Apple's streaming video hits iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV for free in early 2019
Apple is reportedly narrowing in on a way of serving up its slate of high-budget TV shows, the plan being to pair its original content with subscriptions from outside companies.
An Apple service will be highlighted in the "TV" app pre-installed on iPhones, iPads, and the Apple TV, sources told CNBC. People who own one of those devices will be able to watch Apple-owned shows for free, but the company is allegedly planning to offer access to subscription "channels" for outside online services.
As a part of the effort, Apple is expected to launch an overhauled version of the TV app early next year.
Further on, Apple is hoping to score "tent pole" shows that could prop up its own paid service akin to Netflix, the sources added. These would however follow the company's philosophy of aiming for family-friendly content, meaning it won't have an equivalent of "Game of Thrones," "Mindhunter," or other draws to services like HBO and Netflix.
Apple has tasked Time Warner Cable's former chief strategy officer, Peter Stern, with forging the contracts it needs to assemble a service. Stern is also said to be in charge of attracting publications to Texture, the magazine subscription service it picked up earlier in 2018, but dealing with resistance to giving Apple control of the subscribing billing relationship, since they would rather have their own ways of deterring cancellations.
Rumors that Apple's TV shows would be free perks in the "TV" app have been around for some time, but until now it wasn't clear how the company might make money on the prospect. Apple is believed to be spending at least $1 billion on its first wave.
An Apple service will be highlighted in the "TV" app pre-installed on iPhones, iPads, and the Apple TV, sources told CNBC. People who own one of those devices will be able to watch Apple-owned shows for free, but the company is allegedly planning to offer access to subscription "channels" for outside online services.
As a part of the effort, Apple is expected to launch an overhauled version of the TV app early next year.
Further on, Apple is hoping to score "tent pole" shows that could prop up its own paid service akin to Netflix, the sources added. These would however follow the company's philosophy of aiming for family-friendly content, meaning it won't have an equivalent of "Game of Thrones," "Mindhunter," or other draws to services like HBO and Netflix.
Apple has tasked Time Warner Cable's former chief strategy officer, Peter Stern, with forging the contracts it needs to assemble a service. Stern is also said to be in charge of attracting publications to Texture, the magazine subscription service it picked up earlier in 2018, but dealing with resistance to giving Apple control of the subscribing billing relationship, since they would rather have their own ways of deterring cancellations.
Rumors that Apple's TV shows would be free perks in the "TV" app have been around for some time, but until now it wasn't clear how the company might make money on the prospect. Apple is believed to be spending at least $1 billion on its first wave.
Comments
Luckly for Apple they have a @#$& load of money to throw at the problem.
It might be best if Apple just buys Sony, who has some interesting assets, to kickstart the effort.
Apple doesn’t like spending in big chunks, but it would pay off in the long run.
I can also see a subscription ad service. Set up a preferences for ads, and when those run during some content, the ad buy pays the viewer some nominal amount - 1 penny per minute of ads or some discounts or the like.
People like free stuff, and will kill for rewards and air miles.
I always dreamed of free Apple TV content but IDK if this is the case here. Remember none of this is confirmed and they may have a free 90 day trial like Apple Music which may explain the "free" tag. The service being exclusive to Apple devices will still generate sales but free content would make sales go through the roof! Something Apple TV needs!
Sorry, but don’t be in the world of being profitable, unless you’re trying to sell a gay CEO to evangelists, with family friendly content. You might as well buy the Disney Channel.
Most people are sexually suppressed, frustrated, and they seek sex and violence/power to compensate for what’s missing in their life.
Apple: get used to it, you’re a channel, not a guardian. Leave the latter to the police...
Nobody said they’re a guardian. Channels are free to produce the art and content they’re interested in. Home Improvement Network doesn’t need R-rated content. Nor have most networks. It works for some channels and doesn’t for others. Getting upset that Apple won’t produce its own R-rated original content is one of the silliest things I’ve come across in some time.
A billion or so in content is nothing for Apple and would generate more sales. It's still a tiny fraction of what Netflix spends in 1 year.
A huge chunk of Apple’s customers are college age and up, unmarried, without kids. And plenty more parents would probably enjoy some good grown up entertainment after the kids are in bed. It just seems foolish for Apple to limit themselves in this way. Most people in Hollywood aren’t itching to work for the Disney Channel. If Apple wants to attract talent, they can’t (and shouldn’t anyway!) play nanny. They’ve already lost people over creative differences and their shows haven’t even launched.
What’s interesting is that many of the shows they’re producing don’t sound particularly appealing to kids. How many kids want to watch a show about a morning talk show, for example? I don’t think Apple is looking to challenge Disney for the kid dollars. Their shows are going to be adult in nature, but probably restricted in the same ways as network TV in terms of language and nudity. Cook apparently likes shows like Friday Night Lights. I think that’s the sort of flavor to expect from their productions. In other words, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
This just undermines many arguments that Apple shouldn't give something away for free, however little it costs them, like a 3.5mm headphone adapter. If Apple produces quality content, people will subscribe to it. If they don't, giving it away for free doesn't help anybody.
People complaining about possible FREE content. I this U2 album 2.0?
About the kids not running into adult content, this problem is HUGE with Youtube and even Netflix.
Unfortunately this doesn't NOT work on Netflix!
I spent so much time trying to block Sausage Party from the kids only to find out you can't.
Netflix has this stupid(and I mean S-T-U-P-I-D) "restrict content" option that only restricts R-rated content from Netflix originals. Anything else cannot be blocked and is not blocked when you "block" it.
What a fu**ing mess!
If Apple is planning to revamp the TV app and allow customers to subscribe to channels/services from within the app, what’s the point of the App Store? It becomes unnecessary. Could the next version of AppleTV be just a media streamer built around the TV app?