Is this Apple TV?

TV Apps One of the many unanswered questions surrounding Apple’s purported plans for an all-in-one, App Store-powered HDTV has been whether or how Apple’s touch-based iOS interface could translate to 46-inch screen in the living room. A European patent uncovered by the web site Patently Apple may offer a hint.

The filing describes an iMac-like desktop device with a touchscreen interface. The support stand is flexible to allow the height of the screen to be adjusted while a swivel mount would allow the screen to tilt  for optimal fingertip control and viewing. The device could operate either in OS X or iOS modes; switching between the two is done by touching advanced sensors embedded in the frame.

In an article describing the patent, New York Times tech blogger Nick Bilton says Apple engineers have told him in the past that, while building a new touch-based desktop interface from the ground up would be difficult, having iOS run on top of OS X is relatively simple.

The filing, which is dated a year ago, makes no mention of TVs, or course. But it does show that Apple is thinking about how to bring touch and iOS to ever-larger screens. It started with the 3.5-inch iPhone screen, expanded to the 10-inch iPad and could well come to still-larger iMac and Macbook screens.

As I’ve argued in previous posts, Apple also seems to be pursuing a strategy of extending the App Store platform  to ever-larger screens, again starting with the iPhone and expanding to the iPad. Perhaps someday the two will meet — in the living room.

Further reading:

How Will Apple’s Touch Based Operating System Translate to TV?

WIPO patent resources