AppleInsider Staff
According to a report published Thursday, Apple has hired Shiva Rajaraman, a former YouTube and Spotify executive, to help architect a video content strategy as it takes on established industry players like Netflix.
Citing people familiar with the matter, The Information reports Rajaraman will work under Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue on a variety of projects.
The former product manager brings years of experience to the job according to his LinkedIn profile. After working at YouTube for some eight years, then more recently at Spotify between 2014 and 2016, Rajaraman is now being tasked with shaping Apple's video strategy, the report said.
"At different times, he ran every individual part of the YouTube team," a former colleague told The Information.
In addition, Rajaraman helped YouTube strike content partnerships with the likes of Disney. He participated in similar activities while at Spotify, including the licensing of video content from Disney, Time Warner and NBC, as well as the advancement of internal initiatives like the app's Discover feature. Rajaraman also worked on nurturing alternative content like podcasts while at Spotify.
At Apple, Rajaraman will work on "the look and feel" of Apple Music, the portal through which the company intends to publish original video content. So far, Apple has announced two original shows in "Planet of the Apps" and "Carpool Karaoke," the latter of which is expected to debut next month in a new Apple Music section called "TV & Movies."
Whether Cue intends to tap Rajaraman for other projects under his purview, like Siri and Apple Maps, remains to be seen. Sources who currently work on the Siri team believe the product specialist might see involvement with Apple's virtual assistant, the report said.
Apple has long been rumored to field original content akin to offerings from Amazon and Netflix, with most rumblings centered around on the company's Apple TV product. While Apple was at one time expected to launch a so-called "skinny bundle" over-the-top streaming service, negotiations with content owners have so far been fruitless.
The Cupertino tech giant is slowly dipping its toe into original programming by coproducing "Planet of the Apps," a weekly reality series modeled after popular shows like "Shark Tank" in which independent developers from around the world pitch their apps to a panel of "mentors." Jessica Alba, Will.i.am, Gwyneth Paltrow and Gary Vaynerchuck will help guide contestants through a development process that will end with a pitch to venture capital firm Lightspeed.
Apple is also partnering with "Late Late Show with James Corden" producer Ben Winston on "Carpool Karaoke." Unlike the short snippets that air on CBS, Apple's version of the show pairs musicians, actors, sports stars and other pop culture personalities together as they take a road trip. In March it was revealed that "Game of Thrones" stars Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner would star in their own upcoming segment.
Offering insight into Apple's take on original content, Cue in an interview last month said the company is open to producing, partnering and backing projects that tap into the current zeitgeist. Apple Music, he said, should generate pop culture, not be a simple conduit for content consumption.
Christine McKee
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19 Comments
Meh.
Be it aggressively compete with Netflix or be it never compete with Netflix. Netflix is where it's at. Independent content producers want to be on Netflix. Apple should have been that guy. Apple has two choice in this space, as I see it. Either acquire Netflix or several of their key people and build their own Netflix or use other key people or buy another outfit and build their own Netflix. POTA & CK are garnish, in comparison. Netflix may not be making much money right now—I'm unsure, but it is the future. Until Apple builds a service that has me convinced I need to switch from Netflix to it, they have a problem. A streaming subscription is the only future for video content. Anything that isn't that is a distraction.
I still say (if they could pay to keep all of Netflix's contracts; and they are not short of money) Apple should bite the bullet and acquire Netflix. Leave Netflix to continue to run independently and Apple can focus on great hardware (and a better remote) and great video content apps (a Netflix company culture weakness). Then eventually rebrand Netflix "Apple TV"—the service, and offer it for $9.99 per month (get rid of the other two plans) and have Apple Music for the same price as now of $9.99 per month, but offer a special price for subscribing to both services simultaneously from Apple's hardware platforms for $15.99, or something crazy. And offer a bundle price of $59 a month or something that includes a free Apple Television (that somehow perhaps uses a hardware-update-able puck equivalent as its brains). And still sell the puck for those who'd rather pay less or have a different TV or are not in the market for a new TV or who'd rather pay for the television hardware up front. Apple needs some very new ideas like this. Something to put Apple TV on the hardware map and themselves in the living room in a big way. And go from there. Wake up, Cook. Content is a-knockin'.
Can he just replace Eddy and then Tim poaches someone else to run Apple's cloud business.
I have always thought Apple should 'dip its toe' in a Youtube like project. It could be linked in to iMove and Photos with Share. It should be free with no ads. As one example of the type of material I am envisaging, the sheer volume of program training material on YouTube alone shows it isn't all about cat videos (not that I mind cat videos) and Apple users represent a lot of folks that would use training material as well as create it. Obviously there are many other examples of the types of material that would flourish, travel, how to and so on. There is no reason users' 'channels' couldn't be monetized as with Youtube but without ads through the Apps store model with Apple taking a 30% cut as users pay a small fee for access, plus in app except this would be 'in video' purchases could be easily added for more content. If the costs were very low like many apps, I think it would flourish. Lynda et alia training prices are too high for many.