Apple TV live video service put on hold as talks with networks stall, say reports

The company will look to use the Apple TV as a way of hosting apps for other companies’ live TV, reports say

Tim Cook introduces the New Apple TV (Getty Images)

Apple has put its plans to launch its own live TV service on hold, according to reports.

The company has long been rumoured to be looking to set up its own live TV service, which would take over from cable and run on its recently-updated Apple TV set-top box. But the negotiations required to do so have stalled and the plans are being paused, according to Bloomberg.

Apple has had problems trying to the TV companies and networks onboard with the deals, according to a range of reports. It wants to integrate a range of different networks’ programming into one live TV service, but the various companies have had problems agreeing on a price.

The traditional TV companies are also worried that offering the new service would lead to people moving away from existing — and more lucrative — cable deals.

Unlike with the music business, where Apple quickly negotiated an agreement to sell songs and albums through iTunes, discussions have been rumoured for some time. But that work is thought to be slower in part because the television industry is less concentrated, and because downloads have impacted on the TV industry less than music.

But the chief executive of network CBS, Les Moonves, said that he expected that Apple would eventually offer a bundle of TV channels.

“This will happen,” Moonves said, according to Bloomberg. “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.”