A new report by Buzzfeed’s John Paczkowski claims the next-generation Apple TV, likely to debut on September 9th, will feature Universal Search, “some pretty hardcore voice control,” via Siri, and will retail for $149.
… the forthcoming Apple TV will debut with a number of big features we reported back in March — an App Store of its own and Siri integration that will support what sources in position to know describe as “some pretty hardcore voice control.” Recall that Siri figures prominently in Apple’s invitation to its upcoming event.
Paczkowski says the new box will boast a feature that most Apple TV users have been clamoring for… Universal Search. You’ll be able to search for a show or movie, and you’ll see results from all sorts of available sources. No more going into Netflix to search there, and the iTunes Store to search there, and so on, and so on…
Instead of searching the catalogs of multiple video services one-at-a-time for a particular movie, you’ll now be able to search all — or most of them — at once and then choose the service on which you’d like to watch it. You’ll also be able to search for actors and directors, and run other more targeted searches as well — all with Siri. While Apple’s intelligent personal assistant is core to this feature, sources say there’s another engine driving it as well — Matcha, the video discovery start-up Apple acquired back in 2013.
The new set top box is also expected to boast a new processor, more internal storage, An App Store, and a touch-pad remote control with motion sensors that will enable using it as a gaming controller.
Paczkowski also says the new Apple TV will retail for $149, the lower of two price points that have been previously reported in the media.
