Solid Mobile Phone: Apple TV to Get a Wii-Like Remote

Apple TV may get a Nintendo Wii-like remote control according to two
identical patent applications published yesterday. Referred to as a
"wand," in the patent application, the invention described suggests
Apple may look to expand Apple TV's capabilities into a full-fledged
entertainment system. Apple proposes a variety of uses for the wand
including "zoom operations, a keyboard application, an image
application, an illustration application, and a media application."
The patents were originally uncovered by Apple Insider.

At its most basic level the wand could be used to call up a dock, and
then to select an option from the menu by moving the wand across the
screen. The controller could also scroll through a CoverFlow display
and be used to manipulate photos by zooming in and out and rotating.
Other operations include using the wand as a digital pen and operating
Apple TV's on-screen keyboard.

Since Microsoft and Sony are encroaching on the core business of
iTunes and Apple TV, wouldn't it behoove Apple to consider returning
the favor? Apple's patent filing for the wand does refer to a video
game console once, but only as a cover-your-bases, just-in-case
attitude that many patent filings have. That suggests Apple is not
ruling anything out, but I doubt the company would consider gaming too
seriously.

The other problem is that Apple has never been one for game
development and may already be too far behind in this area to catch
up. However, as content streaming and download offerings expand, Apple
TV may never truly be able to compete with consoles that play games,
view movies and photos, play DVDs and Blu Ray discs, and access the
Internet. At the moment, Apple TV can only do a small portion of these
things.

There's also the issue of whether the Apple wand infringes on any of
Nintendo's patents for the Wiimote. Apple recently claimed it was
going to be aggressive about protecting its own patents, and I would
expect Nintendo to feel the same way. It's too early to say what will
happen at this point, as the patent filing only points to a concept.
It's entirely possible that Apple may decide the wand doesn't do what
they want for the Apple TV or it could end up with an entirely
different device. The wand patent does indicate, however, that Apple
is thinking about Apple TV's future.