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Google has inked a deal with CBS for its upcoming web-based streaming television service, reports The Wall Street Journal. Called "Unplugged," the paid subscription service, available on YouTube, will see Google offering a bundle of several channels for a set price of $25 to $40 per month.

CBS, a major network, is now on board, and Google is also said to be close to reaching deals with both 21st Century Fox and Disney, putting it one step closer to establishing a streaming service. Google plans to launch "Unplugged" in early 2017 and has already built out the necessary infrastructure.

youtube-logo-800x295.jpg

Google's YouTube Unplugged offering is aimed at cord cutters and is the type of television service that Apple was hoping to provide to customers before its streaming television plans were put on hold. Apple wanted to offer a "skinny bundle" featuring channels from major networks and popular cable channels, which would have been priced at approximately $35 per month.

Apple has been trying to create some kind of streaming television service for many years, but has continually run into negotiation difficulties with content providers due to its "hard-nosed" negotiating tactics and an inability to assuage fears about the interruption of traditional revenue streams.

Apple's latest streaming plans fell through because media companies demanded too much money for content rights and were reluctant to unbundle channels.

While Google and other companies are developing streaming television services, Apple is aiming to position the Apple TV set-top box and the tvOS App Store as a platform to allow existing content providers to share their content through Apple's interface. Apple is also working on some original television programming, including "Planet of the Apps," "Vital Signs," and "Carpool Karaoke."

Article Link: Google Signs Deal With CBS for Upcoming YouTube Streaming Television Service
 

Juicy Box

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2014
7,517
8,846
I pay $50 a month for 100+ channels, so this isn't worth the price.

I guess it depends on what is included in the subscription.

If it includes all the episodes of all the current and past shows on each network that participate, it could be like combining cable and Netflix/hulu into one service.

Cable cutters might like this too.

I think many people would find value in this.
 
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jdillings

macrumors 68000
Jun 21, 2015
1,540
5,175
Competition is really heating up. Dish's Sling TV and Sony's Playstaion Vue are available now and DirecTV Now and Youtube Unplugged will launch before the end of the year. And Hulu's live TV service will launch early next year. It's just a matter of time until Apple launches their own service.
 

HJM.NL

macrumors 68020
Jul 25, 2016
2,135
3,782
Netherlands
Siri on AppleTV 4 doesn't work for many foreign languages. So AppleTV is worthless in many countries including mine. Google is on the other hand works very well with foreign languages and is (again) very far ahead of Apple. Mix that with compatibility and reasonable prices... I'm afraid again an opportunity lost for Apple. Android is on every smart tv and getting better and better. Soon you can choose this new feature from google on your tv.
Since the biography of Steve jobs where he mentioned he cracked the way we are going to watch tv all Apple has done is talk but not deliver. Every other company: google, amazone, etc. delivered.
 

Madmic23

macrumors 6502a
Apr 21, 2004
892
972
This could actually be really good. And it would bring more content to the Apple TV, since you'd just use the YouTube app. :)
 
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eebrown

macrumors member
Oct 20, 2014
94
86



Google has inked a deal with CBS for its upcoming web-based streaming television service, reports The Wall Street Journal. Called "Unplugged," the paid subscription service, available on YouTube, will see Google offering a bundle of several channels for a set price of $25 to $40 per month.

CBS, a major network, is now on board, and Google is also said to be close to reaching deals with both 21st Century Fox and Disney, putting it one step closer to establishing a streaming service. Google plans to launch "Unplugged" in early 2017 and has already built out the necessary infrastructure.

youtube-logo-800x295.jpg

Google's YouTube Unplugged offering is aimed at cord cutters and is the type of television service that Apple was hoping to provide to customers before its streaming television plans were put on hold. Apple wanted to offer a "skinny bundle" featuring channels from major networks and popular cable channels, which would have been priced at approximately $35 per month.

Apple has been trying to create some kind of streaming television service for many years, but has continually run into negotiation difficulties with content providers due to its "hard-nosed" negotiating tactics and an inability to assuage fears about the interruption of traditional revenue streams.

Apple's latest streaming plans fell through because media companies demanded too much money for content rights and were reluctant to unbundle channels.

While Google and other companies are developing streaming television services, Apple is aiming to position the Apple TV set-top box and the tvOS App Store as a platform to allow existing content providers to share their content through Apple's interface. Apple is also working on some original television programming, including "Planet of the Apps," "Vital Signs," and "Carpool Karaoke."

