Apple reportedly in talks with EPIX over content for new TV
Sources claim that Apple initiated talks earlier in 2012 to incorporate movie properties owned by movie streaming service EPIX in its Apple TV, with the content possibly in line to be used by the Cupertino, Calif., company's rumored HDTV.
According to two unnamed sources, EPIX, a three-year-old movie streaming service created by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, MGM and Viacom's Paramount Pictures, would offer streaming of much-needed premium Hollywood content to Apple's set-top box, reports Reuters.
One of the sources also said that the agreement would include future Apple television products as well, hinting that the computer giant is indeed planning to release a internet-connected HDTV.
Rumors about the device have been swirling for over a year, though the whispers have so far been here-say and no concrete evidence has been discovered. A recent report claims that the product will be called the "iPanel" and will launch sometime in 2012.
The deal is still in the negotiations phase and an agreement is not expected any time soon. Besides its own streaming site, EPIX is currently beholden to an exclusive $200 million a year deal with Netflix that ends in September.
Currently on EPIX's roster of films are "Rango" and "The Lincoln Lawyer," and Netflix announced that the service will add "Thor" and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" soon.
According to two unnamed sources, EPIX, a three-year-old movie streaming service created by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, MGM and Viacom's Paramount Pictures, would offer streaming of much-needed premium Hollywood content to Apple's set-top box, reports Reuters.
One of the sources also said that the agreement would include future Apple television products as well, hinting that the computer giant is indeed planning to release a internet-connected HDTV.
Rumors about the device have been swirling for over a year, though the whispers have so far been here-say and no concrete evidence has been discovered. A recent report claims that the product will be called the "iPanel" and will launch sometime in 2012.
The deal is still in the negotiations phase and an agreement is not expected any time soon. Besides its own streaming site, EPIX is currently beholden to an exclusive $200 million a year deal with Netflix that ends in September.
Currently on EPIX's roster of films are "Rango" and "The Lincoln Lawyer," and Netflix announced that the service will add "Thor" and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" soon.
Comments
Isn't EPIX already available for Google TV? Is Apple's intent something more involved?
These panels then?
http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2012/04/16/sharp-igzo-panels/1
On a side note...(literally):
Every forum view of front page news in huddler's infinite wisdom are now graced on the side with this review:
Quote:
The venerable i4 hangs in there as the runaway first choice for impoverished buyers wanting to appear as though they own the "latest and greatest".
That being said, the iPhone 4 is an excellent choice for first-time smartphone buyers who are looking for a bargain phone that is "good enough". While it supports the vast majority of apps, one can question whether the kind of people buying an iPhone 4 at Wal*Mart will download them.
Lol, he's funny I got to give him that.
Why bother doing any streaming deals with the studios. Just put Netflix/Lovefilm/whatever on the Apple TV and let them worry about the complexities, royalties and costs of it all. If Apple sticks to it's purchase to own model then we as users get the best of all worlds: rent, stream or download. According to Apple they don't make any money from iTunes anyway, it's just there to provide a service to their users.
Here is the headline I want to see:
"AppleInsider in talks over new and improved actual rumors about Apple products - including MacBook Pro's and Mac Pro's"
Come on, Intel released the chips, "supplies are constrained" and not a single peep about anything in quite a while?
I would trade 400 of the stupid "Android vs iPhone market share" articles for one decent half-true rumor about new Macs.
EPIX is really lousy about advertising. I don't think I've ever heard of it.
I just visited their home page. It is snail slow to load. If that is their best then how do they even stream shows?
They have a free trial.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaun, UK
Why bother doing any streaming deals with the studios. Just put Netflix/Lovefilm/whatever on the Apple TV and let them worry about the complexities, royalties and costs of it all. If Apple sticks to it's purchase to own model then we as users get the best of all worlds: rent, stream or download. According to Apple they don't make any money from iTunes anyway, it's just there to provide a service to their users.
Have you seen the content available on Netflix? It is horrid. I have no need to watch Mega Shark Vs. Mutant Squid VI.
At this point I just mentally filter anything that anyone says about the "Apple HDTV" to "Apple TV", the box, the one that makes actual sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaun, UK
Why bother doing any streaming deals with the studios. Just put Netflix/Lovefilm/whatever on the Apple TV and let them worry about the complexities, royalties and costs of it all
because not everyone wants to deal with Netflix.
That said, I highly doubt this is and was anything more than wanting them to make an app similar to how Netflix is handled (so no real royalties etc for Apple to deal with) and they were told that Epix had a deal with Netflix that would block such things. So they shook hands with a 'well lets talk again when that deal is ending, m'kay'
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smallwheels
EPIX is really lousy about advertising. I don't think I've ever heard of it.
I just visited their home page. It is snail slow to load. If that is their best then how do they even stream shows?
They have a free trial.
i hate epix. it's really slow to buff and it makes my browser hangs
Watching a trial of EPIX on Dish this weekend. Very few 3 or 4 star movies. Mostly 2 star movies that are 9 months or older. This is not top tier programming or top tier pay channel. Not much to see here. This seems like desperation on the part of Apple to sign up anybody to buy into Apple's new TV paradigm.
Great...because that's all we need is another choice. I'm so sick of the fragmentation of the entertainment industry. Don't they realize we just want one source for this? I'm sure they don't care. We just want to see all the media from a single source and we want all our existing stuff to work with that source. I'm just so tired of having to go to multiple places to watch digital content. Netflix for old stuff and iTunes for new releases is about all I want to do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by antkm1
Great...because that's all we need is another choice. I'm so sick of the fragmentation of the entertainment industry. Don't they realize we just want one source for this? I'm sure they don't care. We just want to see all the media from a single source and we want all our existing stuff to work with that source. I'm just so tired of having to go to multiple places to watch digital content. Netflix for old stuff and iTunes for new releases is about all I want to do.
I thought you were being sarcastic at first, but you're not…
Yes. All we do need IS another choice. Having everything in one place does nothing for competition.