New Apple TV Likely Delayed Until 2015 Due to Negotiation Difficulties

[BJMRamage]

Let's say I'm a TV executive for your average cable channel, like... Animal Planet. What's to stop a channel like Animal Planet from working directly with Apple to provide content, bypassing cable companies?

Contracts.
Sister Stations like Discovery, History, etc.
the thought that Cable Companies have a MUCH larger consumer base to sell to than AppleTV owners

the thought that selling to a cable company gets them XXXXXXX dollars
selling to Apple might get them XXXX dollars due to some people not watching a show they spent a bunch of $$ making

The "big risk" factor that jumping to a new delivery format means

 

[samcraig]

Probably just a bunch of lawyers.

and a contract?

 

[BJMRamage]

but...

YEAH my AppleTV is still new. I don't "need" to buy a new one this year.

 

[MarkNY]

I wouldn't be surprised if the holdup is mostly due to local affiliates. Right now, for instance, the TWC app doesn't offer local affiliates (except in markets where the affiliates are owned by the networks) because these guys are trying to shake down the cable operators for even more money for internet rights. These local affiliates bring nothing to the table and stupid laws force cable companies to pay retransmission fees. Apple can't offer a replacement set top box until major network shows are on there.

The whole rigging the game in favor of the local affiliates is crony capitalism at its worst. In today's world, it'd be far better to bypass local affiliates and get our shows straight from the network providers, and free up a ton of spectrum while we are at it.

 

[agsystems]

Perhaps Apple wants to make cable companies the "content rights aggregators." It would actually be a nice model:

-Buy cable internet/FiOS service from whoever services your area. $50/month.
-Buy Apple TV and television set.
-Subscribe to TV content from any of the traditional cable TV companies, but delivered over the internet through Apple TV.

This has several advantages, both for consumers and cable companies:
-Consumers get to choose which content aggregator to buy from. Maybe Time Warner owns the cable lines in your neighborhood, but Charter offers a better package of channels. You could buy content from Time Warner, AT&T, Verizon, Charter, Comcast, or any other cable company.
-Cable companies get the ability to sell content to consumers where they don't own any cable lines. They also get to avoid being relegated to "dumb pipes" by maintaining a content revenue stream.

Voice of reason...whatever deal is proposed will not work if the goal is cut off the cable/content provider folks. This needs to make sense for them or nothing will get done.

Obviously if you are cord cutter that's not what you want to hear but look at it from their point of view - why change if the change will involve less revenue?

 

[UhFive]

TV Content would be cool, but did anyone really think it would happen this year?
If Apple gives us a new device with upgraded power, an App store, a game controller and redesigns the UI it will be good enough to hold all of us over for a year or probably two...

 

[jtrenthacker]

I just want it to be able to stream my bluray rips without stuttering and be able to stream up to 24/96 ALAC from my iTunes library. Also a redesign of the interface wouldn't hurt.

 

[Orlandoech]

Perhaps Apple wants to make cable companies the "content rights aggregators." It would actually be a nice model:

-Buy cable internet/FiOS service from whoever services your area. $50/month.
-Buy Apple TV and television set.
-Subscribe to TV content from any of the traditional cable TV companies, but delivered over the internet through Apple TV.

This has several advantages, both for consumers and cable companies:
-Consumers get to choose which content aggregator to buy from. Maybe Time Warner owns the cable lines in your neighborhood, but Charter offers a better package of channels. You could buy content from Time Warner, AT&T, Verizon, Charter, Comcast, or any other cable company.
-Cable companies get the ability to sell content to consumers where they don't own any cable lines. They also get to avoid being relegated to "dumb pipes" by maintaining a content revenue stream.

Mean while charging more per channel than just having a traditional cable tv package with 80-200 channels.

 

[mono1980]

Just release an app store already!!!! I don't know why they are waiting for this media content BS.

 

[dai.hop]

Apple need a transitional solution. If they can't get all the cable companies to sign on at the start, just drip feed us them over a year or so.

New UI + New Hardware + App Store must surely be ready to roll out now - so just do it Apple!

 

[BSben]

If this would be true 2014 could turn out to be the most boring for Apple fans so far. I really wonder what they could possibly have up their sleeves to make this year the most exciting in MANY years...
Over half of the year has passed, and next to nothing happened.
Apple TV in the UK is as interesting as watching paint dry, it needs to be sorted now!

 

[allanfries]

Don't really care myself, as it does what I need like airplay, and Netflix. Always appreciate those software up dates though.