Article Link: Google Signs Deal With CBS for Upcoming YouTube Streaming Television Service
Google starting to get my attention, I have contemplating untying myself from the Apple ecosystem and if google stays the course they are heading in another year or so I may just make the switch. With the pixil phone and now the streaming service along with other things it's starting to look like for me this may be the way to go.
 

easy4lif

macrumors 6502a
Mar 31, 2005
552
1,307
Southbay CA
CBS/Google > Planet of The Apps/Carpool Karaoke/Apple

So basically your comparing 2 shows bought by Apple, which they plan to use to promote their already existing services, to google signing a deal with CBS for a subscription service.
:confused:

Old media still can't figure out how to get cord cutters to legally pay for their content.

just read an article that NFL is sweating over low viewership this year.

sucks to be them.
 
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wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
Will have to wait and see what is offered in the total package, but $40 might be a little steep for the many people who are now used to not paying for cable, including myself. This certainly won't be replacing Netflix.
 

anthonysjennings

macrumors newbie
Sep 26, 2016
10
17
Maryland
Siri on AppleTV 4 doesn't work for many foreign languages. So AppleTV is worthless in many countries including mine.

What does Siri have to do with this? You can use Apple TV in any language, as it doesn't require spoken input to operate. Furthermore, Siri doesn't respond aloud to spoken input, so talking to Siri on an Apple TV is awkward at best, and just plain weird at worst.
 

StevieD100

macrumors 6502a
Jan 18, 2014
732
1,148
Living Dangerously in Retirement



Google has inked a deal with CBS for its upcoming web-based streaming television service, reports The Wall Street Journal. Called "Unplugged," the paid subscription service, available on YouTube, will see Google offering a bundle of several channels for a set price of $25 to $40 per month.
What are they smoking? That is a silly price. What with Cable, Cell Phone, Netflix, HBO, etc, etc ,etc
Do they think we are made of money?
Probably.
I hope this falls flat on its face.
 

usersince86

macrumors 6502
Oct 24, 2002
427
1,038
Columbus, Ohio
Apple is falling farther behind. And it's really not Tim Cook, it's the environment that Steve Jobs created. I've been using Apple products almost exclusively since 1986, but it was because Apple was better. Arrogantly better, but better. But today's competition is much different. Apple needs to move quickly on some things. Hoping the new Macs will be a step in the right direction.
 

wigby

macrumors 68030
Jun 7, 2007
2,740
2,685
Siri on AppleTV 4 doesn't work for many foreign languages. So AppleTV is worthless in many countries including mine. Google is on the other hand works very well with foreign languages and is (again) very far ahead of Apple. Mix that with compatibility and reasonable prices... I'm afraid again an opportunity lost for Apple. Android is on every smart tv and getting better and better. Soon you can choose this new feature from google on your tv.
Since the biography of Steve jobs where he mentioned he cracked the way we are going to watch tv all Apple has done is talk but not deliver. Every other company: google, amazone, etc. delivered.
There's a lot of unknowns in this story even if it's true. We do not know if the service is tied to existing hardware, new hardware, works only with Android smart TVs or some combination. So you have a lot of confusion as to which TV or device or service will be supported. It's typical Google which makes me believe the story. You can say what you want about Apple but at least they are consistent with one hardware device containing all those type of apps. Navigation, subscriptions and even Siri support is straightforward.
 

jayducharme

macrumors 601
Jun 22, 2006
4,513
5,925
The thick of it
I guess this demonstrates that the reason Apple didn't reach a deal was because of their negotiating tactics. If Google was able to put this package together, the networks were obviously willing to negotiate.
 
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iReality85

macrumors 65816
Apr 29, 2008
1,107
2,380
Upstate NY
I pay $50 a month for 100+ channels, so this isn't worth the price.

Or is it?

Those who have been in favor of a-la-carte, smaller bundles recognize that a greater portion of their subscription cost should naturally go to the channels they actually watch. In other words, good content stands on its own and attracts paying customers.

And we all want better content. But that costs money.

In your example, the average content provider (let's just keep it simple and say individual channels = individual content providers) would see just $0.50 of proceeds from your subscription. If I got to choose a bundle of 10 channels that I actually love to watch for $35/mo, that's $3.50 to each content provider.

If I were a content provider, I'd want to earn the $3.50, not the $0.50. This is why cable companies have too much power. It comes back to that old belief of more is not always better (or less is more)
 
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