Apple Pitching Cable on Apple Set Top Box – After Failed Attempt at Disruptive Subscription Service

An article by DSLReports

There’s been chatter for years that Apple wanted to do something disruptive in the TV sector (like a new subscription TV service). Unfortunately those repeated rumors have never amounted to much of anything because Apple keeps running into stubborn broadcasters who are terrified of the existing cash cow being disrupted. New rumors suggest that Apple is still working hard to get their foot in the living room in a big way; in addition to their planned Apple TV, the company has been pushing cable operators to adopt a new Apple set top box:

Apple contemplated building a cable set-top box more than two years ago before it launched the latest version of its Apple TV, according to a person familiar with the matter. At the time, Apple’s then CEO Steve Jobs was dismissive of the idea, believing working with cable operators was problematic because they didn’t have national reach each served only defined geographic territories.

With Jobs gone, the Journal suggests Apple is now taking a less aggressive approach and just wants to get their hardware in the door. So far there’s no takers from any cable operators, likely because they fear that once Apple has a foothold in the living room it will be easier for them to start pitching alternative content to their existing cable TV subscribers.
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Tags: TV