Comcast FCC Filing Confirms Apple Set-Top Box in the Works

The rumour mill has been busy spilling information about a forthcoming Apple TV refresh, but there hasn’t been an announcement yet. Comcast, however, is so confident in a new Apple set-top box that it actually refers to it in regulatory filings with the FCC as a device in development (via The New York Times).

The document at “issue” consists of the accompanying filings made by Comcast and Time Warner Cable backing up their merger in front of the regulators. In the document, Comcast details the current status of competition coming from technology companies, which includes both Amazon and Microsoft, and of course Apple as well.

“Apple tablets are viewing platforms for cable services even while Apple offers an online video service, Apple TV, and explores development of an Apple set-top box,” David L. Cohen, an executive vice president at Comcast, said in the document, which is posted on the company’s public policy blog.

Earlier reports mentioned that Comcast was in talks with Apple to partner up for a streaming TV service. Similar information was leaked last year when sources revealed that Apple is close to a TV content deal with Time Warner Cable in the US.

Bloomberg reported in February that the next-generation Apple TV could be unveiled as early as April, but there has been no word about the set-top box yet. The Apple TV is expected to feature major hardware improvements and will add gaming content as well.