Is Amazon working on a Set-Top Box?

For about a year now there have been rumors of Amazon releasing a Set-Top box that would allow you to easily watch content from Amazon Instant Video. We first heard the rumors last April that Amazon was working on something like this but it was later revealed in October that the project has been met with delays and that was the last we heard of it.

According to ReCode author Peter Kafka Amazon could be ready to launch their Set-Top box as early as March. If these rumors are true then it definitely poses a threat to devices such as the ROKU and Apple Tv. Amazon have recently been heavily investing in it’s web video lineup and are now producing their own shows much like Netflix have done. We recently heard that Apple has taken it’s Apple Tv from a ‘hobby project’ to a fully fledged product line so maybe they know something about Amazon’s plans?

Amazons Set-Top box is expected to run on a forked version of Android much like the Kindle Fire series of tablets does. It has also been noted that Amazon have been on a hiring spree for game developers and that they plan to release a gaming console running on Android based hardware. It will be interesting to see if these are two separate devices or are part of the rumored Set-Top box.

 

Apple in talks with cable operators to use Apple TV device as set-top-box

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is in talks with cable television operators to use an Apple TV device as a set-top-box. Instead of Apple building their own TV show database to compete with the cable operators – as Apple has discussed with show creators in the past – this approach would simply plug cable operators to televisions via an Apple device.

The report says that Apple’s plans with cable TV networks aren’t necessarily for the current Apple TV $99 box. The plans could be for a future version of Apple’s current device, or for the much-rumored Apple Television set.

Two people briefed on the matter said the technology involved could ultimately be embedded in a television. Apple has worked on prototypes for televisions in the past, according to people briefed on the projects.

Additionally, the report says that Apple has not yet come to any agreements with any cable TV operators.

[Source: 9to5Mac - Read the full story]