Despite widespread anticipation of Apple entering the television market, it appears that the company may not be planning such a move in the near future – at least not with a full-fledged television. Apple SVP Eddie Cue recently made some comments to analysts casting doubt on the idea.
Fortune reports on a metting between Pacific Crest’s Andy Hargreaves, Cue, and Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer:
An Apple Television Appears Extremely Unlikely in the Near-term
Relative to the television market, Eddy Cue, Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services, reiterated the company’s mantra that it will enter markets where it feels it can create great customer experiences and address key problems. The key problems in the television market are the poor quality of the user interface and the forced bundling of pay TV content, in our view. While Apple could almost certainly create a better user interface, Mr. Cue’s commentary suggested that this would be an incomplete solution from Apple’s perspective unless it could deliver content in a way that is different from the current multichannel pay TV model.
The trouble, as many have noted for a while when discussing Apple’s possible television plans, is acquiring rights for broadcast and cable content. While Apple no doubt would be able to design a stunning and highly disruptive entry into the television market, the won’t be able to do much without getting some content rights.
Of course, this is one person’s interpretation of the meeting. It’s also possible that Cue was playing the standard Apple card of denying and casting doubt on future products until Apple is ready to leap – a crucial part of how Apple keeps the element of surprise.
Apple is rumored to be in active negotiations with television service providers.
