Though Apple specifically talked about renting TV shows episodes on iOS 4.1 devices and the new Apple TV, you can fire up iTunes and start renting now, as long as you don’t mind watching them on your Mac and PC.
According to a report from The New York Times, NBC is no longer interested in allowing the iPad access to full-length streaming episodes of its popular TV shows.
If you’re a television nut who also happens to have an iPad fetish, you’ll be happy to know that two of the four major TV networks are now available on your device.
According to AppleInsider, both CBS and Walt Disney’s ABC are betting big on Apple’s new iPad. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that both networks will be offering streaming episodes of TV shows — CBS through its website, and ABC through a free, iPad-only app that’s already available for download.
"Putting streaming video on the iPad would sidestep Apple’s iTunes content store, where Apple has been trying to juice anemic sales of TV episodes in advance of the iPad launch," the report reads. "So far, several media companies have rejected Apple’s push to lower the price for downloading shows from iTunes to 99 cents each, according to people familiar with the talks."
Only last week, MacRumors reported that CBS.com had been switching some of its content from Adobe Flash to iPad-friendly HTML5. Those alternate pages were discovered while visiting the site using the iPad SDK simulator. The revised site will be live in time for Saturday’s launch, although initial offerings are expected to be limited at first.
ABC has taken a more proactive approach, creating a free, dedicated iPad-only app that’s already available for download. It promises to let you watch full-length episodes of your favorite shows, including Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Modern Family, Desperate Housewives and more.
The 1.5MB ABC Player app also features a full schedule for the network and the ability to pause an episode and come right back to the same place later on. The only downside is that it requires a Wi-Fi connection for now, but since there are no 3G iPads available at the moment, that shouldn’t be too much of a dealbreaker.
The popular movie rental service, Netflix, is sending out a survey to some of its top customers asking about their interest in a possible app for the iPhone and even the iPad, according to 9 to 5 Mac.
Here’s what those customers got:
"Imagine that Netflix offers its subscribers the ability to instantly watch movies & TV episodes on their iPhone. The selection availability to instantly watch includes some new releases, lots of classics and TV episodes. There are no advertisements or trailers, and movies start in as little as 30 seconds. You can fast-forward, rewind, and pause or watch again. The movies & TV episodes you instantly watch are included in your Netflix membership for no additional fee.
Whenever you want to instantly watch content on your iPhone, your iPhone must be connected to a Wi-Fi network (such as one you might have at home or at work, or in public places like coffee shops, book stores, hotels, airports, etc.)
If this functionality were available, how likely would you or someone in your household be to instantly watch movies & TV episodes on your iPhone via a Wi-Fi network?"
Netflix has previously sent out similar surveys for the PS3 and the Wii, leading most to believe the company isn’t just pulling the wool over our eyes.
So if the above were true MaclLifers, would you be game for a Netflix app, even if AT&T doesn’t allow it on 3G just yet? Feel free to leave comments below!
Image courtesy of bindapple.com
(Image courtesy of Life.com)
The rumors of 99-cent TV shows through iTunes have been heating up in recent days, but a new report claims that the major networks are approaching with caution.
AppleInsider cites a new report from The New York Times which claims that the major television networks are fearful of “alienating” their local affiliates and cable providers by jumping on board Apple’s 99-cent TV show bandwagon.
“We’re willing to try anything,” claims one anonymous TV network executive quoted for the article, “but the key word is ‘try’.” The news comes on the heels of last week’s report quoting CBS CEO Les Moonves, who appears open to a price drop to 99 cents per episode on certain older TV shows.
At stake is the decades-old “lucrative” relationship with local cable providers and affiliates, who still wield significant power over the networks. Take for instance the recent turmoil with affiliates effectively ending the prime-time Jay Leno Show, claiming the poor viewer numbers were killing their local 11 p.m. newscasts. It’s those same affiliates — as well as cable and satellite providers — who stand to lose the most if Apple is successful in offering cheap TV shows via iTunes.
According to the Times, Apple’s business of selling TV shows is still a young one with plenty of room to grow. While the iTunes Store is currently counting down to 10 billion songs sold, the best estimates claim that only 375 million TV episodes have been sold by comparison since television shows came to the store in 2005. Furthermore, the revenue from iTunes is supposedly “marginal” for producers and distributors.
Apple’s push for 99-cent TV show episodes appears timed to the release of the iPad in late March, with the Times quoting some TV executives anonymously that Cupertino is “desperate” to line up such content for the device to ensure its success.
AppleInsider also notes that Apple continues to push its $30-per-month TV show subscription plan first revealed last November, which would take aim directly at the cable providers. Those negotiations are said to still be ongoing.
