Qualcomm is putting the kibosh on it struggling Flo TV mobile broadcast service, according to a
paidContent report today. The company plans to wind down the mobile TV service by
year's end. In an investor conference call in July, Qualcomm chairman and CEO Paul Jacobs indicated the company was in discussions to sell off the unit in the next year. Jacobs had previously
acknowledged Flo TV had failed to meet expectations for consumer uptake despite a big promotional push around major sports events this year like the Super Bowl and the World Cup.
Flo TV had
partnered with AT&T and Verizon Wireless to power mobile TV on the the carriers' networks before launching its direct-to-consumer service in 2008 and a dedicated Flo TV portable device the
following year. But the offering never caught on with viewers to the extent envisioned by Qualcomm.