Apple’s first smart TV has been the source of much gossip and speculation, much like every Apple product, but now we could have a rough production timetable, although a lot of questions still remain to be answered.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek reckons that Apple will be ready to launch commercial production sometime in May or June. He notes that panel suppliers are already receiving components in small quantities and they could have the first panels ready soon.

Of course, it will take some time to ramp up production and Apple is believed to be planning to produce 2 to 5 million units initially, and quite a few of them will have to be ready to ship by the time Apple launches the “iTV” sometime in Q4.

It might seem like a long wait, but consumers who believe the iTV is a must have should probably start saving as soon as possible. Analysts believe that the latest i-gadget will cost twice as much as regular TVs of a similar size. That translates to a couple of trips to the coast, and I prefer long drinks on the beach over any toy, so count me out.

More here.