CNETAnalysis: Here’s a slightly unusual Apple nugget that’s sure to divide opinion – the company’s much-touted iTV might be controlled via a ring. At least that’s what we’re hearing from Brian White, the same analyst who said that Apple would be introducing fingerprint scanning technology . In a note to investors, prompted by a trip to component suppliers and seen by AppleInsider , he said that the TV will come with an iRing and that Asian suppliers are busy working on the hi-tech jewellery right now. The ring will supposedly work as a motion controller, letting you do all the work with a single finger. It’s a cool idea, but with the general move to gesture-based controls having such an accessory might feel a little outdated, no? It also sounds a little familiar, reminding us of Google’s idea for a system where users could log in to secure sites using a ring-based device. iTVMiniRingS But wait, that’s not all. White said that Apple is also readying an iTV Mini, though this is thought to be an iPad feature rather than separate hardware. “We believe the ‘mini iTV’ screens will be able to capture content from the 60-inch ‘iTV’ across a distance of up to 200 meters, allowing a user to view ‘iTV’ content in the kitchen, washroom, garage, bedroom, backyard, etc,” said White. He also added that Apple will offer one “mini iTV” (log-in?) with each iTV purchase, with the option to include up to four additional screens. Does this mean Cupertino is about to wave goodbye to the Apple TV completely? This sounds like quite a leap, so forgive us for being a tad sceptical. It’s certainly likely that White may have got a few things wrong here, but these are still promising signs that the iTV is on its way – though we’re sure that it won’t actually be called that when it arrives.
