Increasing rumors suggest that Apple is looking to position its Apple TV platform as a real competitor to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video by developing its own slate of original TV content.
According to a report by Fast Company Apple was in attendance at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year where its quietly wined and dined filmmakers on an invitation-only basis.
Apple is allegedly planning on launching a number of TV series on an upcoming "exclusives" app on its Apple TV and iTunes platforms. Apple hopes that the "triple A-list talent" courted during these meetings will go on to "build up a roster of must-see shows available only on its platform," according to the report.
The Fast Company says that these talks have been so secretive that participants have been avoiding naming Apple directly, instead referring to them as the "United Fruit Company".
As we reported last month Apple has already announced its first original TV series, an unscripted series about the app economy with pop star Will.I.Am.
Back in February the Hollywood Reporter ran a story in which they claimed that Apple was also working with Dr. Dre to film a six part series called 'Vital Signs'.
These initial shows appear to be sticking close to the music industry, which Apple has historically been very familiar with. If rumors are to be believed, future shows will see the company straying further from its comfort zone.
It could be that an exclusive raft of content is exactly what the Apple's service needs. In his review, TechRadar's own Nick Pino called the latest Apple TV out for still having a lack of content.
The Elephants in the Room
Apple's move to producing exclusive content would bring the service more into line with competitors who have been producing original content for several years now. 'House of Cards' and 'Daredevil' have been well received by critics, and since they are produced in-house, their exclusivity to Netflix is guaranteed without any expensive deals having to be made.
Amazon has also been investing heavily in its own exclusive shows, having reportedly paid $250m to secure the ex-hosts of Top Gear for a new car show.
Amazon has not made its number of subscribers public (and the number is likely to be heavily inflated by customers who pay only for their free one-day delivery service), but recent estimates place it at between 40 and 60 million people worldwide.
Rumors of Apple launching a streaming service of its own have been circulating for quite some time but as yet Apple has not formally announced any intentions to enter into the market.
Via Stuff
