Walmart ditches plans to compete with Apple & others in streaming video arena
Walmart is reportedly abandoning plans to launch a Netflix-like streaming video service, which could take one more threat out of the equation for Apple's own upcoming launch.
Walmart's Vudu.
The decision was made sometime after the collapse of talks with former Epix CEO Mark Greenberg, said CNBC sources. Walmart was allegedly uncomfortable about making necessary content investments, given the bar set by players like Netflix, which may have spent as much as $13 billion in 2018.
Greenberg proposed the idea of a service targeting "Middle America," the sources explained. He's also said to have brought the same concept to retailers such as Costco, without any deals so far -- notably, Costco may be exploring the possibility of a service for people with $120 Executive memberships.
Walmart is instead expected to work on improving Vudu, its movie and TV service geared towards rentals and purchases with a limited amount of ad-supported free content. That could eventually turn into something bigger, as hinted by it developing an original series based on the 1983 comedy "Mr. Mom."
The war for the dollars of online streaming customers is set to become intense in the next two years, joined by services like Disney+ and one from NBCUniversal.
Apple is launching its service sometime this year. The company is spending at least $1 billion on original content -- mostly TV shows, but also some films, much like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Initially the company may make first-party content free to watch on its hardware, counting on subscriptions to outside services to make money.
Beyond that it's thought be seeking "tentpole" shows that could support a paid platform. It remains to be seen however if Apple is willing to accept the sort of uncensored material that attracts people to platforms like Netflix or HBO.
Walmart's Vudu.
The decision was made sometime after the collapse of talks with former Epix CEO Mark Greenberg, said CNBC sources. Walmart was allegedly uncomfortable about making necessary content investments, given the bar set by players like Netflix, which may have spent as much as $13 billion in 2018.
Greenberg proposed the idea of a service targeting "Middle America," the sources explained. He's also said to have brought the same concept to retailers such as Costco, without any deals so far -- notably, Costco may be exploring the possibility of a service for people with $120 Executive memberships.
Walmart is instead expected to work on improving Vudu, its movie and TV service geared towards rentals and purchases with a limited amount of ad-supported free content. That could eventually turn into something bigger, as hinted by it developing an original series based on the 1983 comedy "Mr. Mom."
The war for the dollars of online streaming customers is set to become intense in the next two years, joined by services like Disney+ and one from NBCUniversal.
Apple is launching its service sometime this year. The company is spending at least $1 billion on original content -- mostly TV shows, but also some films, much like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Initially the company may make first-party content free to watch on its hardware, counting on subscriptions to outside services to make money.
Beyond that it's thought be seeking "tentpole" shows that could support a paid platform. It remains to be seen however if Apple is willing to accept the sort of uncensored material that attracts people to platforms like Netflix or HBO.
Comments
I wonder if Apple's streaming content will be priced like its electronic goods. Luxury high prices, with series and movies costing double the competition. You can't see them without an adapter. If you pay for Season 2, it's even more expensive than Season 1 and only subtly different. Etc.
I mainly shop at Costco & Amazon. I suppose Walmart could put in a mini Best Buy, but I haven’t been to a Best Buy in years...
I can just see Walmart being even less competent (that Best Buy) selling tech... that would be amusing.
Walmart selling cheap trash is kind of limiting.
I think Android actually killed off the competition more than Apple. I’ll give Apple credit for Microsoft phone and Blackberry...
I cut the cord to save money. Not to sign up to everyone else to pay them. I sure as hell don't have time to watch what I have now these days. I have Hundreds of movies I've ripped from my DVD's, HD DVD's and Blue-Rays that are on my NAS and watching with PLEX. I have my large Antenna to get a number of OTA channels, that's free. I get Netflix and have Amazon. 2 services I had before I cut the cord. So I don't consider them some new charge. That's far, far more content then what I could dream of watching as a kid, when there is NO Internet. We only had a Antenna that picked up a few Analog channels. I would go next door and watch their TV, generally MTV, back when it was actually mostly Music Videos!!! Back when it was also only HBO, which I remember had it's own Box.
Now all these company's think a bunch of people will jump on and pay $10+ a month for THEIR service. I all ready pay for Apple Music and I hardly listen to it. I'\m sure as hell not going to pay anything more on top of that. In fact I've been thinking of canceling service. I wish they had a cheaper option. Like limit the hours per month for $5 a month.
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/07/11/here-are-all-of-the-future-tv-shows-that-apple-has-signed-deals-for
"I don't see the point of all these streaming services." followed by three streaming services you subscribe to, and memories of another service that featured original content on cable way back when you were walking uphill both ways to school in the snow and fending off dinosaurs, that now does streaming.
¯\(°_o)/¯
Then there's, "You can't see them without an adapter." Dumb, I watch content via Apple devices all the time with no adapter (unless one considers an HDMI cable an adapter, but that's quite a stretch.)
That was a pretty silly post overall.