iToldYouSo

Apple has pre-announced their TV-integration product, tentatively named iTV.

This is exactly what I’ve predicted the long-rumored “Asteroid” product to be. Since Apple embraced video on the iPod it’s been a simple conclusion that Airport Express and Front Row would end up in a targeted device. Lately I wondered if they were going to simply produce a Mac Mini HD, but I’m glad to see they understand that living room media presentation is a very specialized (yet common) need.

An important part of this announcement seems to be overlooked: this is not a Mac OS X computer. Unlike Microsoft, Apple is not a software company and is more than happy to build a future of personal media management based on a collection of specialized devices. AAPL shareholders should rejoice that the calls for a split between the hardware and software divisions of Apple were ignored, and that the company clearly understands that they need to be more than a PC manufacturer.