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Apple 'Racing' to Sign HBO, Showtime, and Starz for TV Service Before March 25 Event

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Apple has already invited members of the press to an event on March 25, where it's believed the company will reveal its TV streaming service and Apple News subscription service. Today, Bloomberg has shared a few new details about the upcoming event, suggesting that Apple may preview new Apple Pay features and that most of Apple's original TV shows will miss the streaming service's launch window.

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Additionally, Apple is said to be "racing" to secure movies and TV shows from partner companies ahead of the event. According to people familiar with the matter, Apple is offering concessions to partners in order to get deals done by a Friday deadline. These include HBO, Showtime, and Starz.

"At least a couple deals" are expected to close by Friday, but it's unclear if Apple will get all the programming from outside media companies that it wants for its streaming service.

Today's report claims that most of the shows and movies on the streaming service at launch will be from outside partners, not Apple's own shows, so the company is attempting to ensure that there is plenty of content to entice customers to check the service out.
At an all-hands meeting with employees in January after announcing disappointing holiday sales, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook told employees how critical services are to the company's future. This trio of new services will be the first major addition to the portfolio for consumers since the company launched Apple Pay in 2014 and Apple Music a year later.
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The idea of an Apple services bundle is also brought up again in today's report, with Bloomberg's sources stating that Apple could offer the TV service and Apple News service at a discount for anyone who subscribes to both.

Lastly, Apple might take time to detail the company's iPhone-connected credit card, built in partnership with Goldman Sachs. Code named "Project Cookie", Goldman Sachs is said to have nearly 40 people working on the Apple deal, while Apple's side is being led by the Apple Pay team.

To find out more information on what might be announced during the March 25 event, check out our What To Expect guide.

Article Link: Apple 'Racing' to Sign HBO, Showtime, and Starz for TV Service Before March 25 Event
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/03/13/apple-racing-hbo-showtime-starz/
The only game changer they could possibly offer but will never happen would be to offer their whole iTunes movie and tv catalogue including new releases and brand new episodes as part of their streaming package.

It took Music Labels long enough to get it. Now studios are going the opposite direction by offering multiple platforms and expecting people to pay

Maybe some day
 
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I keep thinking of Microsoft in the 90s when they entered any field where someone else started to get a foothold because they might lose out. When Grolier Encyclopedia CD-ROMs became a thing, Microsoft had to come out with Encarta.

Does the world need one more way to get HBO?

iTunes and the iTunes Music Store were a real contribution.

Apple Pay is as well.

But not Apple Music. And except for original programming, which is just a way to lock people into your service rather than the plethora of other choices, I don't anticipate them doing anything interesting in video.

It's just to be in that space.

I think the industry is more interesting when everyone does what they're best at rather than trying to do everything. I don't think you can argue there is some hole in the television market that's being unmet, just like there wasn't in music streaming before Apple Music.
 
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entropys said:
Project cookie would be the more interesting thing, but US only of course.
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You really think? They already have an Apple Visa with Barclay's...and at least here in the U.S., Goldman's doesn't have a good reputation after what they did helping create the financial crisis and willingly selling their customers "products" they knew were going to become worthless and as a company betting on everything blowing up to profit off of the coming calamity.
 
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Content from HBO and Showtime would certainly sweeten the deal, but I'm not sure I can justify having Netflix and Apple's offering (whatever that may be called... Apple TV?)
 
So, call me stupid, but how is this different from today? Will the main annoucement on the 25th be that you now dont have to be auto duided to a new app when viewing stuff within the apple tv app?
 
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Tim Cook sure loves these recurring subscription fees. Unfortunately that sort of service often can't be differentiated from other companies and since other companies are willing to harvest your data and sell it (which most people are oblivious to) they can do the same thing for cheaper
 
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Apple can't even provide TV series in Austria since forever, can't provide ApplePay, can't bother to make Siri on AppleTV available so why the hell does anybody think this will in any way take off? Probably USA only and limited at a higher price tag.
 
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Does Apple TV still lack the ability to automatically play subsequent episodes of a TV series? That was probably my biggest gripe years ago, which rather sours my expectations for their new streaming service.
 
smaffei said:
This has FAIL written all over it.
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Exactly what I was gonna say, word for word. Here’s a prediction for everyone:
- US only (for some stupid reason, just like news)
- PG13 shows only, highly curated by Apple’s execs, hence boring
- Content controlled by Apple’s diversity and political police
- Did I mention boring?

I swear I want to be wrong but Apple’s been a ton of disappointments in a row. AirPods and HomePod have been my only hopes that Apple’s future might be bright. All the rest is just overpriced nonsense.
I have the XS Max, think its a great phone, if it didn’t cost 1300€. Maybe around 900€.
Also have a 15 inch MB Pro (2017). Same thing. 3399€, is really worth 2000€.
My bad: iPad Pro is definitely amazing. Love it. Still missing Final Cut Pro and Logic (I can’t even begin to understand why...)
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horsebattery said:
Does Apple TV still lack the ability to automatically play subsequent episodes of a TV series? That was probably my biggest gripe years ago, which rather sours my expectations for their new streaming service.
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No. Netflix for example does this on the Apple TV
 
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HBO, Showtime and Starz add exactly ZERO desire for me. Every time our provider, DirecTV, has a "free weekend" of any of these, we find absolutely nothing we want to watch! Just the same old crap that's been around for years and years. Of course, HBO has GoT but that's not for us and certainly a single series isn't worth the monthly cost, even if it was.
 
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