Apple TV might be launched this spring!

With Apple working to finalize the iOS 7 launch, many industry watchers and fans are speculating about the several new products announced to be released with the new platform. For the time being, the only newsworthy rumor that could become reality is the launch of the new Apple TV set-box, sometime in mid-April.

Before the launch of the new Mac Pro, OSX Mavericks and Macbook Pros, several sources announced the release of Apple TV with bells and whistles. To the fans’ disappointment, the launch had to be canceled mostly due to several streamline problems with DirectTV and Comcast Corp., the largest pay-TV distributors in the US.

The bad news is that Apple is still negotiating

Apple is said to be conducting negotiations with Time Warner Cable and other major partners to add more video content. Maureen Huff, the spokesman for the NY-based Time Warner Cable and Tom Neumayr, the spokesman for Cupertino has refused to comment a potential collaboration between the two giants.

Well, considering that the Time Warner app currently features over 300 channels, it’s easy to understand why neither party wants to risk it. Moreover, media companies that own TV shows and movies are known for their reluctance to sell directly to online services. After all, no TV company wants to lose a hefty part of their revenues on licensing fees.

Nevertheless, the partnership would be more than beneficial for both parties involved. While Apple would gain an edge over Google’s Android, Time Warner would surely reel in a lot of new customers thanks to their “TV everywhere” app.

The good news is that Apple promised new products this year

With several big mistakes last year, Apple sales and profits have been stagnating in the recent quarters. This is why they have no other choice but to either come up with several new gadgets or provide substantial improvements for the existing services. In fact, Tim Cook has actually promised us a year full of new products, so the possibility of an Apple TV launch this year doesn’t seem so farfetched.

All the signs of the launch are there

Well, we think that the references to the latest iOS 7 build suggest that the launch of Apple TV in 2014 is imminent. To be more precise, there have been mentions of an AppleTV 4.1, a feature that wasn’t part of the previous iOS 7 build.

Let’s not forget that earlier this January, Apple Store got a new design with a clear emphasis on Apple TV. In case you didn’t know, Apple TV received a standalone section in the Apple Store for the first time.

Since almost all major competitors have scheduled a major launch this spring, industry watchers suggest that Apple will be forced to release something big. Who knows, maybe it’s going to be the long-awaited Apple TV.

Even though there are high chances to see the new Apple TV released in April, we won’t get to watch TV on our iPads until the Christmas holidays. Then again, since we’re talking about Apple here, there’s always a chance that the release date will change!