Report: Gaming on the Way for Apple TV

Be ready to iGame on your big screen once Apple finishes the development of its upcoming new edition of Apple TV. Instead of being relegated to streaming shows, movies and music, new reports indicate the next iteration of Apple's popular set-top box will put a bigger focus on gaming.

According to 9 to 5 Mac, Apple's newest version of Apple TV will once again not be an actual television, but rather another version of the little set-top box that you're likely already familiar with. Apple has been trying to revamp its TV features over the past few years, and it's rumored we'll see an App Store-like method of gaining both gaming and television content in the near future. There's also supposedly research and development being put into providing more content for current Apple TVs, but it is hard to achieve due to much of its programming being strictly coded and oriented towards video-streaming services.

In a related story, iLounge reported that Apple is looking to include Bluetooth options for connecting game controllers to the upcoming Apple TV box. Due to the limited amount of storage space on existing Apple TVs, iLounge speculated that most likely there would be some sort of cloud service patched into Apple's flatscreens in order to offer a nice transition into gaming for owners of the current format. Instead of having games on a handheld iOS device being streamed onto Apple TVs, Apple gamers would simply be able to download directly onto the upcoming box.

Apple TV's newest incarnation is expected to hit Apple Stores sometime in the first half of 2014. It's still no iTV, but at least Apple is recognizing how important getting even more of the living room space is with its next iteration of Apple TV.