AppleInsider Staff
Apple and U.S. cable company Time Warner are closing in on a deal that will give subscribers access to cable channels via Apple TV, which also claims the Cupertino company has taken on Hulu media marketing chief Pete Distad to help secure content, according to one report.
Citing people familiar with the talks, Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Apple and Time Warner plan to announce the agreement in the coming months once a deal has been solidified. It is unknown what channels will be offered if and when a deal is finally struck, but access will likely be for existing cable subscribers only.
While a Time Warner Cable spokesperson said the company has "no agreement with [Apple]," it has similar content deals in place for Roku's set-top box, as well as Microsoft's Xbox game console. The company already allows subscribers to watch certain channels on iOS devices with its TWC TV app, which is also available for Android.
In addition to the Time Warner arrangement, the publication claims Apple has hired Hulu's now former vice president of marketing and distribution Pete Distad to help executives with upcoming negotiations with media and cable companies.
No further details were divulged regarding the executive's hire, but Distad's bio on Hulu's website says he is in charge of “subscriber acquisition and retention, paid, on-channel, and brand marketing, distribution and promotional partnerships, and content marketing.â€
Apple has become more aggressive in acquiring content for its Apple TV "hobby," most recently adding channels HBO GO, WatchESPN, and more to the small streaming device.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
43 Comments
Hah - iWatch !
I second that! (No pun intended, I remember the swiss clock discussion)
Citing people familiar with the talks, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that Apple and Time Warner plan to announce the agreement in the coming months once a deal has been solidified.
So, looking over my calendar, it seems by the time Monkey Boy's $500 XBomb hits the market around the end of the year, Apple will have a $100 alternative for home entertainment shipping in droves.
Well played, Tim, well played.
Aw man... Looks like Apple isn't going for their "tear up the cable box" vision yet. This makes it sound like this is just another box for the time being.
I love Apple. I hate Time Warner. I was hoping that there would be some sort of a-la-carte deal going on. That would be significantly different from what's already out there but it doesn't seem like it's happening. Also, I'm not sure what the point is when I already have a cable box. Not trying to be negative, this is just the way I see it.