Apple Video Execs to Scope Out Movies at the Toronto International Film Festival

[DevNull0]

So the way forward for Apple is to go back to the 1990s? Sales of desktops/laptops have dropped from 350 million in 2012 to 250 million in 2017—and most of those are Windows boxes.

Makes sense that most would be Windows boxes. Most Mac fans feel the 2012 Macs were the best computers ever made and Apple has been consistently getting worse ever since. The only people who seem to like the current direction of the Macs are iOS fans who love seeing the Mac get more iOS like even though they personally would never buy a Mac because they want an iPad.

It would be very interesting to see how Macs would sell if Apple would release one targeted at actual Mac users. Given the way MS is currently pissing off people by pushing software as a service with windows and office, it could work out very, very well for Apple to produce a computer for people who want a computer rather than they "what's a computer" bull.

PC sales are dropping because both companies are pushing hard in a way consumers and businesses simply do not want.

Edit: Also nice hyperbole going back to the 90's when you yourself say peak PC was 2012. Most Mac fans would jump at the chance to buy the 2012 chassis updated with a modern CPU/GPU/SSD/RAM/display. That would be a heck of a lot better than anything currently only the market from any company, Apple included.

 

[Jsameds]

So Apple cancels routers and monitors and other useful computing devices because it would split their attention. So they go into movies. Got it.

"Apple reportedly began shutting down its AirPort unit in early 2016, in an effort to "sharpen" its focus on the "consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue."

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/26/apple-officially-discontinues-airport-wireless-router-lineup/

Those consumer products being services such as movie/TV streaming like this. Hate to break it to you, but that's where the money is these days, not in Macs.

 

[lunarworks]

So the way forward for Apple is to go back to the 1990s? Sales of desktops/laptops have dropped from 350 million in 2012 to 250 million in 2017—and most of those are Windows boxes.

Apple would wither to irrelevance if they just focused on computers. There’s a reason Jobs dropped “Computer” from Apple’s name in 2007. After iPhone, he saw the future, and it’s not (only) computers.

You're missing the subtext.

It isn't "Apple should focus on computers", it's "Apple should focus on me."

 

[Yvan256]

I don't mind Apple spreading out. However, I do mind that this company seems to have lost its focus and tries to do everything which in the end means mediocrity.
I thought they'd set up a study on how "Steve did it". If so, they have missed two of his most important rules:

1) focus
2) don't let marketing run a company.

If they want to be a media company, drop the Macs and the pros (finally) which Apple seems to have given up a long time ago and don't let us hunger for the Apple that we have learned to love. If this is just an entertainment company from now on, so be it. But let is know and we can move on.

You can't be an entertainment giant like Disney or a car manufacturer like Audi on a whim. It does not only take money, it takes dedication, it takes professionality and it takes resources which Apple seems to lack these days.

I wouldn't wonder if they were trying to sell food or electricity in the near future. But is more diversity really better? Steve taught us differently, he focused and he had a vision. This is just a company trying to do it all and it will fail like Microsoft did with the acquisition of Nokia, it will fail like Daimler with the acquisition of Chrysler. At some point these companies become to big to handle. And for me, it seems that Apple's at a breaking point.

So going shopping for movies just shows me the lack of dedication towards their core business, which I have presumed was computers. Alas, the new Disney is called Apple. At least Disney knows it doesn't have to sell computers and focuses on its content.

Or they could do what a lot of Japanese companies do: split the company into multiple divisions. I think the way Apple is setup now, they are still just one big company, internally. They need to split into a computers division, a mobile devices division, an entertainment division (maybe even split that one into three: music, TV, movies), a car division, etc.

Of course they would still cooperate when needed (computers and mobile devices, for example). But at least then, in theory and if they respect the principles of having divisions, is that they wouldn't be pulling people from some projects to work on other projects. They wouldn't have people needing to split their time and attention between unrelated projects.
[doublepost=1536240911][/doublepost]

"Apple reportedly began shutting down its AirPort unit in early 2016, in an effort to "sharpen" its focus on the "consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue."

