Apple may be planning on introducing a new Apple TV model in September, but it won't come with a streaming television service—at least not until next year. Apple will reportedly introduce the new Apple TV on September 9, but won't mention its own streaming TV plans thanks to content licensing negotiation delays.
Reports surfaced in July claiming Apple will be introducing a new Apple TV model at a still unannounced September 9 media event along side updated iPhone models. The new Apple TV is said to be thinner, will include more internal storage and a faster processor, and will ship with a redesigned touch pad remote. Apple may introduce an App Store just for Apple TV as well.
What won't get a mention is the streaming television service Apple is said to have in the works. Insider sources speaking with the Financial Post said content negotiations are taking longer than Apple would like thanks to differing views in how much money networks will get.
Apparently the networks want more money for programming streamed over the Internet than they're currently getting from traditional cable and satellite TV deals. That's clearly a sticking point for Apple and it's push for a lower cost package that can better compete with traditional cable and satellite TV offerings.
Apple is reportedly also still building out its content streaming infrastructure so viewers won't have to deal with low quality video or stalled streams.
Aside from technical issues, Apple's biggest setback seems to be negotiations. Until Apple can get broadcasters on board, it won't have the content it needs to launch a streaming TV service. It also isn't the first time negotiation issues have cropped up as a reason for launch delays.
Earlier this year reports claimed Apple was having trouble lining up local live TV agreements. That supposedly was enough to convince Apple to not introduce a new Apple TV model during its Worldwide Developer Conference event, although now the big networks are said to be lining up the local affiliate deals Apple needs.
Apple wants to offer a nicely packaged alternative to Comcast and Dish, which would require local content deals, too. Without those in place, it seems Apple isn't interested in rolling out its streaming TV package.
It looks like Apple is, however, ready to release its next generation Apple TV come September and unveil the companion streaming TV service later. Considering Apple TV has fallen behind in the streaming content set top box game, rolling out a new model sooner instead of later makes sense.