Apple might soon be producing original video content, challenging the leading video streaming companies Netflix and Amazon Prime, according to a report from Variety. In recent weeks, several meetings have reportedly taken place between the Cupertino-based tech firm and Hollywood executives for gauging if they would be interested in helping in the production of original movies and TV shows.
In addition to subscription TV service
Eddy Cue, Apple’s head of Internet software and services, is the one to whom the Apple unit handling the discussions reports to. By next year, the company reportedly plans to create long-form content, for which hiring will start soon.
Apple has been said to be working on a Web-based subscription TV service, and original movies and TV shows would be a valuable component for it. The service is expected to provide programming from about 25 channels, including all the major networks like ABC, CBS and Fox. These channels will reportedly be available on all devices running Apple’s iOS, including the Apple TV, according to the report. This service was expected to be announced in June, and the service was said to be similar to Dish’s Sling TV and Sony’s PlayStation Vue.
The Variety’s report comes at a time when Apple is very close to its launch event at San Francisco, where it is expected to unveil its next new products – the next iPhone or iPhones and a new Apple TV box that will potentially be launched alongside the rumored Internet-delivered television service.
TV programming – the next logical step for Apple
In recent months, several over-the-top TV services have become available due to the recognition of the long-term importance of appealing to so-called “cord cutters.” Cord cutters are the users who switch from traditional pay-TV to Internet-based video.
For Apple’s entertainment strategy, the delivery of TV programming is the most logical step forward. Apple wants to create stable products and services to keep its customers from opting for competitors’ products. The company has been hinting for quite some time that it is developing of a more complete over-the-top video streaming service, but the product does not seem to be ready.
“TV is a hard problem to solve,” Cue said in May. “One of the problems you have with a TV is you have a disparate system with a bunch of providers. There’s no standards. There’s a lot of rights issues.”
