SAN FRANCISCO — Apple is finally getting serious about pushing into our living rooms.

That ambition will be underlined at an Apple event in San Francisco on Wednesday, when the company plans to unveil an upgraded Apple TV, a device similar to a set-top box that brings video and music from the Internet to a television, according to people briefed on the product.

The upgrade, the first in three years, will expand Apple TV’s uses in gaming, including a redesigned remote control with a touch pad that can double as a game controller, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Importantly, the new device will include support for apps and games made by independent software developers.

The revamped device will share the event spotlight with Apple’s biggest moneymaker, the iPhone. The company once called Apple TV a “hobby,” as it accounts for less than 5 percent of sales, so the prominent billing this time highlights the aim of transforming the device into a multipurpose entertainment product for homes.

The move will thrust Apple deeper into a competitive market where few, including Apple, have made headway. While the living room has been something of a holy grail for many tech companies, with Sony rolling out its PlayStation game console, Microsoft its Xbox console and Amazon its home devices like the Amazon Echo, few can claim to have become the go-to for online services in residences.