(Bloomberg) – At Apple Inc.’s much-hyped developer conference, musician Drake spoke about Apple’s new streaming-music service. Executive Eddy Cue did an awkward dance while showing off its features. And journalists struggled with the correct spelling of musical guest Weeknd.
What wasn’t announced Monday in San Francisco — a new TV service — may be more telling about the challenges facing Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook as he seeks new sources of revenue. The company, which had been negotiating with potential partners, scrapped plans to introduce a service because it wasn’t ready, people familiar with the effort have said.
Streaming TV would’ve been the third leg in a new media push to keep Apple at the center of people’s digital lives — a source of not just music and information, but also video entertainment. The Cupertino, California-based company revealed Apple Music, a service aimed at taking on Spotify Ltd. and Pandora Music Inc., and an app that compiles news stories from outlets such as the New York Times and ESPN. Taken as a whole, the efforts show how Apple is trying to ensure its devices remain a hub for users’ entertainment needs.