A MoneyGram hack has seen an attacker obtain the personal data of an unknown number of the company’s 50 million money transfer users.
A separate hack of a debt collection company has seen personal data obtained for more than 200,000 Comcast customers, despite previous assurances that this was not the case …
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Comcast is out with some new prepaid connectivity offerings today. The new internet plans are simple and affordable with speeds up to 200 Mbps for home internet and unlimited 5G data for the mobile plans. Meanwhile, NOW TV includes access to 40+ networks for live and on-demand content.
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The Disney+ app and the Hulu app are due to merge later this year, says Disney CEO Bob Iger, but you’ll still be able to buy standalone subscriptions to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
The announcement is leading to speculation about a possible buyout plan …
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Apple keeps expanding its Apple TV+ presence as the streaming service is rolling out to Comcast’s US platforms.
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A new report out this afternoon from CNBC describes how Apple gets third-parties to sell more of its products, sometimes at subsidized prices. In the case of Comcast and Charter, Apple has reportedly used leverage from deals with the companies’ mobile divisions to require specific sales of its iPad and Apple TV.
In the latest episode of consumers affected by tech companies’ security flaws, Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile wireless service was found to be setting customer PINs by default to 0000. As reported by The Washington Post (via The Verge) one of the users who had their phone number stolen because of Xfinity’s weak PIN default even saw a hacker purchase an Apple computer with his credit card.
Xfinity Mobile, Comcast’s wireless service that uses Verizon’s network is sending out emails to customers ahead of new restrictions for video and hotspot data use.
Earlier this year Apple CEO Tim Cook shared that Comcast is introducing bill payments via Apple Pay, and today an update to Comcast’s Xfinity account management app is rolling out with the new feature.
Comcast has shared today that it will be launching an unlimited wireless plan later this year. This move will make the company the first major cable provider in the US to offer wireless service as it looks to expand its business.
Comcast is reportedly planning to launch a new broadband streaming TV service that will include HBO and ESPN among other channels. Variety reports that the service will be priced at $15/month with tiers ranging to $40/month and launch in Q3 later this year.
While Apple’s rumored Web TV service is expected to launch with new hardware and software later this year, Comcast has shown its cards on what it describes as an “experiment” to offer live TV streaming to its Internet subscribers without cable packages. Stream, a $15/month Xfinity add-on, will allow Comcast Internet subscribers to view live and on-demand streaming television from “about a dozen networks” including HBO and other major broadcast networks.
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German Manager Magazine (via Reuters) reports today that Deutsche Telekom is in talks with Comcast and others to sell T-Mobile US. Sources say that these potential buyers include satellite TV provider Dish (as corroborated by Reuters), but Comcast is seen as the most attractive option from the point of view of the German telecom, due to its financial strength and ability to buy T-Mobile’s shares in whole:
Deutsche Telekom is in talks with U.S. cable company Comcast about a potential sale of T-Mobile US, German Manager Magazin reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
Deutsche Telekom is in talks with several parties, including satellite provider Dish, according to the magazine, but Comcast is viewed as a more attractive buyer by the German telecoms provider’s management.
Comcast would be a better candidate as it is financially stronger and would be able to make an offer to buy all shares in T-Mobile US, Manager Magazine reported.
As reported by Bloomberg, T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom shares rose slightly following the news:
T-Mobile shares rose as much as 3 percent in early trading, before the U.S. markets opened. Deutsche Telekom traded 1.8 percent higher at 15.31 euros at 1:44 p.m. in Frankfurt. T-Mobile, which is the fourth-largest U.S. mobile-phone company and is about 66 percent owned by Deutsche Telekom, has a market value of $31.5 billion.
A conflicting report has since surfaced, thanks to a “Comcast source” for ArsTechnica. According to the person familiar with Comcast’s thinking, the company isn’t actually interested in buying T-Mobile. As of yet, no official statement has been made by Comcast or T-Mobile, but Deutsche Telekom has said that it “does not comment on rumors and speculation.”
