Look out Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime – Apple reportedly has you in its sights. After a decade of rumors, it finally appears as though Apple is moving in the direction of creating its own original content.
In an exclusive report Variety is indicating that the Cupertino giant has been in preliminary talks with Hollywood executives to feel out the interest in producing original content. Reportedly, the unit involved reports directly to Eddy Cue, who handles content-related matters for Apple.
Not surprisingly, Apple declined to comment.
What is unclear at this time is if Apple is interested in TV series, movies, or both. What does seem to be increasingly clear is that Apple would like to make a run at competing with Netflix. Earlier this year Apple made a bid at securing the services of the crew of Top Gear when they left the BBC series. Ultimately Amazon ended up with the winning bid.
If Apple does move into the world of original programming, it could set up quite a battle with services like Netflix and Hulu. Couple that with the reports leaked earlier this week that the new Apple TV would include a cable replacement TV channel service, we could be seeing the beginning of a new media-producing giant.
According to Variety:
For Apple itself, getting into original programming would be significant, but not necessarily earth-shattering. While financing its own exclusive content would be an interesting strategic shift that could better arm Apple in its global war against other tech giants like Amazon, Google and Facebook to be the ecosystem where users spend the most time, the hundreds of millions — perhaps billions — of dollars necessary to get into TV and movies is chump change to CEO Tim Cook, who has over $200 billion in cash on the corporation’s balance sheet at his disposal.
Obviously all this is just speculation until Mr. Cook himself gets up on stage and tells us “Oh, one more thing…”
I’m becoming very interested in what Apple will bring to their just-announced September 9 event.
What about you? Would you be interested in having all your services in one place (i.e., Netflix-type streaming, TV channels all on your Apple TV)? Let us know in the comments!
[button type=”link” link=”http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/apple-eyes-move-into-original-programming-exclusive-1201582020/” variation=”btn-danger” target=”blank”]Source: Variety[/button]Last Updated on January 12, 2019.
