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Apple TV with A5X chip set to be unveiled alongside iPad HD

A new version of Apple TV is rumoured to be announced this evening, alongside a new iPad.

Luke Westaway Senior editor
Luke Westaway is a senior editor at CNET and writer/ presenter of Adventures in Tech, a thrilling gadget show produced in our London office. Luke's focus is on keeping you in the loop with a mix of video, features, expert opinion and analysis.
Luke Westaway
2 min read

A new version of Apple TV is rumoured to be announced this evening, alongside the hotly anticipated iPad 3/HD, and touting the same rumoured dual-core A5X processor we're expecting to see in the third iPad.

The next version of Apple's not-so-popular set-top box will include support for 1080p playback, the Verge reports -- something that's been sorely lacking from the system to date.

The little box of modest wonder will likely deliver some manner of AirPlay mirroring tech, as we already know that Mac OS X Mountain Lion will feature the ability to export your Mac's display to your telly via Apple TV.

I'd expect the third iPad to offer the same AirPlay mirroring, and as it's expected to feature a screen with a beefed-up resolution, I suspect Apple will be showing off the possibility of outputting your iPad's retina display to your gogglebox via a 1080p-enabled Apple TV device.

Apple TV has never taken off in the same way that the company's other devices have, and with a full TV set rumoured to be in the works, I wonder how much appeal this set-top box can have. With services like Netflix bringing streaming movies to the UK, the iTunes service that Apple touts looks a bit less stand-out.

Rival-beating image resolution would give it an edge, perhaps. In just a few hours we'll know what Apple has up its big shiny sleeves, so stay tuned -- myself and my tireless tech colleagues will be reporting on tonight's press conference from 6pm UK time, so keep your browsers here.

What would Apple have to do to make Apple TV worthy of your cash? Tell me in the comments, or over on our Facebook wall.