 

[britboyj]

Analysts coming up with excuses for why the much-anticipated new Apple TV hasn't come yet are always amusing.

 

[Col4bin]

It's now the end of July, and still no legit iPhone 6 "blurry pics" leaked from Foxconn's manufacturing lines?? The internet should be rife with a production line pic or two by now. Maybe Tim has offically doubled-down?

 

[AndyR]

I used to love my AppleTV, had every model since launch day of the original but I find myself using it less and less now. I use the AppleTV 90% of the time for Netflix but recently got a Sony Smart TV and although I didn't plan on using the netflix app built into that, its so much faster and the quality it puts out much better as well. So since then my AppleTV has basically been collecting dust, with the exception of it being used occasionally for Airplay or Beamer. Hoping Apple updates it soon to keep it fresh.

 

[lzyprson]

I'm so sick of hearing "Delayed Apple TV" news... Same story, over and over again, for the last 3 years or so...

----------

I used to love my AppleTV, had every model since launch day of the original but I find myself using it less and less now. I use the AppleTV 90% of the time for Netflix but recently got a Sony Smart TV and although I didn't plan on using the Netflix app built into that, its so much faster and the quality it puts out much better as well. So since then my AppleTV has basically been collecting dust, with the exception of it being used occasionally for Airplay or Beamer. Hoping Apple updates it soon to keep it fresh.

Agreed... I only use it for HBO GO and Netflix... Nothing else...

 

[Apple Corps]

Baseless article!
For one... Apple does not announce release date to engineers working on projects. Some dont even know how their projects and work are relevant to the big picture!
They have deadlines.. But only the top tier management knows whats scheduled for release and when .

Not so - Tim Cook - CEO of Apple has touted the amazing pipeline that will be unleashed on us from the Fall of 2013 and throughout all of 2014.

So far..........

Tim and his executive team have set the expectation and have failed to deliver.

 

[VillainInBlack]

Would like to see Apple finally open the AppleTv up to an App Store so that third parties like TabloTv can provide an App for OTA broadcasting.

 

[Thunderhawks]

Jobs once said the Apple TV is a "hobby" for Apple. If it is indeed a hobby for them, it seems to be a very loveless, cold hobby. Maybe the term should have been "afterthought."

EDIT: Lots of speculated delays and such about lots of delays. I hope Cook/Apple are spreading these rumors and that they come in and slay some ass with an impressive fall line-up. And I hope Lana Del Rey calls me.

A hobby is something you do in your spare time, you are interested in and spend time on when you feel like it and you enjoy it .

All of that seems to apply to Apple.

Only thing is I would like to make as much money with that kind of a hobby

 

[69Mustang]

This only makes sense if Apple wants to be a CommieCast set-top box and forget about offering Apple TV as a stand-alone product that lets you cut the cord.

What pisses me off is that Apple could simply buy Cumcast and Verjiizon and a few movie and TV studios to boot to create their own content empire if they really wanted to and offer it all for $8 / mth flat and still remain insanely rich.

I mean if Apple actually did that I would get rid of every OTHER competitive device and service and simply buy direct from Apple from now on.

The epic fail in this comment is epic. Are you 15 with raging hormones? Cumcast? Verijizon? And CommieCast makes me think you're 85... wait a minute... wait a minute. Apologies. I understand with that condition, lucidity comes and goes.

 

[Clocknova]

All I really want is:

• Updated Hardware
• updated iOS / UI
• App Store (But I will settle for just PLEX support)

I don't think any of those are dependent on negotiations with other content providers. Apple can just add channels/content/apps after they update the TV just like Apple already does with the current TV.

This. Just give me a Plex channel so that I can access all of my locally stored media content, most of which is in a format not directly supported by the AppleTV. I really, really don't want yo buy a Roku, but I've waited just about long enough.

 

[MrX8503]

"Over the years, various rumors have pointed towards very ambitious plans for the Apple TV, suggesting Apple once aimed to create a subscription television service that would potentially replace cable packages. Due to a continual inability to negotiate a deal with cable companies, Apple is said to have scaled back on its television ambitions, aiming to work with cable companies rather than against them."

Dare I say this would have never happened if Steve Jobs was still around? I was hoping for an ala carte based service.

 

[odedia]

BREAKING NEWS: Something will NOT happen.

 

[Tech198]

didn't need a news flash to see this coming ..

Cable companies always drag their heels...

It's what they do best. Expect more delays...

 

[iBlazed]

I hope a software update brings the app store to the current Apple tv's. I'm not spending another $200 to replace both of my apple tv's just to get the app store.