Best Buy talks about Apple HDTV customer survey

Yesterday, I mentioned that over the weekend a customer survey had surfaced on the Best Buy website that asked customers questions about an Apple HDTV. We wondered at the time if Best Buy had some inside information, or if it was just fishing for answers on what customers thought about the rumored product. If you recall, that survey outlined an Apple HDTV with a 42-inch screen, iOS HDTV with full HD resolution selling for $1499.

Wired got in touch with Best Buy and asked about the survey. The answer was that a research partner conducted the survey. The official response from Best Buy read:

The customer survey was a routine offer effectiveness survey conducted by one of Best Buy's research partners. Any brand reference was hypothetical. The survey is no longer available.

It's funny that Best Buy says the brand reference was hypothetical. Apple has been known to come down with an iron fist on partners who leak information about its products ahead of launch. I would bet someone at Best Buy is worried right now. Do you think this was nothing but hype on Best Buy's part, or did someone have a little information on a coming Apple product and leaked some details without thinking about the consequences?

[via Wired]