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/26/apple-officially-discontinues-airport-wireless-router-lineup/

Those consumer products being services such as movie/TV streaming like this. Hate to break it to you, but that's where the money is these days, not in Macs.

Profit margins are much higher for services and that's monthly instead of once-every-three-to-five-years. So if they really only want to go where the money is, they should stop making Macs, iPhones and all the rest and release XCode for Windows and media-consumption software for Windows and Android only.

Is that what you want?

 

[Jsameds]

Profit margins are much higher for services and that's monthly instead of once-every-three-to-five-years. So if they really only want to go where the money is, they should stop making Macs, iPhones and all the rest and release XCode for Windows and media-consumption software for Windows and Android only.

Is that what you want?

"they should stop making Macs"

Well they pretty much have already, or at least they're doing the bare minimum.

"iPhones and all the rest"

No. This is their main platform for the services they're pushing. No platform = no services.

"and release XCode for Windows"

Doesn't sound like such a bad idea to me.

 

[Bacillus]

"Apple reportedly began shutting down its AirPort unit in early 2016, in an effort to "sharpen" its focus on the "consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue."

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/26/apple-officially-discontinues-airport-wireless-router-lineup/

Those consumer products being services such as movie/TV streaming like this. Hate to break it to you, but that's where the money is these days, not in Macs.

That‘s Cookette-echo that doesn’t make sense:
The money is never in overpriced, half-baken stuff and also-rans.
No sensible cable-cutter will subscribe to more than 2/3 IP content providers and Apple isn’t any of them yet.
But everybody is a potential customer of a modern Mac line-up with a decent keyboard and screens - instead of a museum of antiquated HW.
It’s never the market that is wrong - but the lamenting supplier

 

[Jsameds]

That Cookette-echo doesn’t make sense:
The money is never in overpriced, half-baken stuff and also-rans.
No sensible cable-cutter will subscribe to more than 2/3 IP content providers and Apple isn’t any of them yet.
But everybody is a potential customer of a modern laptop with a decent keyboard.
It’s never the market that is wrong - but the lamenting supplier

"That Cookette-echo doesn’t make sense"

Services currently makes 50% more than Macs.

"The money is never in overpriced, half-baken stuff and also-rans."

This isn't what Apple is pushing for.

"But everybody is a potential customer of a modern laptop with a decent keyboard."

lol ok. Except they're not. Everyone is a potential subscription service customer these days.

 

[Bacillus]

"That Cookette-echo doesn’t make sense"


lol ok. Except they're not. Everyone is a potential subscription service customer these days.

Yes but only to 2/3 suppliers with a broader/deeper catalogue than Apple has.

Apple is the Samsung of streaming: they are skating where neither the puck nor the money is

Given the current archaic state of Macs, it is a miracle if those make money at all

 

[Jsameds]

Yes but only to 2/3 suppliers with a broader/deeper catalogue than Apple has

Apple have the iTunes Movie, TV and Music stores. Who's to say they're not planning a subscription to this with some additional exclusives? I'd certainly pay good money for it. In fact I've been saying this for years already.

£30/month for a sub to all that and I'd drop Netflix, Amazon and Spotify in a heartbeat.
[doublepost=1536243629][/doublepost]

Apple is the Samsung of streaming: they are skating where neither the puck nor the money is

Bless.

Apple is first public company worth $1 trillion

 

[truthertech]

Let's hope they skip film festivals and just buy original content.

Me thinks you don't understand how this works. Film festivals = original content.
[doublepost=1536245046][/doublepost]

I don't mind Apple spreading out. However, I do mind that this company seems to have lost its focus and tries to do everything which in the end means mediocrity.
I thought they'd set up a study on how "Steve did it". If so, they have missed two of his most important rules:

1) focus
2) don't let marketing run a company.

If they want to be a media company, drop the Macs and the pros (finally) which Apple seems to have given up a long time ago and don't let us hunger for the Apple that we have learned to love. If this is just an entertainment company from now on, so be it. But let is know and we can move on.

