Apple TV launching September with iPhone 6s
The revamped Apple TV, which now will not be shown off at WWDC, could include a redesigned touch-enabled remote control and a separate App Store for the set-top box Martin Hajek

Apple will not unveil its revamped Apple TV set-top box and touchpad remote at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco on 8 June as it had planned to do, because the product is "not ready for prime time".

Apple had been widely reported to be ready to unveil the new hardware during the WWDC keynote on 8 June, but now multiple publications are reporting the device is not ready, including the New York Times, BuzzFeed and Re/Code, with one source claiming the device was "almost there".

In May, multiple reports suggested the Apple TV would be the centrepiece of the WWDC keynote, with the new set-top box set believed to feature Siri voice control, an app store and even operate as the control centre for an automated home.

The new Apple TV remote is reportedly going to feature a touchpad and two physical buttons and will be slightly thicker than the current Apple TV remote, which features just seven physical buttons.

From hobby to intense interest

Apple has always said that Apple TV was more of a "hobby" than anything else, but recently we have seen Apple refocus on television, which it now sees as an "area of intense interest".

Part of that focus is going to be a web TV streaming service that would require signing deals with TV networks, and while that was never likely to be part of the WWDC announcement, Apple could be looking to launch both together, which could be another reason it pushed back the launch of the hardware.

Apple TV, which has not been updated since 2012 and was recently discounted to just £59 in the UK, offers a limited number of services including access to iTunes, Netflix and other streaming services, with the company announcing at the beginning of March that HBO's new streaming-only service, called HBO Now, would be available exclusively on Apple TV at launch.

One of the most-anticipated new features of the revamped Apple TV is likely to be a software development kit allowing developers create apps specifically for the big screen.