Apple, Disney working to bring WatchESPN app to Apple TV
Apple is currently in talks with Disney to bring the WatchESPN application, currently found on iPhone and iPad, to its Apple TV set-top box.
The two companies are engaging in discussions, but a deal isn't imminent, according to Bloomberg, which spoke with ESPN executive Sean Bratches. If a deal were to be struck ESPN subscribers would be able to watch ESPN's streaming content via the Apple TV.
WatchESPN is already available on the go with the iPad and iPhone, though it requires customers to subscribe to a participating cable operator. WatchESPN can also be accessed on Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console.
Disney frequently works closely with Apple, as Steve Jobs was the largest shareholder of the company after he sold Pixar, and Disney CEO Bob Iger became a member of Apple's board of directors last November.
"We're a platform-agnostic company," Bratches said. "To the extent that in the future there's an opportunity with Apple to authenticate through the pay-TV food chain as we're doing with Microsoft, that's something we'll participate in."
In March, it was said that ESPN was working with Apple on potentially bringing live sports scores to the Siri voice assistant application on the iPhone 4S. ESPN and ABC Sports were also the first to offer sports programming on Apple's iTunes in 2006.
The Apple TV already offers a number of streaming content options, including a number of sports-centric services like NHL Gamecenter, MLB.tv and NBA League Pass.
The two companies are engaging in discussions, but a deal isn't imminent, according to Bloomberg, which spoke with ESPN executive Sean Bratches. If a deal were to be struck ESPN subscribers would be able to watch ESPN's streaming content via the Apple TV.
WatchESPN is already available on the go with the iPad and iPhone, though it requires customers to subscribe to a participating cable operator. WatchESPN can also be accessed on Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console.
Disney frequently works closely with Apple, as Steve Jobs was the largest shareholder of the company after he sold Pixar, and Disney CEO Bob Iger became a member of Apple's board of directors last November.
"We're a platform-agnostic company," Bratches said. "To the extent that in the future there's an opportunity with Apple to authenticate through the pay-TV food chain as we're doing with Microsoft, that's something we'll participate in."
In March, it was said that ESPN was working with Apple on potentially bringing live sports scores to the Siri voice assistant application on the iPhone 4S. ESPN and ABC Sports were also the first to offer sports programming on Apple's iTunes in 2006.
The Apple TV already offers a number of streaming content options, including a number of sports-centric services like NHL Gamecenter, MLB.tv and NBA League Pass.
Comments
I'm getting tired of all the sports apps. How about Disney be a maverick and bring the Disney Channel to it?
Wake up, deeply entrenched TV and cable industries. Time to die.
How about live news?
Live news and live sports would make the Apple TV, even right now with no other changes, easily a third option around cable and satellite.
New contracts that force season pass TV shows to release the HOUR OF AIRING would be even better.
And then, what, streaming channels is the next step after that.
Ah. Forget that. Just go with streaming shows. Whatever show you want, whenever you want them… free. Ish.
So if you want to watch something live, it'll be on there live.
If you want to watch something later, it'll stream down later… but with the gaps for commercials.
And instead of regular commercials, we'd have, well, actual regular commercials. But they'd be named under the brand of "video iAds".
If you don't want commercials, you can pay for a season pass or buy the season, just like you've always been able to do with iTunes.
But NO idiotic popup ads at the bottom or sides of the screen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bdkennedy
I'm getting tired of all the sports apps. How about Disney be a maverick and bring the Disney Channel to it?
because live sports is more of a draw than the Disney Channel is
If im at home and I have cable, why wouldn't I just turn on the cable tv and watch out of my cable box? what advantage does having it on my apple tv give? Since the users are required to have existing cable, I don't see the advantage.
Your comment implies news exists in America.
I just want to know one thing...will this get around the blackout bull crap that MLB has with their browser-based version of streaming?
Quote:
Originally Posted by fishstick_kitty
I just want to know one thing...will this get around the blackout bull crap that MLB has with their browser-based version of streaming?
No it won't. You still get the same silly blackout rules which usually pops up on Saturday's when FOX has their broadcast
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
How about live news?
Live news and live sports would make the Apple TV, even right now with no other changes, easily a third option around cable and satellite.
New contracts that force season pass TV shows to release the HOUR OF AIRING would be even better.
And then, what, streaming channels is the next step after that.
Ah. Forget that. Just go with streaming shows. Whatever show you want, whenever you want them… free. Ish.
So if you want to watch something live, it'll be on there live.
If you want to watch something later, it'll stream down later… but with the gaps for commercials.
And instead of regular commercials, we'd have, well, actual regular commercials. But they'd be named under the brand of "video iAds".
If you don't want commercials, you can pay for a season pass or buy the season, just like you've always been able to do with iTunes.
But NO idiotic popup ads at the bottom or sides of the screen.
"Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere"
If AppleTV simply had the following I would compeletely drop cable and use AppleTV exclusively:
All major sports (College level and professional level, including baseball, basketball, American football, Ice Hockey, MMA (all Zuffa properties (UFC and Strikeforce) plus HDNet would be nice), wrestling ("Pro Wresting" (WWE properties (Raw and Smackdown). I don't watch much sports but I understand "a couple of people" watch
All major news outlets (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, Bloomberg)
If AppleTV had the following, a large number of people would drop cable, IMO:
Live streaming major TV channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, CW, FX, PBS, AMC, Azteca America, Create, Discovery, Disney, Disney XD, Hub, Ion, Me-TV, MyNetwork TV, NetGeo, Nickelodeon, TeenNick, qubo, Science, SyFy, TBS, TCM, Telefutura, Telemundo, TNT, USA, Univision, World, WGN) and
Genius-suggested programming as well as "Ping" allowing you to see what your friends and family are watching with
Time shifting (DVR) and triple tuners for OTA channels providing PIP (which likely necessitates a larger form factor, a television for example)
Financed by advertisement through iAd or "premium, no ad" TV (with iAds propagated across all Apple properties)
App Store
Game Center
Home Automation with "Made for AppleTV" integrated home automation products
Although I don't necessarily think Apple should purchase Amazon or eBay, imagine if Amazon or eBay were integrated with iAd allowing you to immediately purchase products without hassle while watching AppleTV iAds!
Wonder if they'll decouple this and the current requirements for having a CableTV service provider that permits it. Are TBS, TNT, FSN, & YES next?
I haven't seen any rumor yet that would make me leave DirecTV. I wish Apple would just buy DirecTV. I heard a while back they (and Dish) were looking for a buyer.
Checkout H1B/Visa/GreenCard/Salary report of Apple at
http://www.visasquare.com/visa-greencard/report/apple-inc-206108.html