Re: "Scarce"?
>> "They aren't selling very well because very few are willing to pay a premium for an Internet TV when they can buy a big screen LCD TV for less and plug it into Cable or Satellite."
It could also be because they treat the Web on the TV as "The Web," just like a PC, and come with a scary-looking keyboard that further cements the idea that it's more like "work" than "passive entertainment."
>> "Apple has zero leverage to strong arm anyone in the TV industry to work with them. Movie content may be another subject altogether, but again, Comcast is much bigger than Apple and doesn't need them, much less CBS or any of the others."
True, they have zero leverage... right now. Just like they had zero leverage on the Music Industry at some point. More importantly, Apple does not need leverage on them, only the promise of increased profits from their vast user rolls.
Of course, the content industry can choose to snob Apple, but that doesn't make it a good strategic decision, just a puerile pissing match.
>> "They lose nothing by not working with Apple. Apple on the other hand loses an opportunity to get content providers on board."
Actually, if Apple gets other content providers on-board, and their product and model proves successful, CBS may see themselves in a weaker position to negotiate themselves back into the fold.
It is true that they lose nothing *right now*, but again I say that this may not necessarily be the best strategic decision. Streamed content and Internet-connected "smart" TVs seems to be the future of television, and so far nobody has been able to break the floodgates of revenue in that market.
Apple, however, has a proven track record of entering emerging markets and raking in the profits for themselves and their partners.
You're putting too much weight on the words of one self-aggrandizing CEO.
-dZ.