Netflix CEO Confirms Netflix Won't Be Part of Apple's Upcoming Video Service

[Matt Leaf]

i've honestly never found apples service platforms compelling enough to stay subscribed to. nor many other platforms for that matter

in this world of microtransactional drm post pirate-bay media, i've actually begun to find i'm being lured back to physical media and products, for the simple reason of wanting to own the media for playback however I want. even on netflix, it often doesn't have what i want.

kinda late to the party but i think my next move is to actually buy a 4k bluray player, and slowly begin a collection of all faves across 4k and Bluray disc

i'm just tired of needing this or that box, all these monthly payments stacking up, not actually owning the media and being locked down to a particular ecosystem, and losing the content once you unsubscribe

 

[gnipgnop]

Well it looks like you haven't read the books. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogies explored only small parts of the overall story.

I did read the books, but not over and over. If the hook for watching the new series is "see all the stuff that wasn't covered in the films", that's more of a core audience type of approach. IMO, spending $1 billion on a series would mean you want a mass audience, not a core audience.

 

[Andronicus]

I am seeing Netflix on my ATV 4K right now. Are you not seeing the Netflix App in your ATV or other devices? Did I misunderstand your sentence?



Yah, you misunderstood. On the Apple TV home screen there is an area at the top that says “up next”. In this area you can continue watching shows that are located in another app. For example if you last watched it’s always sunny in Philadelphia on Hulu, it will have a shortcut to allow you to start where you left off on the home screen instead of having to open the Hulu app.

Most streaming apps do this but Netflix does not.

 

[lsutigerfan1976]

Uh. So many that it would actually be cheaper to just get cable at some point

I have Spotify. Which comes with Hulu. And Amazon prime video comes with my prime shipping monthly fee. So really if i subscribe to Netflix. I am set. With Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix.

 

[ROGmaster]

I did read the books, but not over and over. If the hook for watching the new series is "see all the stuff that wasn't covered in the films", that's more of a core audience type of approach. IMO, spending $1 billion on a series would mean you want a mass audience, not a core audience.

I disagree. The hook is the lore of Tolkien stories. If done right there's absolutely no reason they wouldn't be extremely successful.
The 1 billion dollars budget means they are very serious about these tv series and they aren't playing around, so it won't be a hobby like the suggestion made user here about Apple's streaming service.
Also I never said the TV series will replicate the books 100%. Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit sure didn't do it so it's irrelevant to mention it.

 

[ajgash]

Unlike Disney, CBS, and all the other content creators now considering or implementing their own exclusive apps and shows/movies, Netflix doesn't have another avenue to share its content, so keeping it exclusive is an obvious choice.

I don't really see why Netflix wouldn't embrace Up Next. Apple designed an interface to promote the shows that users are currently watching. I guess the only downside for Netflix is that Up Next would promote shows from across a user's viewing history, not just stuff from Netflix, thus viewers may not end up finding new things only on Netflix. Still, considering Netflix doesn't make their own hardware, to me it would make sense to integrate as best you can in the hardware that's out there (but I guess Netflix wants people to ONLY see their content in their own app ecosystem, even though Up Next would point to it).

I think the way that Netflix (and Apple) become and remain successful in the world of original content is not by competing with each other over functionality, but each focusing on the quality of their content.

 

[Marshall73]

Apple is set to unveil its long-rumored TV service next Monday, and ahead of the event, Netflix has confirmed that it won't be participating in Apple's streaming offering.

At a briefing at the company's headquarters in Hollywood, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said that while Apple is a "great company," Netflix isn't interested in offering its content on other platforms. "We want to have people watch our shows on our services," he said, according to Recode.

Netflix has never embraced Apple TV features like "Up Next" designed to allow Apple TV users to see all of their watched TV shows at a glance, so it's no surprise to hear that Netflix does not plan to offer its content through Apple's upcoming streaming service.

Set to be launched next week, Apple's TV offering will feature both its original content and add-on content from other cable providers like Showtime and HBO. Apple will allow customers to sign up for subscriptions to third-party services like HBO right within the TV app, which will serve as Apple's TV content hub.

Apple's video hub will be similar to what Amazon offers through its Prime Video app. Amazon provides original TV shows along with options to subscribe to premium content through a Channels feature.

In response to a question about how Netflix will compete with Apple and Amazon going forward, Hastings said the company will do so "with difficulty," though he pointed out that Netflix has already been competing with Amazon for years.

