tivo-like DVR feature, Movie and TV show subscription options and a Blu-Ray player.
• David Coursey blogging for PC World suggested that a “New Apple TV For Christmas Seems Likely” and suggested the new iTunes LP format would be a big boost to the platform. David also suggested that the price drop had one goal: clear the warehouses of existing Apple TVs to make room for a new model that he expects in time for Christmas.
• AppleInsider also supported the idea that the new iTunes LP format seems aimed at the Apple TV with some detailed analysis on the new format and the underlying Apple technology called TuneKit.

I agree with David that a new Apple TV model is coming and I give it a 80% chance of landing this fall for the holiday shopping season. The canceling of the 40GB model and the price drop does scream inventory purge and check out this recent conversation at an apple store, something certainly seems up. As for what this new Apple TV will look like however all of the predictions on what will be coming in the next Apple TV seem to be missing the mark, some in the extreme.

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