“Apple Inc. is scrambling to strike deals with Hollywood studios to offer ultra-high definition films on its new Apple TV, but discussions have been hampered by disagreements over pricing, according to people with knowledge of the talks,” Ben Fritz and Tripp Mickle report for The Wall Street Journal. “The tech giant will unveil the new version of its streaming media device at an event Sept. 12 and tout its compatibility with new 4K televisions, people with knowledge of its plans said. Apple will also reveal updates to its iPhone and Apple Watch, according to people briefed on its plans.”
Apple “wants to charge $19.99 for those movies—on par with what it sometimes charges for new HD movies, the people with knowledge of the discussions said. Several Hollywood studios want to charge $5 to $10 more for 4K movies, the people said,” Fritz and Mickle report. “Closing deals with studios before Sept. 12 is important to Apple as it tries to reignite interest in the TV product it first launched in 2007. The company has been losing market share lately to streaming-media players from rivals such as Amazon.com Inc. and Roku Inc., which already offer devices with 4K capability that cost at least 60% less than the $149 Apple TV.”
“The availability of Hollywood films in Ultra HD, another term for 4K, also could rejuvenate the iTunes Store,” Fritz and Mickle report. “The company’s movie rental-and-sales business has been losing market share to rivals such as Comcast Corp. and Amazon, falling below 35% from about 50% in 2012.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully the two sides reach a consensus this century. The movie industry is starting to look something like the clueless music industry of the early aughts. Get moving or get run over, boys!
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