You can't be an entertainment giant like Disney or a car manufacturer like Audi on a whim. It does not only take money, it takes dedication, it takes professionality and it takes resources which Apple seems to lack these days.

I wouldn't wonder if they were trying to sell food or electricity in the near future. But is more diversity really better? Steve taught us differently, he focused and he had a vision. This is just a company trying to do it all and it will fail like Microsoft did with the acquisition of Nokia, it will fail like Daimler with the acquisition of Chrysler. At some point these companies become to big to handle. And for me, it seems that Apple's at a breaking point.

So going shopping for movies just shows me the lack of dedication towards their core business, which I have presumed was computers. Alas, the new Disney is called Apple. At least Disney knows it doesn't have to sell computers and focuses on its content.

I think you were the same person laughing at Apple and telling them to stay the heck out of the phone business. Good thing Apple doesn't listen to posters as many said "Apple doesn't know anything about the cell phone industry and can't just jump in on a whim."

In fact, Apple is already a giant media company and makes billions streaming audio and video, both TV and movies. You're suggesting they chop off a major source of revenue because with their 100K plus employees they can't have a few who sign people up to deals to produce content for them?? That's like saying they should shut down Apple Music because to focus on the Mac Pro.

People don't understand that all of the companies, Amazon, Disney, Google, Netflix, etc, are doing the exact same thing; there's no magic or mystery to it--they are going to the exact same pool of producers, directors, and actors and signing them up to produce "original" content for them. Apple has hired some of the top people in the industry who have been responsible for stuff like Breaking Bad to staff their expansion of their video streaming business and these people are out there with Apple's checkbook bidding against HBO, Amazon, Sony, Netflix, etc., to sign people up. They either buy the distribution rights to something already produced, or they sign up a producer who makes a series or movie for them and then Apple puts it on their servers, runs some ads and Voila! Rinse and repeat. They are already ahead of where Netflix was when Netflix moved into "original content" and Netflix moved from less than ten shows to now over a thousand.

Just as the article points out, Amazon and Apple, and other big companies will be at the festival to sign deals to license these films as exclusives to their streaming service.

 

[Yvan256]

Everyone is a potential subscription service customer these days.

No they're not. As you said yourself in your post above, Apple subscription services require an iPhone or iPad, which mean the potential market is very far from everyone. If their end goal really is to only sell services, they would stop making hardware and release the software required for their subscription services on Windows and Android.

And since they've already released (or are working on?) Apple music for Android, I'd say the shift has already started.

 

[wigby]

I was halfway joking because Apple's original content has been iffy. If they want to do it, I'd rather them just spend for it.

Either way they pay. At least they get immediate rights to these finished works. That means we could see these movies on Apple TV in a matter of a few months providing they are not looking for theatrical distribution first. If Apple is involved from the beginning, expect not to see any finished product until at least 18 months from now.
[doublepost=1536245480][/doublepost]

There's no one way to buy original content just as there's no one defined type of original content. You can bid on content that's already finished. You can hire creators to start from scratch. You can take over a licensed IP and take it in a new direction. There's just sooooooo many ways to get "original content". That doesn't even take into account what kind of content you want. Cheap reality based? More expensive episodic content? Even more expensive movies?

It's a minefield that depends on a lot of luck unfortunately.

To me, Apple going to a festival is more about a rollout window than control. If you need content fast, you buy finished work even if it does not perfectly fit your streaming service vision. So it's good to see Apple being a little flexible here and it also means their streaming service rollout is imminent.

 

[Bacillus]

Apple have the iTunes Movie, TV and Music stores. Who's to say they're not planning a subscription to this with some additional exclusives? I'd certainly pay good money for it. In fact I've been saying this for years already. Bless.
Apple is first public company worth $1 trillion

How particularly disappointing that nobody listened to you all those years
Next to a larger font, speaking through a 1 kW amplifier might add to your credibility.
Anyway, thanks for pointing out how dominance in a single product category can lead to overexpectation & comparative failure in soo many others
Don’t get yourself ridden over by the first AppleCar - in your core belief in that Titanic project...

