Amazon is reportedly interested in building a live TV service of sorts as analyst Dan Rayburn at StreamingMediaBlog reports the company has approached NBCUniversal and CBS to gauge an interest in providing content (via Bloomberg).
The report didn’t expand on exactly what type of live TV service Amazon might be interested in, but a live component would add to Amazon’s existing on-demand video services that it offers across devices through web and mobile apps. Bloomberg points out that “Amazon’s recent agreement to acquire Elemental Technologies gives the company a platform to deliver live TV over the Web,” but beyond that we don’t know exactly what the company has planned.
The news comes just before Apple is set to launch its revamped TV experience with its fourth-generation Apple TV hardware this month. In addition to beefier internals for the new hardware, Apple is for the first time opening up the device’s app ecosystem with an iOS-like App Store that all developers can submit apps to. The new hardware, however, will launch without Apple’s much rumored TV streaming subscription service that we detailed earlier this year. That service is reportedly delayed into sometime next year.
It’s unclear if Amazon’s TV plans might be related to its decision earlier this month to stop selling Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast. Amazon cited lack of support for Amazon’s Prime Video service in that decision. Amazon has the opportunity to build an app for the new Apple TV and support Chromecast through its mobile apps, but will it take that route as it looks into expanding its TV service to compete with upcoming competitors from Apple and others?
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The TV Revolution is here. Gone are the days where you’ll hate on your single Cable provider…now you’ll have the ability to hate on a whole slew of providers and various TV Boxes and all while still paying that Cable Provider for internet/data access.
Apple can’t even get some of the major network to join. So what makes Amazon think they can?
From my understanding, gathered from the rumor mill (so take it for what it’s worth), it’s not Apple that can’t get the major networks, it’s the networks that are struggling to get the local affiliates to jump on board. Maybe having multiple influential companies vying for the same goal will convince everyone to jump on board.
Or if Apple/Amazon is smart, go the way of Netflix, start your own local news / sports stations…
“Amazon has the opportunity to build an app for the new Apple TV and support Chromecast through its mobile apps, but will it take that route as it looks into expanding its TV service to compete with upcoming competitors from Apple and others?”
Well, they may, but they support AirPlay on the iOS App and that isn’t enough to keep the existing devices as SKUs
I expect Apple to buy MLBAM which would severely hurt every other company that tries to get into the streaming TV business.
What would be the point of live TV for amazon? I don’t see how it would matter for their current programming (drama, comedy, etc.) so it has to be aimed at something else, right? local news? sports? election coverage?
Somehow I feel like they will offer the service below the cost, then Apple will be sued by DoJ.