Apple discussing new streaming set-top box with Comcast - report

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  • Reply 21 of 34
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Here we go again...
    AT&T bought Cingular and got iPhone. Verizon got left behind...
    Comcast will buy TimeWarner cable and get iTV. Will Verizon get left behind again?

    Actually Comcast almost has to do this because Verizon's purchase of Intel's digital TV platform.

    The start of something big? Time will tell.
    I hope they get with U-verse for selfish reasons. Honestly though, iTV companies like Uverse and fios seem to be better fits anyway.
    msantti wrote: »
    It sucks when you have to make a deal with Comcrap.

    And besides any profit on the box, where is the pot of gold for Apple at the end of this rainbow?

    How about iTunes rentals? Could you imagine them getting into Comcast/time Warner's client base with it being easy to purchase iTunes rental? Maybe they split it 50/50? It'd be a huge win for both sides potentially. Just sit patient and wait- we'll likely know more in a max of 6 months time.
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  • Reply 22 of 34
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Ha, Amazon is down over 3% and Netflix almost 8% just because of this report in the WSJ.
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  • Reply 23 of 34
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    antkm1 wrote: »
    look at the example of HBO Go app and ESPN app.  Those apps require a cable sub. to work.  With this rumored deal between Netflix and Comcast, who's to say Netflix will not start requiring a cable sub. to access content on ATV?  With Comcast in rumored talks to buy NBC/Universal (who owns Hulu+)...who's to say if that deal goes through, Hulu might require a Cable sub to work on the ATV.  and so on and so forth.  I'm sure Apple will release a device that does work without a cable sub., but who's to say all those app that are currently sub-free aren't going to change their terms of service?

    I do get my internet though cable, however to use apps that require a cable sub...you must have a TV subscription to use said apps currently.  not just a data subscription.
    Doesn't Comcast already own NBC/Universal?
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  • Reply 24 of 34
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,733member
    rogifan wrote: »
    Ha, Amazon is down over 3% and Netflix almost 8% just because of this report in the WSJ.

    Must be the reason Google is down today too.
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  • Reply 25 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by antkm1 View Post

     

    look at the example of HBO Go app and ESPN app.  Those apps require a cable sub. to work.  With this rumored deal between Netflix and Comcast, who's to say Netflix will not start requiring a cable sub. to access content on ATV?


     

    I don't think that would happen. Netflix would lose a lot of subscribers if that were the case. I'm actually more concerned that Apple's deal with Comcast turns the AppleTV platform into something like XBOX Live, requiring a yearly fee just to use apps like Netflix or Hulu+.

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  • Reply 26 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by msantti View Post



    It sucks when you have to make a deal with Comcrap.



    And besides any profit on the box, where is the pot of gold for Apple at the end of this rainbow?

    People also thought that it sucked when Apple made a deal with ATT.

     

    Relax. This is how it starts. I think it'll be huge (if it comes to pass).


     

    Yeah, Apple just needs a cable provider to start leveraging with for now. They'll learn how to optimize their soft/hardware for the cable infrastructure just like they did for the cell networks.

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  • Reply 27 of 34
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    I personally do not believe Apple which close a deal with Comcast. To put in perspective for those who are not familiar with how the whole cable industry works. Comcast is like Verizon when the iphone was in development, and TWC is like Cingular(AT&T). TWC is forward thinking and willing to do new things, they were not stuck on this how they always done things in the past so they are willing to give Apple's ideal a chance and see what happens. Worked out well for AT&T as we all know.

     

    Comcast, has their own vision of what the future will be as did Verizon at the time. Comcast is working on their own solution which they feel is better than anything you can get from Hulu, NetFlix, Amazon or even Apple. If there is in fact a discussion going on with Comcast and Apple it probably similar to the Comcast NetFlix discussion about having to pay extra to allow there content to be stream to your home. 

     

    I highly doubt that Comcast is going to do a deal with Apple to provide streaming content solution. If apple has in fact figured out the solution, it may look like something similar to how they rolled out the Iphone. I said this before, Apple could have partner with TWC and have them provide all the content and Apple provided the hardware and software solutions and the end user with a broadband connection could access TWC content anywhere they like. Thus they could turn off their video service from the local Cable TV company and only subscribe to internet access and watch and pay for only what they wanted.

