Here Comes Apple TV (again)

Apple’s streaming television service, which is said to

resemble Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, will launch

in the first half of next year, according to a report today

from The Information. The service, which may exist as

a standalone app or within the existing TV app, will

launch in the US first and become available in more than

100 countries after a few months of availability, the report

says. It will feature a mix of original programming, access

to third-party services, and the ability to subscribe directly

to channel packages offered by network and cable

providers, similar to Amazon’s Channels feature.

For years, Apple has been trying to crack streaming like

it did digital media and smartphone apps. But due to

complex licensing deals and media conglomerates’ tight

control on pricing and bundling, the iPhone maker has

been less successful than competitors like Amazon and

Netflix, both of which have built strong ecosystems mixing

licensed content and original programming. And although

Apple has sold its own set-top box since 2006, the device

has largely remained a conduit for other companies’ media,

and it lags behind Amazon and Roku hardware in market

share.

Apple appears ready to try and change that with the launch

of its official streaming TV service, which will be free for iOS

device owners and exist as the home interface of its Apple

TV line, reports The Information. One snag is that Apple

doesn’t appear willing to let the software exist outside its

own hardware, which may limit its ability to expand. Both

Amazon, through its Prime Video app, and Netflix exist as

mobile apps, built-in native smart TV apps, and streaming

set-top box apps. In the case of Amazon, which produces

the Fire TV line, its software is the entire home interface

on its devices. That means consumers have numerous

access points to Prime Video and Netflix, while Apple will

necessarily limit its own service’s reach.