Death of TV: Part XXXIV -- Will Apple TV put finally put an end to "TV"

The buzz that Apple will introduce an Apple TV sometime this year continues. Speculation about the product includes claims that it will incorporate Siri voice recognition so that you can just talk to it and eliminate the remote control. Other theories include the idea that it will look and behave much like an iPad, and that it will essentially be a big iPad, with the ability to run most iPad apps.

If Apple does introduce a new "TV" device, I am pretty sure it will:

• Have a premium price initially. Apple never tries to compete with low cost commodity products.
• It will have some insanely great new features (like voice recognition that actually works), for which many people will be happy to pay a premium price.
• It will redefine the notion of a "TV," much to the regret of every other company that makes so-called "smart" "TVs," which are usually maddeningly complex.
• It will be so easy to use that every other "TV" immediately looks like some 19th century antique.

Oh, and one more thing....it will place enormous demands on existing broadband networks, creating even more problems for existing DSL and cable providers.