The New York Postis reporting today that Apple is pushing ahead with plans to launch its own subscription TV service. The publication claims that Apple is looking to roll out the service by Christmas this year, despite serious push-back from major content providers.
We’vebeen hearing rumorsthat Apple was working on its own streaming video service for over a year now, but this seems like one of the first times we’ve heard the news from a major outlet…
From thePostarticle:
“For months, Apple’s point man, Eddie Cue, has been leading talks with content providers, which have largely balked at the tech giant’s efforts to exert control over all aspects of the video service, including pricing, sources said.
Apple’s negotiating stance can be summed up as “we decide the price, we decide what content,” according to one source familiar with the talks.
“They want everything for nothing,” said another media executive, echoing similar tense negotiations Apple has had in the past with magazine publishers and music companies.”
Apparently Apple’s plan is to offer TV channels as independent applications, available for viewing on all of Apple’s devices. Users will be able to pay monthly for each “app channel” separately, or possibly bundle them together in a cable-like package.
Such a move would make sense consideringhow much trouble Apple is said to be havingin its negotiations with content providers:
“They want to create the interface, and they wanted to work with the cable guys to manage bandwidth across the TV and broadband pipeline,” said one source familiar with the talks.
Instead, cable executives pretty much shut the door, preferring to keep Apple at a safe distance from the lucrative $150 billion pay-TV business.”
Earlier todaywe heard a reportfrom senior Apple analyst Gene Munster that Apple is planning on launching itsrumored television setthis fall. Combine that with a custom TV subscription service, and Apple could really shake things up in the TV and TV content industries this year. Interesting.
[MacRumors]
