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Apple reportedly moving forward w/ streaming TV service deals, aiming for late fall debut

Apple’s talks with networks for its upcoming streaming TV cable service are well underway, according to the New York Post. The four main broadcast networks are involved: ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. Apple’s 30% revenue share of the subscription fee remains a point of contention, but the report claims that negotiations are rapidly gaining momentum with Apple targeting a late fall launch of its new TV product.

Disney or CBS will apparently be the first companies to sign up with Apple and get the skinny TV package deal rolling. Apple wants to have channels like Disney’s ESPN and Discovery in the mix too. Apple is also interested in getting local live TV as part of the package, as has been previously reported. According to the report, Apple has worked out a way to speed up the process so it doesn’t have to negotiate with every local affiliate network across the country itself.

“But networks don’t control affiliate feeds. So Apple CEO Tim Cook’s team asked the networks to obtain those rights — instead of having Apple chase those rights around the country itself.
Now, it seems, Cook’s strategy is paying off, sources said. The networks are close to having the right to negotiate with Apple on behalf of their affiliates, the sources added.”

Apple is getting ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox to handle the minutiae of the rights deals with local broadcasters rather than Apple itself. The networks are close to having the ability to negotiate with Apple on behalf of the local affiliates. They are being notified by networks that they can opt in to Apple’s plans and share in the revenue of the Apple streaming service.

Cook and Cue were once again present at the Sun Valley conference last week. At the event, they were spotted chatting with the NFL commissioner which may indicate an NFL offering becoming part of the rumored Apple TV streaming service.

The new streaming bundle is expected to debut this fall alongside new Apple TV hardware, which will feature an App Store, more powerful internals and a revamped remote.

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Comments

  1. robertsm76 - 9 years ago

    Can’t wait.

  2. Cory © (@Nardes) - 9 years ago

    Do we think current Apple TVs are going to be able to do the streaming tv service? I’d think they’d want it to be able to with so many people that have it… obviously it might not have all the features but it would be much appreciated if they would do that

    • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

      Being able to and Apple adding the App(s) to do it are two very different things. I’m sure the aging device technical can do the streaming, but it’s not in Apple best interest to to make it available on the a4 and a5 chips in the older Apple tv’s. Sure with built in wifi, voice and body gestures,games and better image quality and processing everyone will be wanting the new device.

    • incredibilistic - 9 years ago

      My money’s on ‘no’ especially if a new remote is coming.

      We also have to keep in mind that Apple is a corporation and corporations have to make money. Releasing a new product and forcing users to buy it in order to enjoy Apple’s latest and greatest is par for the course. I still have a gen-4 iPad that still works beautifully but if I want to enjoy that tasty multitasking and PIP feature I’m gonna have to upgrade to the iPad Air 2 (or the rumored Pro).

      The fact that Apple dropped the price of the current hardware means they want to have more than one option on the shelf. One that’s in line with Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast and another that competes with the PS4’s Vue service.

      As much as it’d be nice for Apple to support the current hardware I’m don’t expect them to.

    • mattyhochs (@mattyhochs) - 9 years ago

      Apple’s probably about to debut A9 processors, and the current Apple TV is still stuck with A5. Definitely not.

  3. chrisl84 - 9 years ago

    Coming Late Fall, translation December 20th

  4. taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

    One thing that doesn’t get mentioned is Apple reaching deals with internet companies to offer the service without the service counting against data caps. It doesn’t matter if it has local channels or sports if you have to monitor your data usage.

  5. Inaba-kun (@Inaba_kun) - 9 years ago

    Sounds even more US focussed than the current ATV (which is abaondonware in every other country).

    Personally I couldn’t give a toss about live TV. I just want an ATV with a proper app store, so we can finally get some UK streaming services. We have a plethora of streaming services in the UK, but Apple seems to think all anyone needs is Netflix. Actually Apple, I think you’ll find us Brits are rather partial to BBC iPlayer too, and Amazon Instant Video, and 4OD, and MUBI, and Animax, and Demand 5, and ITV Player, and Blinkbox, and Spotify, and Google Music, and a load of others which you don’t know exist.

  6. bpmajesty - 9 years ago

    Hurrrrry! I’m ready to cut Comcast so bad. I just need a viable alternative.

  7. mikhailt - 9 years ago

    I have a feeling Apple is trying to avoid getting on DoJ’s radar for colluding with the companies, so they’re pushing it to the broadcast companies to work out the deals.

    Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News, and so on, are all content providers for Apple to make Spotlight proactive.

  8. The 3rd generation Apple TV will be able to do the streaming TV service just fine. The streaming service will be another app on the Apple TV. It’ll be an app on your iPhone and iPad as well and you’ll be able to stream any of the content that is available in your “Apple TV” account (most of which will be stored in your iCloud account if you have made a recording of something). The 3rd generation Apple TV is going to become the way to stream content to all the secondary TVs in your home but you will have a shiny brand new full feature Apple TV in your living room (with larger SSD storage built-in) that can communicate with the other Apple TVs and share content. It will be the much better hub DVR that all the cable companies have failed miserably at making.

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.