AppleInsider Staff
Apple on Tuesday added two new channel options to its set-top streamer, bringing on-demand Showtime Anytime from the cable network as well as a dedicated channel for the upcoming iTunes Festival in London.
Showtime Anytime includes both live programming and on-demand access to episodes of popular shows like Homeland and Masters of Sex. As with most other Apple TV channels from paid television networks, Showtime Anytime requires users to authenticate with their cable provider before being allowed to watch the lion's share of the content.
The iTunes Festival channel, meanwhile, has been updated for the beginning of next month's concert series in London. Like previous years, Apple TV owners will be able to watch performances live or stream them after the fact.
Apple has added a number of channels to the Apple TV in recent months, most recently bringing NFL Now, ABC News, and CNBC, among others. The ABC News channel proved impressively popular, with viewers consuming some 50 percent more live content via the Apple TV channel than on desktop computers and mobile devices combined.
The Apple TV has not seen a major update in years, and rumors surrounding it have largely dissipated in recent months, with one report suggesting that the box would not see a refresh until 2015. Apple is planning a slight user interface redesign to launch alongside iOS 8, however, adding new "flat" styles in the latest beta release.
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20 Comments
Great news! I can finally watch Homeland on my ATV instead of my iPad
Curious if Ray Donovan is worth watching...
The need to 'authenticate with a cable provider' is one very good reason BitTorrent piracy sites will continue to flourish.
Ray Donovan is the best show on TV, bar none. Watch it.
I'm thrilled Showtime is finally available on ATV.
I see the long game forming. (US Centric, TL:DR for the rest of the world).
'Networks' (Let's not call them 'cable' networks vs broadcast... they are just content owners) are looking to disintermediate cable networks.
Step 1: create a web/social media presence to measure internet market
Step 2: create non-broadcast content that you can't get over cable to measure 'capable demand' (those that can easily get internet content and will)
Step 3: Create apps/channels in youtube, iOS, android, AppleTV, Roku etc that make for a 'super DVR' that not only measure demand, 'identify it' (username/password/cable market, etc)
Step 4: Monetize these apps by in app purchases for on-demand and uber-live shows that aren't part of their cable packages
Step 5: Use that Cable Market information to recognize potential tipping points where negotiations can be stalled, and have planned 'picket lines' if the comcasts/TWC/Charter play hardball when the next contracts come up and the networks fight for non-exclusive distribution rights.
Step 6: Draw a line in the sand, and push back hard on the Comcast cableopoly in the US, by turning the customers against the cable companies. Demand a major license price increase for say, Discovery Channel, and when the cable companies say 'no, Opt out, and drive that audience to an monetized 'internet only' site/app/ATVchannel.
Step 7: Cable Companies have to realize they either own the content, or they are dumb pipes. like terrestrial and wireless phone companies.
Step 8: Content Networks cash out (NBC) by getting cable companies buy them, or they they go 'drop off cable' and stand on wireless and muni internet to bypass cable's internet final mile monopoly.
Step 9: Communities drop that monopoly power; require 'equal access' to any copper/fiber to the home (see 1984 ATT anti-trust ruling)
Step 10: Cable companies become utilities, and are regulated to make 5-10% profits. Great for the Google's of the world, not so good for the Charters ).
Steps 1-5a Major Content Creators (Sports Leagues, Franchises, Movie Studios, Production companies) build out their own 'channels' (NBA/MLS/NHL/NFL/MLB.com and production houses (think SpikeLee, Apatow, Tyler Perry, Oliver Stone, and the WillFerrells, JimmyKimmell's, GeorgeClooneys... large production houses that want complete artistic/economic control).
Apple TV can play both sides of this... by either becoming the STB for the local Cable co, making their content 'blend into' competitive content, or by being the low cost alternative box that allows cable cutters to cut the content side of cable, and just use the Internet side, until wireless, fiber, DLS can compete for bandwidth (Along with caching non-live content during off hours, optimizing bandwidth during your 'prime time')
The need to 'authenticate with a cable provider' is one very good reason BitTorrent piracy sites will continue to flourish.
This is the old model. Geographic distribution rights. It will change.
HBO will likely be the the bad guy for a while, until they figure out how to make an Apple TV model feasible. but they have to rewrite their contracts with the cable cos. My guess in 6 years from now HBO will write bypasses into contracts (CableCo,you pay us(HBO) $5 for every HBO subscriber on your net, we'll pay you $1 [assuming non-net nuetrality] toll for every internet user that pays us $7.99 a month for our content).
[most people pay $10-20 for that content now]