'Apple AV Cable' to launch with iPhone HD?

Phonenews has posted some welcome (if true – we’re not so sure how legit this one is) information on upcoming iPod and iPhone AV cables.  Until now, Apple has made its users buy expensive, specially-chipped cables if they wanted iPods and iPhones to connect to TVs.  Because of this complication and cost, the cables haven’t sold very well. We also hear that the new Zune will have HD out.

Phonenews thinks that is about to change:

Apple will remedy this with a cable, which is known simply as the Apple AV Cable. The cable will function similar to the Xbox 360 Component AV Cable. The consolidated cable will support both component and composite output, allowing users to plug in to both HDTV and SDTV displays without the need for multiple cables.

The reason that Apple is doing this has been confirmed by PhoneNews.com. The next generation of iPhone and iPod touch will make broad and sweeping changes to HD display capacity on the devices. First, Apple will likely offer at least one version of the iPhone and one version of iPod touch with an even higher resolution screen, targeting both Microsoft’s Zune HD, as well as HTC’s Touch HD and Touch Pro2.

Currently the iPhone and iPod touch do not exceed 480i and 480p (respectively) in terms of video resolution. However, the next iPhone and iPod touch will enable full HD playback, with 720p and 1080i output modes.

Multiple options will be given to users to get HD video onto their TV, via iPhone and iPod. First, consumers will be able to store HD shows on their devices directly. However, considering the limits of flash storage, this is a time consuming process. Enter Bonjour. Apple will also provide the ability for users to plug their iPhone into their HDTV, and gateway onto a user’s Wi-Fi network, and access their entire iTunes library on their HDTV.

The end result is that a user can sit at their HDTV, using an Apple AV Dock and an Apple Remote, controlling their iPhone much as they do an Apple TV today. This ensures that a new iPhone owner will be able to purchase, for under $100, all the equipment needed to access (via the iPhone) all of their computer-stored HD content, on their HDTV.

A welcome and timely upgrade if true.  We aren’t so sure how well HD Video will stream over Wifi to the new iPhones.  They’ll also have to have some serious video muscle in them.  We’ll believe it when we see it.