We heard in August that Apple had been struggling in negotiations with American pay TV services unwilling to share content and revenue. Now, a Bloomberg source is admitting that this means a new Apple TV product won’t launch this year.
Last month’s Wall Street Journal report hinted that a new Apple set-top box was on the way — but that it would be severely limited by the ultimatums of pay TV companies. Now, a source “familiar with the company’s plans” seems to be suggesting that Apple isn’t happy with such a plan, so it “won’t be releasing a new TV product this year”.
It boils down to a decision to launch a great product late or a mediocre one on time — and if Bloomberg is to be believed, Apple is opting for the former. Given how badly reports suggest the negotiations are going, this sounds like it could be the best move for Apple if it is to keep its TV service important and relevant. [Bloomberg]