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  • Reply 28 of 34
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Must be the reason Google is down today too.

    Btches be scurred!
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  • Reply 29 of 34
    kpluckkpluck Posts: 500member
    And so it begins, first Netflix and now Apple. Big, established companies can buy their way through problems while new startups will be shutout. The innovation on the internet, R.I.P.

    How we experience things over the internet will be completely different in 5-10 years.

    -kpluck
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  • Reply 30 of 34
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by kpluck View Post

    How we experience things over the internet will be completely different in 5-10 years.

     

    There won’t be an Internet in 5-10 years if they get their way.

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  • Reply 31 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by antkm1 View Post



    well, that's it. if the next ATV requires a pay-tv service to work. I'm out. We cut our cable service off over a year ago an I don't miss that $120/mo cable bill one bit. (we get over-air, Hulu, Netflix on the ATV). I've been waiting to upgrade my Gen 2 ATV (the first "hockey puck" 720p) since what seems like forever and a day and if this is the future of ATV, i don't want any part of it. If this happens, it can only mean that Apple really wanted to get this new device on the market, but couldn't do it without brown-nosing big-media. Net-neutrality is doomed!

    It won't

     

    It's the other way around.  Comcast will start offering "a 'Smart Settop Box'" that is an AppleTV.

     

    The 'talks' will be how much of the partnership will be exclusive functions to Comcast.  Apple will demand absolutely none.   And will win.   The key is to have a cable company integrate/allow a non-Comcast owned box on it's network, and it's an AppleTV with a Comcast App, that they configure.   The key thing will be (my theory on steve's 'solved it' moment) that all metadata from comcast is searchable on 

     

    Just last night we were watching network TV on our non-cable cable (municipal fiberoptic), and hated the commercials.   In the brave new AppleTV world... you'd click a button... and get 'viewing options' on the show you're watching (HD channel, old shows, commercial free versions on iTunes), or go to main menu and you'll be able to search for 'live sports (or live whatever)' that spans cable/OTA, iTunes Streams, App Streams (NBA.com, NHL.com WWE... oops, we were talking sports, not 'entertainment').... then point, click, click again to pay with your Apple ID if needed... and you're watching.

     

    I see the simple box is an Apple TV with a cable connector, (10)Gigabit ethernet, Optical Digital audio out, and HDMI out (maybe 3.5mm 2.1 out). Replaces Cable box and most home theater boxes.

     

    The key is a box that can search Apple's Content using siri/gestures, other Apps Content, and cable content in one pass.   This is the key to transition from cable to Internet.

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  • Reply 32 of 34
    paul94544paul94544 Posts: 1,027member

    To be honest I stopped my comcast cable service about 2 years ago, I was being chargedabout $140 pm this was the triple play deal. Now I'm paying about $85 for high speed internet (25Gbits) and I got an over the air attenna which sucks to be honest. I do have more time though because there no way to watch reruns , the only thing I miss is watching baseball and some big sporting events and Independent Film Channel and SCIfi channel, I pay for amazon and netflix and sometimes buy movies on iTunes. I wish we could move towards buying individual channels. This deal looks like it will make that harder. oh well , the only difference in cost between internet and adding cable is about $50 for extended basic. not a huge amount really considering I have to get netflix and amazon as well. I don't think there any way really of saving much on media , the bottom line is they are going to get you for at least $100 pm up to $200pm, that not really all that much when you consider health Insurance, utilities are a lot higher. Just pay your money and take you chances , You might shave a few $$ of by haggling with them but is it really worth t?

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  • Reply 33 of 34
    antkm1antkm1 Posts: 1,441member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post





    Doesn't Comcast already own NBC/Universal?

    i know the talks have been on-going but i haven't heard if there was a buy-out or merger or not...yet.

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  • Reply 34 of 34
    antkm1antkm1 Posts: 1,441member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

     

    I find it odd that you'd blame Apple for something the content providers do to collude with the distributors.


    I am not blaming apple for anything.  might not want to put words in my mouth and re-read what i've said.  I blame the content owners should anything of what i've state comes to pass.

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