With rumors flying about an Apple television subscription service in the works for release this year, new details have started to emerge about what kinds of deals the tech company will make with its content partners. The NY Post says that these deals will involve Apple turning over certain data about its users to programmers to help solidify its agreements.
Despite reports that NBC Universal is not involved in negotiations for Apple’s upcoming subscription TV replacement service, NBC still hopes to arrive on the Apple TV as soon as the second half of 2015, according to a source with knowledge of NBC’s digital roadmap. A recent presentation slide provided by the source shows that NBC wants to launch Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Xbox apps during the second half of this year, following its existing apps for iOS and Android devices. NBC also would like to add new affiliate stations, Nielsen Rating integration, and support for Google’s Chromecast…
A new report from The Information published today discussing the next generation of Apple TV says the new set-top box won’t be ready for prime time until at least 2015. This expectancy timeline aligns with previous 9to5Mac reporting on the Apple TV development progress.
According to the report, Apple employees managing the project have informed Apple TV engineers working on the next generation set-top box that it is currently not expected to reach completion in time to debut in 2014.
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“Dumb” means Net neutral to IP traffic which is exactly what Comcast is trying to avoid.
There has been no shortage of indicators that a new version of the Apple TV set-top box is incoming. We reported last year and earlier this year that Apple is progressing on new Apple TV hardware that will include new content, such as an App Store or “Game Store,” references to a new model have appeared in iOS 7 code, and numerous other reports have said that a new box is incoming from Apple.
Today, a filing from Comcast and Time Warner Cable pitching their planned merger to the FCC references Apple’s development of a new set-top-box. Here’s the notable quote from the filing (via Daisuke Wakabayashi):
Today, Google competes as a network, video, and technology provider, and 8 out 9 of the next Google Fiber markets the company announced are in Comcast or TWC areas. Apple tablets are viewing platforms for cable services even while Apple offers an online video service, Apple TV, and explores development of an Apple set-top box. Microsoft just announced that it will feature ads on the Xbox One, creating a new video advertising platform. And just last week, Amazon announced its own set-top box while it continues to leverage its unequaled sales platform and family of competitive tablets to promote its burgeoning Prime Instant Video business.
The bolded portion (emphasis ours) of the above quote says that Apple is exploring development of a new set-top box. The quote comes in context of the cable behemoths explaining why their merger is important amidst growing content competition from the likes of Apple, Google, and Microsoft. While it is possible that the companies are just speculating based on rumors about the next version of the Apple TV, several reports have indicated that Apple has been in direct talks with Time Warner Cable and Comcast regarding a new set-top box…
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is now in talks with Comcast about the possibility of a collaborative television streaming service. The plan, according to the report, is for Comcast to provide preferential streaming treatment to an Apple-built set-top box like the existing Apple TV.
The service would allow subscribers to stream live TV shows as well as on-demand content provided by Comcast. The agreement between the two companies would allow Apple’s box to continue streaming smoothly even when other connections were bogged down by high traffic and bypass bandwidth issues.
In addition to Bloomberg joining the Apple TV channel lineup today, a handful of other channels were added as well.
Sony’s Crackle service offers a number of television shows and movies without any subscription cost.
The new Watch ABC channel features a number of hit TV shows from the broadcaster including the new Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D series, but requires a subscription from a service provider including AT&T, Charter, Comcast, Google Fiber, Verizon FiOS, and others.
KORTV offers Korean-based content including paid video on-demand.
With all of these channels being added (and many requiring cable subscriptions), it should come as a relief to many that the next update to Apple TV offers a simplified interface for hiding channels in the main menu of the settings. Currently, hiding unused channels requires disabling channels in the parental settings.
Xfinity TV’s iOS app now allows subscribers to stream live TV channels as well as access on-demand content. The app has also been renamed from Xfinity TV Player to Xfinity TV Go.
Early reviewers, though, seem more interested in Air Play functionality, which has not yet been added.
The app is a free download from iTunes.
