Apple needs to have something up its sleeve if it's going to re-launch Apple TV with any success, and that thing might be a familiar virtual assistant.
Some files found in the latest updates to iOS 7 indicate the refreshed Siri is compatible not just with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices, but with Apple TV as well.
The image below, picked up from 9to5Mac, shows files from within the SDK for iOS 7.1 and iOS 7.1.1. "Assistant" appears to be Apple's internal name for Siri.
The "1," "2" and "3" under "UIDeviceFamily" indicate the platform families the latest version of Siri is compatible with; "1" stands for iPhone and iPod touch, "2" for iPad, and "3" for Apple TV.
All signs point to yes
These clues were uncovered by iOS developers Efrain Roa and Pierre Blazquez.
They may seem dubious to untrained eyes, but apparently Apple has used the number "3" to designate Apple TV ever since the box became iOS-based.
Granted, this isn't cold hard proof that there's a new Apple TV with Siri in the works, but it's unlikely that Apple will try to add the assistant to the existing set-top considering it doesn't have microphone input.
This is hardly the first time files found within iOS have pointed toward a new Apple TV.
Back in February, code divers found suggestions that the new Apple TV will have game controller support, which wouldn't come as a huge surprise, given Apple's ever-increasing focus on gaming.
Believe in Apple TV
Don't confuse the unannounced new Apple TV box with the rumored Apple iTV; the former is a set-top box while the latter is said to be an entire smart TV that Apple is supposedly working on.
But considering the first-gen Apple TV box just spontaneously lost access to the iTunes store, a new Apple TV may arrive sooner rather than later.
And if Comcast believes, than you probably should too.
