If you've spent any time following the Apple rumor mill, chances are you're familiar with the name Gene Munster. More specifically, you might be familiar with Gene Munster predicting that Apple will release a smart television set. The Piper Jaffray financial analyst has been predicting an Apple TV set (essentially an integrated TV and Apple TV set top box) for years, each time saying he expects it to come to market the following year.

So of course when rumors that Apple is planning to launch a subscription television service this fall started making the rounds this week, Munster jumped at the opportunity to link it to actual TV hardware. “We believe that this possible content package would remove a significant hurdle to Apple launching a standalone television," said Munster without an hint of irony in a note to investors, as reported by financial blog Smarter Analyst. "While recent media reports question Apple’s interest in an actual television, we continue to believe it is the most logical next area of focus."

Munster has predicted this move by Apple time and again, despite the fact the company has made no moves into the television hardware business and no evidence from the notoriously leaky supply chain has existed to support his claims. Apple's quarterly investor calls, where it explains its financial reports and takes questions from the financial community, are often punctuated by CEO Tim Cook chuckling as Munster asks his infamous question about an Apple TV set.

But maybe, JUST MAYBE, Munster will be the one having the last laugh, if Apple finally does release an Apple TV set. Next year. Or the year after next. Or maybe the year after that.