I want to be able to bulk the ads into one bulk of continuous ads for 1 hour and get 3 hours of no commercials.
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Apple Negotiating With Cable Companies and Networks to Allow Viewers to Pay to Skip Commercials
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And why can't I pay a little more up-front for the shows I watch, so I can have an ad-free experience?
You pay for the ability to skip commercials by renting DVR service and a DVR box on a recurring monthly charge.
With Cox I pay $10 per month for DVR Service and $8.50 to rent the box. Assuming Apple would roll those two costs together and offer you a $99 Apple TV, you'd break even in 6 months. From there you'd pay the cost of the service for the content.
Assuming their content offering was exactly the same as what I have today on Cox (which it won't be), it is a lot more attractive to pay $75 per month rather than $95 and own the box, which by the way is lightyears ahead of the tech in the crummy boxes you get from the cable co.
I assume that Apple could handle a plan like this because they will be making their money on the content, not the boxes, so they'd be willing to take a small concession there where the cable companies are making straight profit every month on the box rental fee. Even if they roll that cost into the subscription service, you'll be pleased that you're paying the same amount with a vastly superior setup and experience.
Ah, my bad. Didn't really have time to thoroughly read through the entire post. Either way, I'd be okay with paying a small monthly fee for no ads as long as it's some sort of a la carte plan.
I'm eager to get rid of Hulu+ ($8 a month for ads, seriously?) and DirecTV all together.
Because it would be cheaper than cable + DVR. When you cut the cord you often can't skip commercials... depending on your source. Network web sites and HULU for instance force you to watch commercials. It's still worth it because it's only $7/mo. instead of $200/mo. for cable. And the commercials are fewer and shorter. Netflix has no commercials but the content is all old.
Another issue is that streaming is fragmented. It's great to have tons of content on-demand but it's spread across many sources... Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Websites, iTunes, etc. You're constantly switching apps and devices to get all the content you want. I assume what Apple is trying to do is to offer a service where you have EVERYTHING in ONE place... one source... for everything... all on demand... all new and old content... much cheaper than cable... but you pay a premium for the ability to skip ads for your favourite shows or networks.
It's the best of both worlds. It'll be way cheaper for the consumer. But you'll have access to everything in one place. And people might actually watch MORE ads because they won't want to pay for ad-skipping for everything. So the cable companies can sell more ads. And the subscription / ad-skipping option adds another source of revenue... but you get so much more choice. Not stupid bundles.
Oh - fantastic. You know exactly what it will cost and what services there will be? Please tell us more!
I would happily pay more for cable if they got rid of those annoying 1/3rd banner ad's DURING shows.
It's getting to the point you can barely watch a show without the equivalent of animated gif's blocking half your screen.
Or the retarded product placement in shows like Hawaii 5-0 where Microsoft has made it to a point where i refuse to buy any of their products until they stop the stupid adds ;P
It's getting to the point you can barely watch a show without the equivalent of animated gif's blocking half your screen.
Or the retarded product placement in shows like Hawaii 5-0 where Microsoft has made it to a point where i refuse to buy any of their products until they stop the stupid adds ;P
the cable companies dont need to be involved, apple needs to talk directly to the content creators and we can bypass comcast and the like
By the way... after cutting cable + my landline + getting a better cell plan with free long distance... I'm easily saving $1600/year. My cable bill went from $220/mo. for phone/internet/cable/dvr to $65/mo. for internet. I don't watch sports or news so I'm pretty happy. I just use my AppleTV with Hulu+ and Netflix. And a lot of apps and website offer free content too. For the few specialty cable shows I miss... I just buy a season pass on iTunes. When you're saving $1600/year a $30-$40 season pass isn't all that bad!
Current tv options are so F UP and ridiculously expensive.
Hopefully apple brings some sense, an option and access to quality TV for a reasonable price. Currently you have to pay for 90% of sh you don't want.
Let me pick and choose my channels & sports teams / games i want to watch at a much reduced price. I don't want 14 of the 16 nfl games played each week on pay TV and i get about 1/2 on national channels. A $30 ticket should be the price for all games for 1 teams season!
