No Apple HDTV Any Time Soon Says Apple Exec

We've heard plenty of rumors about an Apple TV product that would significantly change the industry. One of the most recent rumors has suggested Apple is talking with American cable operators to create a set-top box. In typical Apple fashion, the company has been fairly quiet about its plans and hopes for a TV product that could shake up the industry as much as its iPhone has impacted the smartphone industry.

Recently however, Eddy Cue, Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services, indicated a revolutionary Apple television product is unlikely in the near future. More specifically, Cue stated Apple's mantra that it will only enter a market when it thinks it can create a great customer experience and fix key problems.

While Apple is good at creating a user interface that people like and could likely deliver a great customer experience, one of the "problems" with the TV industry is the bundling of content. Because broadcast and cable network content is owned by a relatively small group of companies that have relatively little incentive or interest in changing the current distribution model, Apple is facing some big hurdles that don't appear to be easily crossed in the near future.

Although this may not be the news many want to hear, it's one of the few "official" comments from Apple regarding such a product. Of course, it's possible Apple is bluffing in an attempt to keep its plans secret, but it's also likely based on the comments that Apple's full entry into television will come later rather than sooner.