Apple aims to launch TV service in 100+ countries, US debut expected in 1H 2019

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited October 2018
Apple's rumored TV subscription service will premiere in the U.S. in the first half of 2019, and reach over 100 countries by the end of the year, a report claimed on Tuesday.

iOS 12 TV app


Apple is beginning to talk with programmers about what it's willing to pay to carry shows and movies, sources told The Information. As expected, original Apple shows should be free, but people will be able to pay for subscriptions to third-party networks. Content should vary from country to country, reflecting the complicated licensing landscape -- HBO for example licenses it shows to services like Sky in the U.K.

Some media companies are allegedly concerned about how their content will be presented alongside Apple's. That may be warranted, as on the Apple TV for example services like iTunes are front-and-center, forcing people to go to the App Store to access options like Prime Video.

A recent CNBC report claimed that Apple may ultimately launch its own paid Netflix-style service, but that it's looking to find "tent pole" shows that could draw in viewers. Much of the success of Netflix has been linked to original hits like "Daredevil" and "Stranger Things."

Some critics are already concerned about Apple's chances, as the company is reportedly going for "family-friendly" content that might have a hard time luring people away from shows like "Game of Thrones" and "Good Omens."

Some of Apple's upcoming shows include a morning show drama with Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Steve Carell, and an adaption of Isaac Asimov's famous "Foundation" novels.
Coujo

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    I, for one, appreciate Apple's focus on family-friendly content. I have 3 kids and I like being able to watch shows with them. I'm also a big Isaac Asimov fan and I am really looking forward to the Foundation series.
    lolliverracerhomie3chasmCoujo
  • Reply 2 of 10
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    If Apple does in fact launch a TV service, it's going to be interesting to see the prices. The streaming TV service market is getting pretty crowded so Apple will have to be pretty competitive price wise. 
  • Reply 3 of 10
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    In my country iTunes has a much broader and deeper range of content than any of the streaming services. If that could translate to a subscription service it would be quite impressive. Content providers would no doubt restrict what could be part of a subscription, and what would still have to be bought/rented.
    and then there is price. If Apple offered freebies or discounts for owners of Apple hardware, it might be subject to anticompetitive practice accusations.
  • Reply 4 of 10
    If Apple does in fact launch a TV service, it's going to be interesting to see the prices. The streaming TV service market is getting pretty crowded so Apple will have to be pretty competitive price wise. 
    Per rumors, Apple's own first-party content will be free for Apple device owners.  It's third-part content that users will have to pay for.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    I, for one, appreciate Apple's focus on family-friendly content. I have 3 kids and I like being able to watch shows with them. I'm also a big Isaac Asimov fan and I am really looking forward to the Foundation series.

    I'm in the same boat. There are plenty of other options out there like HBO & Showtime. Looking at the list of shows Apple is putting out looks like it will be a very welcome approach for our family. 
    racerhomie3
  • Reply 6 of 10
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,275member
    One thing you can be sure of: Apple does not enter markets unless it has what it thinks is a competitive advantage. I’ll be interested to see what they think that advantage is, but I would expect this to be aimed very much at people like myself who don’t have — or want — cable.
  • Reply 7 of 10
    Hopefully the AppleTV's potential will be unleashed globally.
    I am certainly looking forward to it.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    CoujoCoujo Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    I, for one, appreciate Apple's focus on family-friendly content. I have 3 kids and I like being able to watch shows with them. I'm also a big Isaac Asimov fan and I am really looking forward to the Foundation series.
    I too am very interested in the Foundation series, probably the best of Asimov’s œvre IMO. I can’t wait to see Apple’s adaptation of it!
  • Reply 9 of 10
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    chasm said:
    One thing you can be sure of: Apple does not enter markets unless it has what it thinks is a competitive advantage. I’ll be interested to see what they think that advantage is, but I would expect this to be aimed very much at people like myself who don’t have — or want — cable.
    It's advantage is venue, they can hit the highest demo people across all countries, and increasing stickyness of all its offering.
    They're basically doing the equivalent to the wholy sponsored shows of the past except in this case, they also own the "station" too and well, you can only see those shows on those TV's.
    When leaving the ecosystem, they make it so that you're always needing to leave SOMETHING you truly like making the choice increasingly hard.
    edited October 2018
  • Reply 10 of 10
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member
    Coujo said:
    I, for one, appreciate Apple's focus on family-friendly content. I have 3 kids and I like being able to watch shows with them. I'm also a big Isaac Asimov fan and I am really looking forward to the Foundation series.
    I too am very interested in the Foundation series, probably the best of Asimov’s œvre IMO. I can’t wait to see Apple’s adaptation of it!
    Well...(Heinlien's) Starship Troopers was a good book too. And so was I, Robot. My preference was that they could have picked a more modest start: perhaps a 4 part mini-series of Nightfall; or revisit the Robot stories in a serial. Heck, even Takes of the Black Widowers would be a nifty series if you want to do Azimov's works. I fear Foundation will turn out like the TV treatment of Hornblower.
    edited October 2018
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