Foxconn's CEO Terry Gou confirmed Friday that Apple has begun prepping its long-awaited television, according to a report in China Daily via HowToArena.com.

Gou's comments mark the first official acknowledgment from either Apple or its manufacturing partners that a new television is in the works. However, Gou suggests that Apple is still in the planning stages.

From China Daily's report:

Gou said Foxconn is making preparations for iTV, Apple Inc's rumored upcoming high-definition television, although development or manufacturing has yet to begin.

This would support previous claims from analysts that the new television won't likely be released this year, and perhaps not even next year.