 

[corebeliefs]

"Apple reportedly began shutting down its AirPort unit in early 2016, in an effort to "sharpen" its focus on the "consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue."

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/26/apple-officially-discontinues-airport-wireless-router-lineup/

Those consumer products being services such as movie/TV streaming like this. Hate to break it to you, but that's where the money is these days, not in Macs.

If you hate to break it to me, then you have my permission to skip it next time, lol.

What you're saying is half true. Content makes money but Apple is no expert at it. Apple was an expert at creating a compelling ecosystem that included products that kept computer users. I don't think Apple can win at content, I think they will spend time and money and fail. Apple was winning at the ecosystem it created.

 

[Baymowe335]

Me thinks you don't understand how this works. Film festivals = original content.
[doublepost=1536245046][/doublepost]


I think you were the same person laughing at Apple and telling them to stay the heck out of the phone business. Good thing Apple doesn't listen to posters as many said "Apple doesn't know anything about the cell phone industry and can't just jump in on a whim."

In fact, Apple is already a giant media company and makes billions streaming audio and video, both TV and movies. You're suggesting they chop off a major source of revenue because with their 100K plus employees they can't have a few who sign people up to deals to produce content for them?? That's like saying they should shut down Apple Music because to focus on the Mac Pro.

People don't understand that all of the companies, Amazon, Disney, Google, Netflix, etc, are doing the exact same thing; there's no magic or mystery to it--they are going to the exact same pool of producers, directors, and actors and signing them up to produce "original" content for them. Apple has hired some of the top people in the industry who have been responsible for stuff like Breaking Bad to staff their expansion of their video streaming business and these people are out there with Apple's checkbook bidding against HBO, Amazon, Sony, Netflix, etc., to sign people up. They either buy the distribution rights to something already produced, or they sign up a producer who makes a series or movie for them and then Apple puts it on their servers, runs some ads and Voila! Rinse and repeat. They are already ahead of where Netflix was when Netflix moved into "original content" and Netflix moved from less than ten shows to now over a thousand.

Just as the article points out, Amazon and Apple, and other big companies will be at the festival to sign deals to license these films as exclusives to their streaming service.

No, I want them to buy Disney.

 

[Bacillus]

Either way they pay. At least they get immediate rights to these finished works. That means we could see these movies on Apple TV in a matter of a few months providing they are not looking for theatrical distribution first. If Apple is involved from the beginning, expect not to see any finished product until at least 18 months from now.
[doublepost=1536245480][/doublepost]
To me, Apple going to a festival is more about a rollout window than control. If you need content fast, you buy finished work even if it does not perfectly fit your streaming service vision. So it's good to see Apple being a little flexible here and it also means their streaming service rollout is imminent.

If the number of events attended by the Eddy queue was a determinator, their catalogue would comprise all Disney plus 5x NetFlix by now

 

[Jsameds]

How particularly disappointing that nobody listened to you all those years
Next to a larger font, speaking through a 1 kW amplifier might add to your credibility.
Anyway, thanks for pointing out how dominance in a single product category can lead to overexpectation & comparative failure in soo many others
Don’t get yourself ridden over by the first AppleCar - in your core belief in that Titanic project...

I'm beginning to not like you.

 

[wigby]

If the number of events attended by the Eddy Queue was a determinator, their catalogue would comprise all Disney plus 5x NetFlix by now

Don't forget about the Warriors

 

[lunarworks]

In fact, Apple is already a giant media company and makes billions streaming audio and video, both TV and movies.

Not only the money matters. By analyzing all the streams, purchases, and rentals they've facilitated over the years they can easily gauge what people want to see and hear. Just because it doesn't match up, at all, with the tastes of many posters here, doesn't mean they don't have a keen idea of what they're doing.

 

[Bacillus]

I'm beginning to not like you.

Pleasantry generally doesn’t lead to better understanding.

 

[Jsameds]

Pleasantry generally doesn’t lead to better understanding.

Actually it usually does.

