All eyes are on Apple, as a major upgrade to their Apple TV is expected to be unveiled at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts — with a Netflix partnership, and 99 cent TV show rentals via iTunes from Fox and ABC. Additionally, the iPod is expected to be significantly upgraded. Here’s the buzz roundup:
Jobs also may unveil a Wi-Fi-equipped iPod Nano, which would enable users to stream music. Apple is completing a $1 billion data center in North Carolina, and last year acquired streaming music site Lala.com, fueling speculation that it is preparing to launch a cloud-based service. – Mercury News
As part of the Apple event Wednesday, News Corp.’s Fox and Walt Disney’s ABC networks are slated to be announced as offering 99-cent rentals of television shows through the iTunes store, according to people familiar with the matter. – WSJ
Apple Inc., preparing to announce a new set-top box that delivers video to consumers’ TVs, will include programming from Netflix Inc., according to three people with knowledge of the plans. – Bloomberg
But other top officials at News Corp. — especially Murdoch — are prepared to join Apple’s six-month pricing trial because it could cement a relationship with Apple’s powerful chief executive, Steve Jobs, and reap benefits for other divisions within the company, namely newspapers. – LATimes