Early yesterday Apple TV 3.0 was just a rumor, but then Apple unveiled the new major software update for the Apple TV.
Apple TV 3.0 featuring a redesigned main menu that supposedly makes navigating your favorite content simpler and faster, and makes enjoying the largest selection of on-demand HD movie rentals and purchases, HD TV shows, music and podcasts from the iTunes Store even better on your TV.

The new Apple TV 3.0 also supports the new iTunes Extras and iTunes LP in fullscreen with your Apple TV, as well as Genius Mixes and Internet radio through your home theater system.

The new Apple TV 3.0 software also allows Apple TV users to enjoy fullscreen iTunes Extras and iTunes LP, including great new movie titles such as Star Trek or classics like The Wizard of Oz and albums such as Taylor Swift’s Fearless (Platinum Edition) and Jack Johnson’s En Concert. iTunes Extras gives movie fans great additional content such as deleted scenes, interviews and interactive galleries. iTunes LP is the next evolution of the music album, delivering a rich, immersive experience for select albums on the iTunes Store by combining beautiful design with expanded visual features like live performance videos, lyrics, artwork, liner notes, interviews, photos, album credits and more.

Now Apple TV users can enjoy Genius Mixes through their home theater system and listen to up to 12 endless mixes of songs that go great together, automatically generated from their iTunes library. Customers can also enjoy Internet radio, allowing them to browse and listen to thousands of Internet radio stations, as well as tag favorite stations to listen to later. Apple TV’s support of HD photos is enhanced with iPhoto Events, which simplifies finding your favorite photos on Apple TV, as well as iPhoto Faces, which gives access to photos organized by people identified in iPhoto.

The Apple TV just got more usable and interesting. If it will trigger a new wave of buyers is questionable. I like that they finally support internet radio, making free content (besides Youtube) accessible on the Apple TV.

The new Apple TV 3.0 software is available immediately, free of charge to existing Apple TV owners, and Apple TV with 160GB capacity is available for $229.