Apple Might Launch Its Long-Awaited TV Service In First Half of 2019 (theverge.com) 33
Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC's Mad Money host Jim Cramer that the company will announce new "services" this year, suggesting that Apple might be planning to launch its long-awaited TV service in the first half of 2019. "While Cook didn't say what kind of services -- Cramer was asking whether Apple had any tricks up its services sleeve, including healthcare or mobile payments -- it's the long-awaited TV service that has recently seen all the pieces fall into place," notes The Verge. From the report: Here at CES 2019, there's been a series of surprise announcements from TV manufacturers that are suddenly supporting Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit features to allow you to cast content directly from your iPhone, iPad and Mac -- including TVs running rival operating systems from Google and Samsung. New TVs from rival Samsung will actually support iTunes, too, letting you access your movies and TV shows there as well. It wouldn't be a stretch to think Apple might be priming the pump with those hardware manufacturers for the upcoming TV service, too.
Then, there's content: We reported last June how Apple has been spending over $1 billion on original TV content with no obvious place for users to watch it. Another report suggested that some of those original shows were slated to debut as soon as this March. And another still claimed that those shows might be free for people who own Apple devices. But even if the TV service is one of the "services" Cook mentioned, it's not clear what other services Apple might be talking about.
Then, there's content: We reported last June how Apple has been spending over $1 billion on original TV content with no obvious place for users to watch it. Another report suggested that some of those original shows were slated to debut as soon as this March. And another still claimed that those shows might be free for people who own Apple devices. But even if the TV service is one of the "services" Cook mentioned, it's not clear what other services Apple might be talking about.
Apple can rest assured: I will not bite... (Score:1)
...Apple might be planning to launch its long-awaited TV service in the first half of 2019...
From the way Apple has "messed up" traditional messaging on smart phones (read inter-operability), I will save myself the headache of having to deal with the same mess on television.
Sorry Apple, I will take a PASS on this.
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And Apple _might_ NOT be planning to launch, so this is geek news because?
I like me 5SE and I hope that the phone downturn gets them to get back to a phone with that form factor again, Sadly I'm not holding my breath for that.
Long Awaited? (Score:2)
The only ones awaiting this are those who have been saying it was "coming soon" for the last decade.
Like a stopped clock, it looks like they may finally be right.
But who actually cares? The best deal in for-pay TV was the $30 deal on PlayStation Vue a year or two ago. DirecTV tried something similar, but it was trash in execution and lineup and features. Maybe it got better, but when they refused to honor their 7 day free trial, I put them on the shit list and will never so much as look at them again. (Y
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The only ones awaiting this are those who have been saying it was "coming soon" for the last decade.
Agreed. I’m fairly invested in the Apple ecosystem, but I don’t know anyone clamoring for an Apple TV service.
3, 5, or 10 years ago? Sure, it would have been great to snap the cable industry’s back with something different. These days, however? They’re already falling apart. They’re hemorrhaging customers by the millions every year. Earlier this week, in less than an hour, with no prior experience, and without looking up any guides or manuals, I put up an antenna in our attic a
"long awaited" (Score:3, Insightful)
That's hilarious! Am I wrong? Raise your hand if you've been looking forward to Yet Another proprietary streaming service. "The problem with proprietary streaming services is that there aren't enough of them," said ... who? Not a customer, I'll bet.
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That's hilarious! Am I wrong? Raise your hand if you've been looking forward to Yet Another proprietary streaming service. "The problem with proprietary streaming services is that there aren't enough of them," said ... who? Not a customer, I'll bet.
Yeah, it might be nice to be able to cast to a supported TV if someone came over and wanted to show some photos or videos, if I had such a TV.
The pain and aggravation it took at a recent gathering to just connect an iPhone to an older Samsung TV to show some pictures was kind of a nightmare.
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I agree. It's no more difficult to set up a screen and slide projector. This is the progress we've made in 50 years?
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"The pain and aggravation it took at a recent gathering to just connect an iPhone to an older Samsung TV to show some pictures was kind of a nightmare."
I agree. It's no more difficult to set up a screen and slide projector. This is the progress we've made in 50 years?
In a non-apple environment, I could open a browser pointed at the pictures, and use Chromecast to the TV.
At my house I could copy the images to my NAS and use kodi or something to display the images.
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Miracast is at least an "industry standard", albeit not open, instead of being completely proprietary.
Free? (Score:2)
A new meaning of "free", because it will be neither "gratis" nor "libre."
One button to turn on one channel (Score:2)
Where one hipster tells you 24/7 how much better you are than everyone else because you own an Apple.
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Oh stop it. That 'joke' is so old it isn't even remotely funny anymore.
Might but... (Score:2)
might not. (Psst... this isn't news)
Cable strangehold (Score:2)
Most everything that offers broadband to your home comes with TV service bundled. And it actually costs more to not get the TV service. I can't understand how these services expect to compete. The Koolaide is delicious, but asking people to pay $30 / month for something they already have?
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and the CAP makes the cable TV service all that much better.
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Most everything that offers broadband to your home comes with TV service bundled. And it actually costs more to not get the TV service. I can't understand how these services expect to compete. The Koolaide is delicious, but asking people to pay $30 / month for something they already have?
It really depends on the type of service. In some cases, you can bundle TV and cable for less for lower teired speeds the bundle eliminates the data cap. However, at higher tiers there is no cap and the cost of internet alone is equal to the cost of lower speed internet plus basic TV. If you add in TV the costs are about equal for TV + Internet or Internet plus streaming service. One advantage of the later is one box to handle TV plus NAS stored content and additional streaming apps instead of 2 boxes and
Foundation (Score:2)
Would be curious to try it.
Esp, if the rumour is true that initially it would be free for Apple device owners, then at worst I lose an hour of time if the first episode is bad.
TV not Service (Score:2)
I understand Apple wants to rebrand its self as a SERVICE company and not a HARDWARE company but this is revisionist history.
Apple TV? What are going to be the subjects? (Score:1)