Walmart may challenge Apple, Netflix & others with new streaming service

AppleInsider

Walmart is reportedly working on a new video streaming service separate from Vudu, with special help from Mark Greenberg, a key veteran of the TV industry.

Walmart's existing video service, Vudu.

The project is early in development and hasn't been formally approved by leadership, Deadline said. A decision isn't expected until later this summer or early fall.

Greenberg was most recently the CEO of Epix, which is best known for showing movies but has also been producing original shows like "Get Shorty" and "America Divided." He previously held high-level jobs at HBO, Showtime, and Blockbuster.

His career, along with the nature of Vudu, may hint at where Walmart is headed. The retailer could pair its own slate of original shows with movies from existing studios, perhaps even putting a strong emphasis on the latter. Vudu offers sales and rentals of movies and TV shows, many of which aren't available on services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, which would give Walmart a competitive edge if it could carry over much of that library.

Amazon likewise sells movies and shows that aren't available via subscription, however, so there's no guarantee of an advantage.

Apple is working on its own collection of high-budget shows set to premiere in 2019, possibly as soon as next March. Some of the titles known about so far include "See" starring Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard, a morning show drama with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, and an adaptation of Isaac Asimov's classic "Foundation" novels.

Still uncertain is how Apple plans to broadcast the material. It could potentially be bundled with other paid subscriptions such as Apple Music and premium News.

nunzy

Once Apple releases it's content, several studios will go up for sale. How could they compete?

rotateleftbyte

This certainly brings new meaning to 'The Shopping Channel'... ROFL.

It will certainly need a really compelling USP to get anywhere in what is a pretty crowded market.
Or will it show those YouTube videos of [redacted] and [redcated] and [redacted] people shopping at
Walmart 24/7?
I'd put a link but it would probably get removed.

maestro64

I have to assume that Walmart must have a who captive customer base, one's who would never think about using Netflix or other services. When HBO came of the idea of not showing other content owners shows and began making show which were uniquely HBO did things change. Everyone is via for their own unique content. 

Anyway, who is going to decide to sign up with Streaming by Walmart, with out unique content no one is going to play on that field of dreams.

dasanman69

nunzy said:

Once Apple releases it's content, several studios will go up for sale. How could they compete?

On the other platforms 

jbdragon

I don't see Apple as being much of a threat. For one thing, Apple being Apple, they really aren't doing adult content. I mean, come on, Amazing Stories? Carpool Karaoke? Basically content you can see on Broadcast channels. Not content yo pay for on HBO and other channels.

I don't see how any of them can get anywhere near Netflix and all of their Original content. Content for everyone. Tons of Kids content to more Adult programming. Not even Amazon Prime is close to a match. They're doing a fraction of what Netflix is doing.

Now Walmart wants to get into the act. All these services, not enough people!!! No one is going to be signing up to all of theses. 1 maybe 2, possibly 3 at most. I don't see Apple much of a threat at all either.

Folio

Field of new content suppliers (and maybe producers) keeps growing. No big corp wants to be left out. I doubt that Apple will only offer vanilla videos. Racy adult language music, for instance, is on iTunes. And if it doesn't produce nudity in shows that means it'll have to emphasize story, action etc. Some HBO flicks like Girls the nudity etc seems gratuitous. This is a fickle biz. Consider that HBO passed on Mad Men (and when the creator was a writer on the Sopranos too)! And Mad Men still raking in bucks on another network long after series ended.

claire1

designr said:

This is the great thing about the streaming technology...a proliferation of competitors bringing new options and choices.

Not necessarily. More choices causes fragmentation and is more expensive. "More competition means more choices" is usually applauded as good but that being better is a myth. This thinking is marketed by competition.