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The Apple TV, long downplayed by company CEO Steve Jobs as a mere “hobby” for Apple, was thrust back into the spotlight today at a broad unveiling of new products by the consumer electronics giant.
Jobs showed off a smaller, cheaper and streaming-video-dependent Apple TV, along with a bevy of services and features designed to make the diminutive device the center of users’ television experiences.
That was in addition to promised bug-fixing updates to iOS, the operating system powering devices like the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad and iPhone; as well as new iPods and new Ping social features for iTunes. Hardware Central takes a look.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs detailed a slew of new releases today that bring more features, lower price points and more interconnectivity between all of the company’s wildly popular mobile devices, along with a redesigned Apple TV device for streaming movies, TV shows and user-generated content.
Most of the rumors about Apple’s plans for today’s news event were basically on target, but Jobs decided to begin with an announcement that Apple’s much-anticipated iOS 4.1 release for the iPhone will be available for free on iTunes and from its Web site beginning next week.