Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has placed its plans to launch a skinny bundle of live streaming programming channels on hold, according to Bloomberg.
The news service filed its report following remarks by CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves at the Business Insider conference in New York. Asked about the Apple service, Moonves said: "They've had conversations on it, and I think they pressed the hold button."
Speaking to unnamed sources, Bloomberg said Apple remains vexed by programming costs as it attempts to launch a bundle of around 14 channels for $30 - $40 a month.
Apple had been reportedly focused on a complex strategy of tying down local broadcast affiliates and letting customers live-stream their local broadcast stations. It's unclear what aspect of Apple's programming talks broke down.
"This will happen," Moonves said. "It has four major networks and 10 cable networks, let's say, and the price point will be in the $30s, $30 to $35, $40 maybe. People will not be spending money on channels they don't want to watch."
The impasse represents only the latest stumbling block for Apple, which stated its intentions to re-invent the television model prior to the death of company founder Steve Jobs in 2011.
Apple isn't the only technology company working on the problem: Among a number of agendas involving streaming video, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) is also pondering a pay-TV service involving live channels, Bloomberg reported last week.
Sony, meanwhile, was able to launch a streaming pay-TV service earlier this year, albeit at a cable-industry-like $80-a-month price.
For more:
- read this Bloomberg story
- read this Variety story
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