“Apple is serious about content. You just need to look back at the past year to see not just their ambition but also it’s investment in this space,” Carolina Milanesi writes for Tech.pinons. “Back in June, Apple went on a hiring spree. First, with the former head of Amazon’s Fire TV business D. Twerdhal and then, with Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, two Sony Pictures executives hired to oversee all aspects of video programming and reporting to Eddy Cue.”
“In August, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was planning on spending roughly $1 billion to procure and produce original content over the next twelve months,” Milanesi writes. “Just last week, Apple was said to have ordered a yet to be titled drama series starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston based on the book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV by CNN reporter Brian Stelter. When I saw the news about this last show, I jokingly asked on Twitter where I could watch it. This to me is a serious question Apple must address as it plans to create more content.”
“If Apple is planning to spend $1 billion in content, surely the hope is to reach as broad a base as they can. Apple has been trying to find the right formula for its ‘TV Hobby’ for some time now. It first focused on Apps, but the magic that apps brought to the iPhone and iPad failed to materialize with Apple TV,” Milanesi writes. “Apple must decide whether it is serious about TV in the home – especially as the little box doubles as a connected home hub – or if it is serious about creating content and competing with Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. While the two are not mutually exclusive, Apple could also decide to create a new service that is not tied to Apple TV.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We want our “Apple Prime!”
We’d really like to see a way to pay for all of the Apple services we choose for one price. Give us a bunch of tick boxes and let us choose our combination of iCloud storage, Apple Music, iTunes Match, etc. and let us pay a single price for all of our choices. — MacDailyNews, October 17, 2016
SEE ALSO:
Analyst: Apple could launch a Netflix competitor in 2018 – November 15, 2017
Apple gives Jennifer Aniston-Reese Witherspoon series a 2-season order, confirms Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’ reboot – November 9, 2017
Former WGN America president Matt Cherniss joins Apple in latest TV push – August 15, 2017
Rivals leaving Apple behind as Apple TV remains stuck in a test pattern – August 8, 2017
Apple’s so-called TV ‘strategy’ continues to be an embarrassing joke – June 30, 2017
Apple poaches Sony TV executives to lead major push into original content – June 16, 2017
Hulu and NBCUniversal ink expansive agreement to bring top channels to Hulu’s upcoming live TV streaming service – May 1, 2017
YouTube to unveil virtual cable bundle for $30 to $40 a month – February 28, 2017
Stalled talks with Ron Howard highlight Apple’s content confusion – February 16, 2017
Apple vowed to revolutionize television; currently prepping an unremarkable 4K Apple TV instead – February 16, 2017
Apple TV: Still not ready for prime time – February 15, 2017
Apple hires Amazon’s Fire TV head to run Apple TV business – February 8, 2017
Apple’s new TV app shows just how painfully behind Apple is – December 14, 2016
Are you ready for 4K TV? Apple TV isn’t. – November 28, 2016
Apple has no idea what they’re doing in the TV space, and it’s embarrassing – November 3, 2016
Hulu inks deals with Fox and Disney, adding ESPN, Fox News and more to forthcoming live service – November 1, 2016
Apple’s Eddy Cue: Nope, we don’t want to be Netflix – October 20, 2016
Google signs up CBS for planned web TV service to debut in early 2017; close to deal with 21st Century Fox – October 20, 2016
Apple’s Eddy Cue: Nope, we don’t want to be Netflix – October 20, 2016
Apple’s Eddy Cue alienated cable providers and networks with an assertive negotiating style – report – July 28, 2016
Here comes á la carte programming – without Apple – July 13, 2016
Reporting to Eddy Cue.
That is a big part of the problem.
Agreed that Apple may have a steep hill to climb to compete with Amazon, Hulu, Netflix and the like if they only limit the access to their new video content to Apple devices.
Having such a closed ecosystem is a double-edged sword. The larger it gets it becomes stickier for those already in it, at the same time it becomes less ‘attractive’ to enter for those outside due to the perceived investment in time and money to get enough parts to make a change worth it from another ecosystem requiring less lock-in on any specific piece of HW.
I think Apple has to create content for only Apple devices but it should include all Apple devices, AppleTV, iPhones, iPads, iPods, desktops, and laptops. Don’t make it exclusive only for AppleTV.
I was under the impression that any video content Apple created would be accessible by any Apple device by default, just as Apple Music and iTunes are now. Was the current aim of Apple to make it only exclusive to ATV?
Apple is spending millions hiring former executives hoping that somehow this will spur Apple design, development, and production. It’s merely throwing money at a problem without any clear direction and purpose. It’s pure desperation and it all is because Tim Cook is absolutely clueless and without a shred of real leadership.