"You do your best job when you have great competitors," he said, before admitting that the increased competition has led to higher prices when sourcing content.

Apple is going to give us a first look at its video service on Monday, March 25, at an event set to be held at its Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. Multiple celebrities that are starring in Apple shows, like Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, and Reese Witherspoon, will be present.

Article Link: Netflix CEO Confirms Netflix Won't Be Part of Apple's Upcoming Video Service

Funny, I don’t think anyone was expecting Apple and Netflix to have any deal. Is this Netflix trying to be part of the conversation? Saying, hey! Remember us?

 

[Kabeyun]

Apple is the number 1 at whining. Whined about Samsung using slide to unlock and rounded corners.

No, they complained about Sammy basically ripping off the iPhone and settled for those two things. Everything was the same, right down to the phone icon, but “But... but look at it, your honor!” apparently doesn’t do well in court.

 

[Ghost31]

Netflix is on every possible platform it can be on, Android, Smart TVs, the web, iOS, etc. so that has me wondering, is Apple going to license their content for distribution through anyone else for those platforms or will they make apps for them and compete like Netflix?
Or try to use the service to lure (or keep?) users on their hardware?

iTunes is going to be on smart TVs pretty soon. So my guess is apple is gonna wanna be just like Netflix. Have their services available on every platform imaginable

 

[Abazigal]

i've honestly never found apples service platforms compelling enough to stay subscribed to. nor many other platforms for that matter

in this world of microtransactional drm post pirate-bay media, i've actually begun to find i'm being lured back to physical media and products, for the simple reason of wanting to own the media for playback however I want. even on netflix, it often doesn't have what i want.

kinda late to the party but i think my next move is to actually buy a 4k bluray player, and slowly begin a collection of all faves across 4k and Bluray disc

i'm just tired of needing this or that box, all these monthly payments stacking up, not actually owning the media and being locked down to a particular ecosystem, and losing the content once you unsubscribe

If you bought a boxed set of “friends” back then, it’s starting to look like a wiser investment by each day.

 

[Ghost31]

I have Spotify. Which comes with Hulu. And Amazon prime video comes with my prime shipping monthly fee. So really if i subscribe to Netflix. I am set. With Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix.

Spotify comes with Hulu? I have Hulu and I didn’t even know that. I wonder though if that’s good for Spotify and their bottom line or not.

Problem is Apple Music works just too good with apple stuff. So if I wanna go to the gym with just my watch with music loaded onto it, I gotta use Apple Music. Same with if I wanna use Siri. Or better carplay integration with my car.

 

[Abazigal]

I have Spotify. Which comes with Hulu. And Amazon prime video comes with my prime shipping monthly fee. So really if i subscribe to Netflix. I am set. With Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix.

Let’s see...

Game Of Thrones - HBO
The Handmaid's Tale - HULU
BoJack Horseman - Netflix
The Man In The High Castle - Amazon Prime
Twin Peaks (the revival) - Showtime
American Gods - Starz
Star Trek: Discovery - CBS (But I think it’s also available on Netflix?)
Anime - Crunchyroll
Titans - DC streaming service
Sling TV somewhere

And coming soon - Apple (maybe free with Apple Music?) and Disney’s streaming services respectively

At which point do the consumers just say “screw it” and go back to torrenting?

 

[MacGizmo]

When you add the cost of your Internet access into the cost of Hulu, Netflix, Prime, and any "upgrade" channels like HBO, the cost is more than just paying for a cable package/bundle.

All of this talk about yet another service just doesn't accomplish the original goal of not being forced to pay $100+ per month to watch TV.

 

[Imdougurnot]

You know, it feels like maybe we need to start watching a little less and living a little more.

I was going to say, do people really watch this much tv? FFS get out of the damn house. There’s an interesting world out there. People sit: hour car commute, 8-10 hr cubicle, hour car commute, then come home and sit mindlessly on the couch watching 15 different streaming services?

 

[Remy149]

I wonder if you would be crying if your Uber cost 30% more because you used their App, or your takeaway cost 30% more because you used the Just Eat app? That’s the difference. Spotify have legitimate arguments
[doublepost=1552978354][/doublepost]
Pathetic

Spotify cost 30% more on iOS because they rather the customer pays the fees owed to Apple then they do do themselves.

 

[Imdougurnot]

When you add the cost of your Internet access into the cost of Hulu, Netflix, Prime, and any "upgrade" channels like HBO, the cost is more than just paying for a cable package/bundle.

