Can Apple create a Chromecast and a Netflix in one strategy? Reports this week about the future of Apple’s television strategy emerge from the grave — with news about Siri, App Store and cord-cutter service coming to Apple set-top box.
- Reports online said Apple will bring a new set-top box.
- Apple dead serious about making a better TV strategy, analysts say.
Cupertino, California-based tech firm Apple is bringing a new version of its set-top streaming box later this year, according to a new report from BuzzFeed News.
Citing people familiar with the project, the site claims that the new iteration of Apple’s TV device will introduce support for App Store, with SDK or software developer kit launch to accommodate software developers who are interested in launching services with Apple’s TV platform. In addition, the report revealed that Apple is looking to add its personal assistant platform to the TV — Siri.
All these updates are reportedly hitting the stage of this year’s World Wide Developer Conference.
This new report syncs perfectly with the Wall Street Journal articleabout Apple’s planned launch of 25-ish web TV service. This cord-cutter offer is reportedly planning to include content from Fox, Disney, CBS, plus 10 to 15 more TV content sources. For this product, sources said the maker of the iPhone was targeting the price range of $30 to $40 a month.
More than eight years ago, Apple introduced its first TV set-top box with the purpose of bridging the gap between Apple’s wireless products and TV sets. Later updates have added small features, but with major focus on streaming content from iTunes.
More than five years later, Apple TV is still the “boring” Apple TV. Who needs a set-top box if you have a smart TV? Or an iPhone with cord that can connect to the TV?
But “getting serious” about TV is the main theme of this week’s Apple reports — although some reporters have failed to underscore the differences between competing with Roku and Google’s Chromecast, and challenging Netflix.
Since the announcement of Apple’s HBO partnership, the tech news feed has been very busy with detailed analysis and predictions about the future of Apple’s streaming business — and it is a “no shocker” because Netflix, Amazon and others are making progress with their content distribution, especially Netflix. It makes sense that Apple wants to join this space too, because it is lucrative.
But don’t expect Apple producing its own shows like “House Of Cards”, etc, although, it can partner with big content creators like Marvel or Disney and come up with content exclusively for its ecosystem. Keep in mind, in the world of streaming and on-demand video services, content is king.
In a nutshell, Apple can easily compete with Google’s inexpensive Chromecast, but it will take a lot of marketing to rival Netflix and Hulu.
The firm with mountain of cash in the bank needs a device on a lower price point that it can use to shovel in new revenue stream coming from customers who will purchase content on iTunes, and eventually on the reported Apple TV content streaming service. With more people with access to this so-called “Apple TV streaming,” then Apple can generate bigger revenue from subscription, and maybe, a new Apple TV box with reasonable price is the solution. Ξ
Image courtesy of Apple Inc./Apple.com
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