Good day sir.

 

[robbyx]

How particularly disappointing that nobody listened to you all those years
Next to a larger font, speaking through a 1 kW amplifier might add to your credibility.
Anyway, thanks for pointing out how dominance in a single product category can lead to overexpectation & comparative failure in soo many others
Don’t get yourself ridden over by the first AppleCar - in your core belief in that Titanic project...

This is the problem with all the newbie (post iPhone) Apple fans. They’ve only been around for Apple’s meteoric rise. It wasn’t always like this. There were decades of struggle, ups and downs, and failed products before the iPhone. But all the newbie fans point to the trillion dollar wall street valuation and profit margin percentages as if they’re some kind of cloak of invincibility.

You bring up an excellent point. Just because you are the dominant player in one market means little when it comes time to enter a new one. Apple was never the dominant player in any market until the iPod and, later, the iPhone. Two excellent products. But that makes them experts at building cars? Or producing original video content? I don’t think so. Granted, they could surprise us, as they did with the iPhone and cellphone market, but only a fool (ie: diehard fanboy) would take it for granted.

Video is going to be a true test for Apple. With Music, they had a built-in audience. Same goes for video. The difference is, every music service has the same catalog more or less. So an iPhone owning Spotify user might ditch Spotify in favor of Music. But I don’t think anyone believes that Apple Video is going to be a Netflix killer. So will consumers pay for another service? I have my doubts. I already pay for Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix. I’m not really willing to pay for another. I poach HBO using a family member’s login in order to watch Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley. As good as those shows are, I wouldn’t pay another $20/month just for them.
[doublepost=1536254215][/doublepost]

In fact, Apple is already a giant media company and makes billions streaming audio and video, both TV and movies. You're suggesting they chop off a major source of revenue because with their 100K plus employees they can't have a few who sign people up to deals to produce content for them?? That's like saying they should shut down Apple Music because to focus on the Mac Pro.

People don't understand that all of the companies, Amazon, Disney, Google, Netflix, etc, are doing the exact same thing; there's no magic or mystery to it--they are going to the exact same pool of producers, directors, and actors and signing them up to produce "original" content for them. Apple has hired some of the top people in the industry who have been responsible for stuff like Breaking Bad to staff their expansion of their video streaming business and these people are out there with Apple's checkbook bidding against HBO, Amazon, Sony, Netflix, etc., to sign people up. They either buy the distribution rights to something already produced, or they sign up a producer who makes a series or movie for them and then Apple puts it on their servers, runs some ads and Voila! Rinse and repeat. They are already ahead of where Netflix was when Netflix moved into "original content" and Netflix moved from less than ten shows to now over a thousand.

Just as the article points out, Amazon and Apple, and other big companies will be at the festival to sign deals to license these films as exclusives to their streaming service.

I think you’re jumping the gun a bit. Apple knows how to deliver content. But can they produce it? Big difference. So far their two original shows don’t inspire much optimism.

Overall, though, I agree with your take. But will consumers open their wallets for yet another media subscription? Adding another service is different from switching services. I’m already paying for several services. I poach HBO because the two shows I watch aren’t worth paying $20/month for and I wouldn’t pay for Amazon if it wasn’t included in Prime. If Apple’s original content becomes part of Music, great! But if it’s a separate/new/additional charge, I don’t think it’s going to be a slam dunk.

 

[Futurix]

So Apple cancels routers and monitors and other useful computing devices because it would split their attention. So they go into movies. Got it.

Yes, because the same people who did their Wi-Fi hardware are now purchasing movies...

 

[m4mario]

Lets hope something comes out of this. Apple lags in content heavily in this area.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

This is getting kind of old. We have had at least a year of news about hiring people or "green lighting" this possible show or that possible show and yet ZERO actual products or even how, if there are going to be products, it will be served up. iTunes? TV App? Music app (like Car Pool).

It just adds to the confusing mess that Apple music and video services already are. With so many video subscription plans out there already will it matter if Apple actually jumps in with more than the trivial failures that have tried so far (planet of the apps) ???