Neil Hughes
The launch of HBO Now on Apple devices has been a big hit for both companies, and could hint at a major role for Apple in the future of cable cutting, CEO Tim Cook said on Monday.
Speaking during his company's quarterly earnings conference call, Cook said that he sees "major, major changes in media" coming on the horizon. And speaking to Wall Street analysts, he admitted that his company could play a part in those changes.
Unsurprisingly, Cook stopped short of saying exactly what role Apple could play. But the company is widely believed to be working on a subscription TV service that could debut as soon as this fall.
Cook's comments were made in the context of the newly launched HBO Now service, an over-the-top subscription deal that offers access to streaming content from HBO without a cable subscription. Currently exclusive to Apple devices, including the Apple TV, HBO Now marks the first time that non-cable subscribers in the U.S. have been able to access the premium network.
With only a few weeks of HBO Now in the books, Cook said he's encouraged by the start, as Apple users have embraced the network's library of content.
"Where could it go? You can speculate as good as I can where it can go," the CEO said.
In addition to a new subscription streaming service said to be priced between $30 and $40 per month, Apple is also believed to be working on a revamp of its set-top box hardware. Rumors have said the new Apple TV will debut in June at WWDC, featuring an A8 processor, a dedicated App Store, and Siri voice controls.
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42 Comments
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I wonder whether Apple will expand into producing new content -- as Netflix has done over the past few years -- to differentiate itself from just being a means to disseminate existing content. My guess: no, because it's much harder to predict the sales potential of artistic work than technology-based products that go through years of R&D. Apple may not want to inject such an unpredictable revenue stream into their mix.
I wonder whether Apple will expand into producing new content -- as Netflix has done over the past few years -- to differentiate itself from just being a means to disseminate existing content.
My guess: no, because it's much harder to predict the sales potential of artistic work than technology-based products that go through years of R&D. Apple may not want to inject such an unpredictable revenue stream into their mix.
Interesting. Apple has already created original content in the form of iTunes Festival.
Live event streaming around the world, plus a library of prior iTunes Festival performances.
But yeah, it's hard to predict what the next hit will be. Better to provide the infrastructure.
Better to be a Levi Strauss than some unknown miner randomly digging for the mother lode.
Many streets in SF are named after businessmen who provided goods and services during the gold rush.
Few if any are named after actual miners.
[quote name="Slprescott" url="/t/186014/tim-cook-hints-apple-could-be-a-part-of-major-changes-in-media#post_2716578"]I wonder whether Apple will expand into producing new content -- as Netflix has done over the past few years -- to differentiate itself from just being a means to disseminate existing content. My guess: no, because it's much harder to predict the sales potential of artistic work than technology-based products that go through years of R&D. Apple may not want to inject such an unpredictable revenue stream into their mix.[/quote] Apple is not into creating original content. Not sure why. I mean they sold Halo like it meant nothing to them.