Same with NHL & MLB.
Hopefully apple brings some sense, an option and access to quality TV for a reasonable price. Currently you have to pay for 90% of sh you don't want.
Let me pick and choose my channels & sports teams / games i want to watch at a much reduced price. I don't want 14 of the 16 nfl games played each week on pay TV and i get about 1/2 on national channels. A $30 ticket should be the price for all games for 1 teams season!
Same with NHL & MLB.
Oh - fantastic. You know exactly what it will cost and what services there will be? Please tell us more!
It would have to be cheaper. If it wasn't... what would be the point. And it will certainly be a better user experience. And by the way... I just posted above... I cut the cord and I'm saving $1600/year. Cable TV is astronomically expensive.
I guess you'll be happy if only a small handful of content providers stay in business then since cable subscriptions help fund all the other channels that people watch.
I can't say I'm fond of your suggested idea any more than I am fond of the current model.
I cut the cord too.
But Apple's history hasn't been cheaper than the competition. Now has it? What would be the point? No idea - do you? All speculation.
Case in point: Apple's streaming service. Not really cheaper than the competition. Not that much different or better either.
As for a better user experience. Well - I guess that depends on what you want or expect. Not everyone agrees on what would or would not be "better"
Unless Apple are prepared to buy into the content companies this "grand vision" is going nowhere. Even the cable companies know that which is why they've being buying the content makers over the past few years.
Apple should buy Disney (which owns ABC TV and ESPN) then go buy local networks around the world like ITV in the UK.
Alternatively they should set up their own sports channel and simply go buy the sports broadcast rights around the world. Live sports is the only reason most people have cable TV. You can get the same movies and good tv shows on iTunes anyway so live sports is the key that unlocks the cable monopoly.
The Cable+DVR user experience is archaic (and expensive). Streaming is a pain because you have to juggle a dozen sources / apps / website to get all your content (but cheap). I suspect Apple is trying to create a business model that can offer the convenience of cable (everything in one place... one unified queue) with the slick user-experience of streaming apps like Hulu. And my GUESS is that... for the average viewer... the overall cost will fall somewhere between an outrageous cable bill and the el-cheapo $7/mo streaming services.
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I would agree. Apple doesn't do cheaper. It might be better with a nicer UI but it won't be cheaper. Just look at movies and tv shows on iTunes - it's cheaper to buy the DVD or BluRay most of the time.
I think it COULD be cheaper depending on your viewing habits. The problem with Cable is that you're pretty much guaranteed to pay a ton of money every month even if the only thing you ever watch is the History Channel. But yah... I'm sure that if you want a ton of sports and all the network shows and specialty cable shows etc... all ad-free... I could see it costing about the same or more. Personally... all I watch is the odd network show (I'd be fine with ads for those) and some History/Discovery shows. That's all.
...and books
Apple does well at disrupting models. To make a great profit. For Apple.
Can't be any worse than the cable companies.
You keep saying that - but it's all relative. We have no idea whether it will cost more, less or the same. Maybe Apple charges the same but has different features and is able to - as you say - combine lots of things that right now are disparate.
I prefer to wait and see the model rather than state my opinions as fact. But that's just me.
Yes. It'll be interesting to see what Apple can come up with. If it's just as expensive as cable then that's fine. I'll stick with my Hulu+ and Netflix and keep on saving $1600/yr. For as long as that lasts. I'm hopeful Apple will come up with something great though.
It's amazing how the costs add up. Like you I cut the cord saving at least £100/mth on cable + landline + internet. I have an unlimited data plan with my iPhone which I tether to my Mac for internet. No need for a landline.
I get 50 channels of decent TV for free anyway using over the air TV. I do miss the sports channels yes but I usually end up either watching them in the pub or listening to the commentary on the radio and then just watch the highlights on free TV. I object to being ripped off by the cable companies.
Free? Or by paying $150+ a month for DVR cable... or is there something I'm missing?