“The more we look into these developing rumors of Apple’s planned [HD Video Network] (HDVN) content delivery system, with each new report this is becoming one of the biggest stories in our 11 years dishing dirt — right up there with Mac OS X, the iMac, the iPod….yeah, that big. Seriously,” Mac OS Rumors reports.
“Apple’s interest in satellite HD content delivery has become more than obvious. Just a note to Phil Schiller and company: your (potential) competitors are taking notice! Just because Apple rebuffed Sirius is by no means an indication that Apple isn’t interested in satellite content delivery. Apple just doesn’t want to piggback on someone else’s network — they’re interested in building their own on existing satellites and potentially launching more than one of their own in the next few years as well,” MOSR reports.
“This ‘HDVN’ will not just be through satellite however. The same service will be available over the Internet and as a “drop in, plug in, tune in” service at its retail stores,” MOSR reports. “The company has long struggled with what form that hub device should take — and has settled on a system that emphasizes being a source for low-cost (or free) High Definition content that just isn’t readily available from Digital Cable or traditional Satellite TV systems. The best of the Internet and traditional HDTV brought together plus that little something extra – Apple style.”
Full article here.
Also – on the Macsimum News opinions section, check out Neo’s “The H.264 Report” series.
From MacObserver’s excerpt of a Jan 16th NY Times article (subscription required) about Apple considering possibily Mac TV (a device Apple would position as a set top media management box a la Mac mini):
“In an interview after his presentation,” wrote Mr. Markoff, “Mr. Jobs demurred. The problem, he suggested, was not that Mac TV was not a good idea, but that the cable companies are monopolies. But he did not close the door entirely.”
This quote which reveals that Jobs has thought about it, plus the Neo Next Wave series and H.264 reports at http://www.macsimumnews.com detailing all the satellite systems supporting H.264 AVC plus “2005 as the year of HD” plus the disappearance of iFlix/iFlicks websites lead me to give this rumor some weight. The only negative is that macosrumors track record is poor.
But if true, it would be stunning not just for media delivery to the home but also for satellite-mobile iTMS and satellite-mobile iFlix movie store subscriptions.
I can see either a larger 4″ display iPod video or an 8″ display iSlab just around the corner! Wow!
Regarding Apple and possible use of satellites, this is the most directly related Neo link with an interesting back-and-forth in the comments.
http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/2998/
Ok I’ve never responded to one these on MDN, but I gotta… This is a load of horsesh!7, c’mon… someone out there (besides me) is laughing their arse off. Do you know how much effort it takes to start a Sat service and launch Sats? What the heck is wrong with you moe moes? Hey, here’s a clue, Voom that other HD content Sat service, is sucking wind and that was backed by a big cable co. Here’s another clue, DirectTV is rolling out new HD sats and that migration is taking them a year (summer?!? – stinken eeejiots) How about another clue, so out of the three sat cos, big cable cos, and now telcos, you think Apple sees this as an untapped market? WT*? If Apple does anything they will keep to the distribution game… whoever is spreading this Sat thing, take them off your bookmarks…
BTW, that other DirecTV post… that dude has no idea what he’s yappin ’bout. DirecTV dumped TiVo, Comcast has picked them up. DTV is using some DVR co that papa Murdoch uses in the UK already. DirecWay is a dead end, DTV modified the new DirecWay Sats so they can get a leg up on HD. 1500 whatever channels… the total HD channels available, even if bandwidth was no object, can probably be counted with your fingers and toes. That’s just marketing, theyre counting all locals that may have a show or two in HD.
If anything, Dish network is the most desperate and seems like they ain’t movin on their own too fast and they bought Voom’s Sat… Comcast is a big no no, they’re like MS’s bitches, they’ve dumped huge amounts of dolares there.
Apple will most likely be in the distribution game, not the broadcast game. PayPerView iMovie? Though I don’t see why SATs will give a piece of precious bandwidth and profits from their #1 money makers to Apple if they already have systems in place.
Though, who knows ’bout them Telcos yet… they’d probably be looking for new services to set them apart and to get started quickly… and heck with Fiber to the pole, 5Mbps to 30Mbps to the home… now that’s just asking for some HD content. Then again if Steve don’t like ‘dem monopolies…
Rumors can be fun… but some of ya are smokin da crack! 😀
One mo thing, can someone tell that aforementioned yapper, that cell phones and DBS have nadda to do with each other? Someone please step up, I’m starting to feel bad here…
All of the major network news organizations must be sitting up and taking notice. Their market share of viewers has been fragmented so badly by the many diffrent new news sources. I think you can expect ABC,NBC,ect. to beg to get access to statellite delivered video services. Steve Jobs has had made huge inroads with the music labels. Now I would imagine he’ll have the same success with the major news networks.