Parks Associates' Scherf said that if Apple really wants to revolutionize the video delivery business, it will have to position the new device and service to a mass market, as it did with the iPhone, rather than to a small niche, as it did with its barely discussed Apple TV.

Scherf said he thinks people will be slower to cut their cable TV than they were to cut their land-line phones.

But cable providers and broadcasters could ignite the trend if they take their brinksmanship too far and popular channels go dark for extended periods.

"The dumbest thing that could happen here is that they allow this to occur right before college football season starts," Scherf said. "I want my ESPN."

From the article, "Cable disputes could lead TV viewers to other options" by Victor Godine

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