Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Possible Apple TV subscription service faces uphill battle


Two major TV networks are considering joining Apple's plan to offer TV subscriptions over the Internet in a venture that could put Apple in direct competition with cable and satellite providers. Disney and CBS are both taking a liking to the deal, according to sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal. However, the rumored details of the service may keep other networks away, and with cable providers looking at a potential hit in the wallet from the service (and even buying broadcast networks), it faces an uphill battle before seeing the light of day.

News about Apple's plans leaked in November, with multiple industry insiders saying that Apple may eventually launch the subscription service for a $30 monthly fee which would allow subscribers to watch whatever TV they like. The service would supposedly be an extension of the iTunes Store and not just limited to the Apple TV, although the set-top box would make perfect sense and give it a little more purpose than it currently holds. At the time of the leak, no TV networks had gotten on board yet, but Apple's VP of Internet Services, Eddy Cue, had been charged with drumming up interest.

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[link to original | source: Ars Technica - Infinite Loop | published: 13 hours ago | shared via feedly]


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