Apple is in talks with Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc., two of Canada's largest telecommunications companies, to carry its highly anticipated Apple iTV.
The iTV remains top secret, but sources say Apple approached Rogers and Bell in order to build partnerships with Canadian carriers, The Globe and Mail reported.
“They’re not closed to doing it with one [company] or doing it with two," said a source who is familiar with the talks, according to the report. “They’re looking for a partner. They’re looking for someone with wireless and broadband capabilities."
The iTV, which is said to be similar to a large-screen iPad, would reportedly allow users to access Siri, the Internet, video chat and social media.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek suggests that it would make sense for AT&T and Verizon to carry the iTV in the United States, and Bell and Rogers to carry the product in Canada, The Globe and Mail said.
The iTV is not without competition, however. Telus Corp., a rival telecommunications company in Canada, is reportedly close to announcing a new technology that would allow users to control its Optik TV through voice commands and hand gestures, similar to the features projected for the Apple iTV. These features, combined with the fact that Telus might get to market first, could make it a tough Canadian competitor for Apple.