We didn’t get any updates to Apple TV at WWDC this week like some were hoping for, but yesterday Comcast–one of the cable companies that has been rumored to be in discussions with Apple over a new and improved Apple TV service– unveiled its next-generation cable box arriving this fall. On top of a brand new UI and platform dubbed “X2”, the company also gave us a look at its revamped iOS apps & a new controller with voice control features that will let you search by actor, show type, series, etc.
While showing off a new slick UI with recommendations and brand new, customizable guide views, the company also showed off integration with apps such as Pandora, Rotten Tomatoes, and zeebox for ratings. Within the new apps section (shown at 16:40), we see integration with Facebook, Pandora, Instagram, Xfinity Home apps, and much more.
An interesting aspect of the presentation, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts noted that the company sees the new open platform as being an open architecture that would allow for a “family of boxes” and a family of personalized remotes. We’re not sure if that means the company has plans to integrate third-party hardware with its platform, like an Apple TV for example, but it’s clear Comcast has no plans on completely getting rid of its own cable box anytime soon. It also doesn’t look like Comcast is waiting around for Apple to revamp its TV service with apps and voice control, and we also got a quick look at the new X2 experience running on an iPad and iPhone (pictured right).
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Verizon Wireless, which recently teamed up with telecommunications giant Comcast Corporation, is reportedly offering Clearwire Corp $1.5 billion in an effort to lease spectrum from the wireless communications company, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Meanwhile, Dish Network has motioned toward a $25.5 billion bid to merge with Sprint, which is notable as Dish and Sprint both competed toward buying out Clearwire in January.
It seems all three major telecommunications companies are moving toward owning expanded space in mobile broadband as well as home services like cable and voice, much like AT&T’s unified package.
A&E Networks finally rolled out iPad apps in December for watching full episodes and accessing content from its biggest networks including A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime. The three apps provided extra content for Xfinity TV users, and A&E told 9to5Mac that support for AirPlay was on the way. Today, the company has brought all three apps to iPhone and iPod touch users. It is offering full episodes of shows like “Duck Dynasty,” “Storage Wars,” “The First 48,” “Pawn Stars,” “American Pickers,” “Swamp People,” as well as 25 full-length Lifetime movies. The updated A&E, History, and Lifetime apps not only include support for iPhone and iPod touch, but they also now provide iCloud syncing to resume episodes on any iOS device.
A+E Networks is expanding its award-winning content to smaller screens with new video watch apps available for free in iTunes for all iOS devices. Now on-the-go viewing goes beyond the iPad, viewers can watch full episodes, movies and exclusive clips from A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime on iPhone and iPod Touch.
To make the viewing experience even more seamless, HISTORY, A&E and Lifetime apps now conveniently sync with multiple devices. For instance, if you’re watching an episode of Swamp People on your iPad at home you can then finish watching it on your iPhone so you don’t miss the train to work. Currently, viewers who sign in to verify Xfinity TV from Comcast will also have more access to content, including full previous seasons.
A+E Networks announced today the introduction of its first iPad apps for watching shows from some of its most popular networks, A&E, History, and Lifetime. All three of the iPad apps are available for free on the App Store starting today, and they feature the ability to watch full episodes, access exclusive clips, and create a customizable Watchlist of upcoming shows. The Lifetime app also includes access to 25 full-length movies.
“By offering the A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime watch apps, we are giving fans of our networks an opportunity to consume our leading libraries of original quality content wherever and whenever they want it,” said Dan Suratt, Executive Vice President of Digital Media and Business Development, A+E Networks.
A&E noted in its press release that Comcast subscribers who sign into their Xfinity TV account would have access to extra content such as full previous seasons of certain shows. It also said the apps, powered by Bottle Rocket, “will support additional distributors in early 2013.” The apps do not yet support AirPlay, but A+E confirmed the feature is coming. There will also be an iPhone/iPod version of the apps released in January alongside the Android versions.
Some of the shows offered through the apps include:
