According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple started talking with the Walt Disney Company in early 2015 about getting Disney-owned content onto its then-planned streaming television service, but Apple executives, iTunes chief Eddy Cue in particular, made demands networks were not prepared to meet.
It makes it sound as though Eddy’s tough tactics are holding Apple back from this market. I don’t buy this at all. Remember, Eddy negotiated music for the iTunes store, which is incredibly popular. We want Eddy to be tough when negotiating deals that we’ll end up paying for, either in purchasing content or subscriptions.
Keep being tough Eddy, we’ll wait for a good deal that we’re willing to pay for.
The networks aren’t ready to meet the demands yet, because they don’t realize that things are going to keep getting worse before they get better unless they change something.
“Apple sees TV as a way to push further product growth, but persuasion tactics that have worked in the mobile phone and music industries aren’t working in the television industry.”
Yet.
“Content providers are reluctant to agree to Apple’s terms because it would compromise traditional revenue streams.”
Where have we heard this before?
“As The Wall Street Journal points out, inking a “sweetheart” deal with Apple could lead to traditional cable distributors demanding similar deals.”
The fact is, either the cable companies change the way people buy content, or they’ll lose it all to the competition who does know how.
As below…
“Instead, Apple has shifted towards positioning its Apple TV set top box and the tvOS App Store as a platform to allow networks to share their own original content. Apple is also following in the footsteps of Netflix and Amazon Video with original programming aimed at promoting services like Apple Music and the App Store.”
As for me, I’m quite fine with that.