All of this talk about yet another service just doesn't accomplish the original goal of not being forced to pay $100+ per month to watch TV.

That was never the goal. They just wanted the revenue shifted to them away from the cable companies.

 

[Remy149]

You don't get it right, do you? The real news here is that the apple event will only be a parade of celebs and nothing more.No Mac Pro no nothing.Maybe just the iPad

This is only expected to be about services which is why they announced wwdc for June ahead of time to set expectations for next week. That’s also why the new iPad Air and minis where released yesterday

 

[Imdougurnot]

Spotify cost 30% more on iOS because they rather the customer pays the fees owed to Apple then they do do themselves.

That’s how business works.

 

[az431]

Hmmmmmmmm, curious as to how Netflix and Apple will compete. Will the ecosystem pose as an advantage?

No. Netflix is not Spotify. This is more likely to end up like Apple Ping, or best case scenario, a minor footnote in the services story. The odds of Apple dethroning Netflix are about the same as the headphone jack returning to iPhones.

 

[Imdougurnot]

If Apple bundles Apple Music exclusively with this TV service and raises the price I’m out. Spotify for me.

 

[Remy149]

Let’s see...

Game Of Thrones - HBO
The Handmaid's Tale - HULU
BoJack Horseman - Netflix
The Man In The High Castle - Amazon Prime
Twin Peaks (the revival) - Showtime
American Gods - Starz
Star Trek: Discovery - CBS (But I think it’s also available on Netflix?)
Anime - Crunchyroll
Titans - DC streaming service
Sling TV somewhere

And coming soon - Apple (maybe free with Apple Music?) and Disney’s streaming services respectively

At which point do the consumers just say “screw it” and go back to torrenting?

The good thing about many streaming services like hbo or STARZ and even cbs all access. You don’t have to subscribe year round. I only have hbo during game of thrones and subscribe to a single month of cbs and binge Star Trek when the season completes. Most people will never subscribe to all services at once the distributors know this which is why they try to make content that stands out.

 

[Imdougurnot]

Let’s see...

Game Of Thrones - HBO
The Handmaid's Tale - HULU
BoJack Horseman - Netflix
The Man In The High Castle - Amazon Prime
Twin Peaks (the revival) - Showtime
American Gods - Starz
Star Trek: Discovery - CBS (But I think it’s also available on Netflix?)
Anime - Crunchyroll
Titans - DC streaming service
Sling TV somewhere

And coming soon - Apple (maybe free with Apple Music?) and Disney’s streaming services respectively

At which point do the consumers just say “screw it” and go back to torrenting?

People have stopped torrenting?

 

[lsutigerfan1976]

Spotify comes with Hulu? I have Hulu and I didn’t even know that. I wonder though if that’s good for Spotify and their bottom line or not.

Problem is Apple Music works just too good with apple stuff. So if I wanna go to the gym with just my watch with music loaded onto it, I gotta use Apple Music. Same with if I wanna use Siri. Or better carplay integration with my car.

Yes. They just announced this. Even if you are an existing customer. You can go in the settings and add Hulu. You do have to cancel your existing subscription though before signing up thru Spotify.

And i am the exact opposite. I am not trapped so to speak in the Apple eco system. So the thing i like about Spotify is it is on so many non Apple devices. I wish Apple Music was more readily available on non Apple stuff.

 

[Remy149]

If Apple bundles Apple Music exclusively with this TV service and raises the price I’m out. Spotify for me.

I can’t leave my iPhone at home and only take my watch to the gym with Spotify the way you can with Apple Music. Audible has had offline listening on Apple Watch since last year and Spotify still won’t add the feature. Spotify also hasn’t made an Apple TV app and as a HomePod opener I’m better with Apple Music there as well especially since my 2 echo dots and Sonos system also integrate with Apple Music. I Doubt they would do a blanket price and increase and force the video service on subscribers. However a bundle including multiple Apple services at a discounted rate would be amazing.

 

[kis]

It's interesting that you think Apple is becoming a U.S. only company while 4 out of the 5 companies you list as "taking over" are also U.S. companies. What "market share" would Microsoft or Google or Amazon be taking? Hardware?

Microsoft, Google and Amazon are all US-based companies, but they all have major parts of their structures in other places. Apple doesn't. Except for customer service and a bunch of data centers, they run their international operations pretty much on skeleton crews that are completely subordinate to their US puppet masters. Apple really doesn't do much outside the US and really don't care about foreign markets anymore. Their choice and I'm totally fine with that