After striking out last year in its attempt to build a streaming skinny bundle that would compete with the major pay-TV operators, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) video chief Eddy Cue as asked by The Hollywood Reporter if his company might take another stab.
"Whether we're providing it or somebody else is, it really doesn't matter to us. What we're trying to do is build the platform that allows anybody to get content to consumers," Cue said. "If a Time Warner [Cable] or a DirecTV wants to offer a bundle themselves, they should do it through Apple TV and iPad and iPhone. As a matter of fact, I'm not a big fan of the skinny bundle."
Adding to the complexity, it turns out that Cue isn't a fan of skinny bundles, after all.
"Most people, at the end of the day, end up paying more, not less, for the things they love," he said. "With TV content being at an all-time high, why are people asking for less? It has a lot to do with the way it's being provided. If I feel like I'm not getting my money's worth, then I want to pay less and I want less things. But if it were being provided in a rich platform with the capabilities I'm talking about, I don't think people would feel that way. People pay for Netflix as an add-on to TV, and they're happy doing it. And why is that? Because they're happy with what they're getting from Netflix. So the question to ask about skinny bundles is, why are customers not happy?"
You can read the full THR interview with Cue here.