Apple is buying older movies and shows for their nascent Apple TV+ streaming service, aiming to build up a library of compelling content to complement Apple Original productions.
The company’s video-programming executives have taken pitches from Hollywood studios about licensing older content and, Bloomberg News reports, have already acquired some TV series and movies to bolster the Apple TV+ library.
Lucas Shaw and Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
The move represents a subtle strategy shift for Apple TV+, which launched in November with a lineup of original programs. The company plans to keep TV+ focused on original shows, and hasn’t yet acquired any huge franchises or blockbusters for its back catalog, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private…
Until recently, Apple has steered clear of buying rights to old shows… Instead of acquiring or building its own library, Apple tried to rely on media partners. The company’s latest TV app, launched last year, has built-in subscription capabilities for services like Starz, Showtime and HBO.
But this approach has yielded mixed results. Though about 10 million people had signed up for TV+ by February, only about half that number actively used the service, according to the people familiar with the matter.
MacDailyNews Take: Just buy Disney, spin off the theme parks, and be done with it, Apple. 😉
If Apple were to buy Disney they’d have to assume purchase of ABC and ESPN—which are both a headache and a money pit. Maybe spin those off..
Buybacks need to end if you are going to buy a low profit content company, notice content companies resell every 10 years, Apple would better getting into making Power walls or servers.
Re: MacDailyNews comments:
I’ve been saying this for years here. Apple should bought Disney when they sold Disney Pixar.
No they should have bought Pixar when Jobs was still at Apple and it didn’t happen because Jobs didn’t want to sell to Apple? conflict of interest? as CEO…
This is what I’ve been saying. Put some familiar content on the service.
Apple TV has a knack for boring, mind numbing boring. They take a good idea, overpay, and turn it into something so politically correct it’s unwatchable.
I couldn’t agree more!! I wanted so badly to like the apple shows but they were all so stinking overtly politically correct I just stopped watching. And some of them had such cool premises and had sparks of brilliance but I just could not stomach that at every turn I felt like political correctness was pushed down my throat.
Apple will buy old series and dub the audio creating gay characters.
Aunt Bee will become a militant lesbian.
Andy will become the transgender lesbian character “Andie” in love with Floyd.
Opie, well no change necessary…
Goober will come out of the closet.
Gee Gary…you just came out as a homophobe.
Now run out and play in the traffic.
No, it is satire and quite funny so relax and crack a smile Liberal…
I was relaxed and smiling all along.
So, what are the movies?
That’s why I clicked on the story.