back to article Apple: Hey TV people, wanna be in the same place Samsung phones are these days?

Apple is reportedly in talks with television studios to develop original shows for its planned internet video-streaming service. A report from Hollywood business mag Variety cites sources who claim that Apple internet software and services boss Eddy Cue has been meeting studio executives to open up negotiations for original …

  1. Youngone Silver badge

    The price is right

    I'm sure the TV people will talk to Apple, and stop talking once they figure out that the only people Apple will allow to profit from any deal will be Apple.

    I have no doubt they've seen the amount of leverage the music business has over iTunes and would prefer to avoid that.

    1. Fitz_

      Re: The price is right

      So nobody that Apple works with ever makes any profit, only Apple are allowed to make profit? No developers on the OSX and iOS app stores and no record labels or bands on iTunes or Apple Music?

      Don't be ridiculous.

      1. Naselus

        Re: The price is right

        "no record labels or bands on ... Apple Music?"

        Um, firstly, I don't think ANYONE is making any money out of Apple Music.

        Secondly, you do recall that until Taylor Swift boycotted them, Apple were proposing to pay artists on Apple Music absolutely nothing for the first three months, right?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A bit restrictive?

    Given Apple's prudish tendencies, presumably even mainstream fare like Game of Thrones or The Tudors would be beyond the pale - far too many nips and butt cheeks!

    1. Mike Bell

      Re: A bit restrictive?

      Both these series are already available in iTunes.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    Oh deals! :)

    Looks like the magic of iTunes is fading and after the meh! of the music streaming service, they whant to repeat the dose now with tv content...(I need to ask the missus for more popcorn :) ).

    1. Chris Parsons

      Re: Oh deals! :)

      Is popcorn a secret codeword?

  4. Blake St. Claire

    not setting the bar very high

    > offer streaming video, similar to that of Netflix or Hulu.

    Netflix is okay. Is there anything worth watching on Hulu? Since Hulu+ came along I only watch The Simpsons. Sorry, I'm not going to pay for two steaming, er, streaming video services.

    1. ThomH

      Re: not setting the bar very high

      Hulu just added some great FX content — I finished Fargo (the series) yesterday. What's potentially interesting is the Showtime deal: you can get that content, including new episodes the day after transmission, if you pay an extra subscription. So it's possible they're trying to shift to being a lot more like a traditional cable or satellite service, though presumably without the arbitrary bundling.

    2. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

      Re: not setting the bar very high

      you seem to be forgetting 'Amazon Top Gear Prime'

      So we have Sky, VM, Talk(don't)-Talk, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Now-TV and probably a few others. Now Apple wants to muscle in on the act. How many PAY card slots does your TV have then?

      How many £9.99 + VAT (or a lost more when it comes to Sky & VM) per month do you want to pay every month from now until doomsday?

      Me? None of the above. I find that there is even less worth watching the more channels you have.

      1. Chris Parsons

        Re: not setting the bar very high

        @Steve Davies 3:

        Couldn't agree more. There is ALWAYS something better to do than watch tv.

  5. The Vociferous Time Waster

    I want...

    I want content, delivery and infrastructure from different people; this requires interoperability. Give me Netflix on Apple TV on my BT Internet and HBO/AMC without a separate device. All those companies like Sky who want to own the box and pipe so they can dictate the cost and which shows can go to hell.

    1. John L Ward

      Re: I want...

      And surely all this fragmentation driven by provider isolation will do is perpetuate the warez industry and the accompanying risks to the non-it downloaders who use it rather than paying multiple subscriptions.

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: I want...

        "perpetuate the warez industry"

        Yes, exactly what I came here to say. If content delivery is going to be even more broken up and separated across different platforms then it's only going to piss off the consumers who are more likely to get their content from "other sources".

        Just the other day in the pub I overheard one of the barmen telling the other how to install Kodi onto a TV stick (not sure which one he mentioned) but I did hear him saying there were add-ons to watch all the sports and films for free. Neither sounded especially IT literate nor seemed to have any concept that it may not be entirely legal. It was just something you buy then update and then watch "free" telly on.

  6. Warm Braw

    "Compensation reportedly remains a sticking point"

    Too few queue for Cue?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    So the final outcome after all the negotiations, rejections, negotiations and more rejections, ego-rants, leaks to the press, 'sources close to the matter', and the expert views of consultants everywhere is that Apple will sell you a small box for £199 then charge you £9.99 per month to watch Dave.

    My wallet awaits.

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