First the The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is in talks with cable operators to provide a set-top box that provides live television channels. According to the WSJ’s sources, “Apple contemplated building a cable set-top box more than two years ago before it launched the latest version of its Apple TV.” The report when on to state that, negotiations for a cable box have stalled because of a variety of Apple demands, including a 30 percent cut on “certain transactions” and the right to an exclusive on providing IP technology.
The Wall Street Journal has followed up this report with further details. Its reporting more details on how such a device might work. According to the report, the device will have DVR functionality except viewers wouldn’t actually be recording their own shows. The new device that can be used as a set-top box includes features designed to simplify accessing and viewing programming and erase the distinction between live and on-demand content. The device will store entire episodes in the cloud as they’re being broadcast live, allowing viewers to start watching programs from the beginning. The Apple device would give users access to any episode of a show on-demand, including a live episode, in a single interface.
With regards to functionality and design, this is what the report had to say:
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The Cupertino, Calif.-based company proposes giving viewers the ability to start any show at any time through a digital-video recorder that would store TV shows on the Internet. Viewers even could start a show minutes after it has begun… Another significant feature of the Apple set-top device is likely to be its user interface, which could resemble the navigation icons on Apple’s iPad. While the design may change, the interface is expected to be easier for people to use than existing cable on-screen menus, widely viewed as clunky. Apple’s device also may create space on the TV screen for social media features, such as sharing TV shows through services like Twitter Inc., the people said. Apple also wants users to be able to access content from the device on other Apple products like iPhones and iPads.
Apple wants viewers to be able to access all episodes of current seasons of TV shows, whereas existing video on demand services from cable operators generally often offer only a few episodes of a current season. Apple’s proposed device would also provide access to older seasons of shows, which are already available through Apple’s iTunes media store.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal
