Back to back day after day new product announcements (new watch bands this morning too) and Apple is just dominating the PR cycle in the week before their next “Event” in Cupertino.
Less than a week out from the event, we can now start to make more informed guesses about just what Apple’s streaming service will be – if that’s what’s to be announced.
Don’t think of Apple TV as a Netflix rival, Apple TV is set to bring it all together.
Already a device name and an App name, “Apple TV” might sound confusing now, but think of it this way – Tim Cook and his team want Apple users and Apple TV Device owners to have just one button to press, one app to load, one subscription to pay – and within that: a world of content.
Of course this will be region limited, we’re not going to suddenly see US TV shows available to stream here in Australia, and there’s no doubt the US version of this Apple TV subscription service will be a solid offering – it could well be that everything you can stream except Netflix will be there.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told reporters this week “We prefer to let our customers watch our content on our service,” adding the crucial comment “We have chosen not to integrate with their service.”
This is an open door into Apple’s back room planning, a “service” which integrates multiple streaming providers.
Apple themselves are leaving that door ajar by promoting tweets by other streaming broadcasters all around the world – including Australia:
Why would Apple promote Fox Cricket’s tweet? Because some how, some way, Fox Cricket is going to be available on Apple TV.
My Guess – Kayo. Fox Sports does not want to diminish its value proposition by becoming a streaming service, they’ll focus on Foxtel and 4K, leaving their streaming arm Kayo to be the brand of the new generation of users and content delivery.
Will Stan be involved? Tough to say – It would be an instant shot in the arm for their subscriber numbers, but that depends just how those numbers are counted.
Can Stan (Or Kayo) Claim every Apple TV subscriber to be one of their registered users?
Moreover, will there be a tiered pricing structure to Apple TV that allows users to pick and choose their streaming service?
Quite likely the only way Apple gets this through the gatekeepers at the streaming services of the world is simply for them to be a portal.
One App, One “Account” and you click to add and remove services as you need them.
So you pay the full price for Stan, or for Kayo, but you do it through the Apple TV app.
Why? Simplicity. Using the universal search of Apple TV (App or Device) you see a title, you click to watch it, no entering the Stan or Kayo App.
Why then is Sport a likely focus? Just take a look at what’s rating on Free to Air and Cable TV – SPORT. Live Sport! Yet Netflix, Stan, Amazon, they’re not touching it. Bring together those content providers who are doing sport and you might just be on a winner.
Of course this is complete and utter speculation, but I’d put some money on Kayo being involved based purely on that promoted tweet above.
We’ll know more on Tuesday Morning. As I said before, this may be the most exciting Apple event in a long time – just because we don’t know!
