Apple last week published a patent titled "Apparatus and method to facilitate universal remote control," which seems to describe the remote control that will come with the company's iTV set-top box, which is due for release in the first quarter of 2007. According to MacNN's Neo, "the new remote will work with a plurality of appliances which includes one or more of a television, a video tape player, a video disk player, a stereo, a home control system, and a computer system with remotely controllable software (for example: a DVD player, a CD player, an MP3 player, or slideshow presentation software)." 

He added: "The patent notes that this application is not restricted to only electronic appliances, but could also be used to control programs and functions that run on a computer system." The images included with his article show that Apple didn't use any product names in its filing, which is typical for the company. However, "Home Device Control," which is listed among the devices that the remote control can access, is likely iTV.