Apple may be looking in a new direction in efforts to get its television streaming service off the ground. A new report from The Street reveals that the company has been in talks with Hollywood’s creative community since late last year about producing original TV shows that could be offered exclusively to iTunes customers. While Apple has yet to sign any agreements, two people with knowledge of the matter have suggested that Apple is ideally trying to get deals in place for September so it can announce exclusive content with the unveiling of the iPhone 7. The discussions are reportedly being led by Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue, who is effectively the force behind Apple’s entertainment initiatives, with Robert Kondrk, VP of iTunes content, also involved in the talks, according to sources. An Apple spokesperson naturally declined to comment on the matter. It was first reported in September that Apple had interest in creating original programming.
Reports that Apple was working on developing its own web TV service surfaced early last year, with later reports indicating that Apple was aiming to deliver it by last fall. However, delays in finalizing licensing deals caused Apple to temporarily put the project on the back burner as it continued negotiations with content providers, although a recent report revealed that Apple has generally been frustrated by its progress in breaking into the traditional television broadcasting market, suggesting that the company may get more traction by tackling original content in a manner similar to Amazon and Netflix.
