Apple has hired Shiva Rajaraman, a former YouTube and Spotify executive, to help formulate its video content strategy, according to a report on Friday.

Citing two people familiar with the matter, The Information said that Rajaraman will work on a range of projects under the supervision of Apple's Eddy Cue, senior VP of internet software and services.

youtube apple tv
According to The Information's sources within Apple, the company has yet to nail down its video strategy and disagreements remain among executives about its long-term direction.

Executives have debated how to go forward in video. One idea that has been discussed is to bundle its music, news and book offerings with new video and cable services that could be activated via the iPhone and work on Internet-connected TVs.

Rajaraman's entrance may be able to bring more clarity to Apple's video content approach. According to his LinkedIn profile, he spent eight years at YouTube, operating across a number of roles. "At different times, he ran every individual part of the YouTube team," a former colleague told The Information. Rajaraman also helped YouTube secure content partnerships with the likes of Disney and Time Warner.

Following his YouTube stint, Rajaraman joined Spotify, where he worked between 2014 and 2016, helping to develop alternative content such as podcasts.

Apple has struggled to get its video aspirations off the ground in recent years, following failed efforts to negotiate with cable TV networks over the possibility of a streaming TV package. Apple does have some original video content coming to Apple Music, but a substantive, separate Netflix-style service remains elusive.

Update Aug 17: According to The Information, Rajaraman has left Apple after just four months, having been hired as chief product officer at co-working firm WeWork.

Top Rated Comments

FattyMembrane Avatar
87 months ago
Excellent. This sounds like just what Apple needs to get the Mac Pro team back on track.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
87 months ago
According to The Information's sources within Apple, the company has yet to nail down its video strategy and disagreements remain among executives about its long-term direction
Are we seriously expecting Apple to produce some form of autonomous automobile if they cannot even agree whether to copy Netflix or not?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Denmac1 Avatar
87 months ago
Eddy Cue: "Look Shiva...I know you're trying to get the ball rolling, but you're under my supervision now; lets take it down a notch. You're starting to make me look bad."
Naw...Eddie doesn't need anyone to make him look bad.....It's the one thing he succeeds at.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Juicy Box Avatar
87 months ago
Apple does have some original video content ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/01/09/carpool-karaoke-apple-music-different-hosts/') coming to Apple Music, but a substantive, separate Netflix-style service remains elusive.
Trying to compare Apple original content with Netflix's original content would be like comparing the size and quality of a bum's cardboard box home to a skyscraper.

I thought that PotApps sounded kind of interesting when the first rumors about it surfaced, but after watching the trailer, I feel embarrassed for the people involved. It is totally not what I expected.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Urban Joe Avatar
87 months ago
Here's an idea... a sitcom named "Apple Knows Best" ...the show that shows what lengths Apple goes to ensure they are always perfect and why 99.9% of consumer requests are wrong. Great for PR don't ya think? Honesty is the best policy.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HJM.NL Avatar
87 months ago
YouTube has a strategy??
Yep, advertising and it's quite good at it. I'm happy YouTube exist and I'm also happy it's not run by Apple. If that was the case you had to pay bigtime to upload your movie are watch for fun.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Firmware

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware update for both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Pro 2. The new firmware is version 6B34, up from the 6B32 firmware introduced in November. Apple does not provide details on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware beyond "bug fixes and other improvements," so it is unclear what's new in the update, but prior software releases ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

'All-Screen' iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development

Wednesday December 6, 2023 2:03 am PST by
Apple's Korean suppliers have begun developing smartphone under-display cameras (UDC), paving the way for the first iPhone with a true "all-screen" appearance. According to The Elec, LG Innotek has entered the preliminary development of the UDC, which sits under the display and does not result in a visible hole in the panel when the camera is not in use. A UDC differs from a typical front ...
magsafe blue 2

iOS 17.2 Brings Qi2 Support to iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 Models

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:04 am PST by
The iOS 17.2 update that Apple is set to release to the public in the near future will bring support for the next-generation Qi2 wireless charging standard to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models. Qi2 was mentioned in the release notes for the RC version of the update that came out today. With the addition of support for the new standard, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models will work with Qi2...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 May Reuse Existing iPhone 14 Battery

Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:17 pm PST by
Recently, MacRumors has received details on the battery currently being tested on the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE, and the information corroborates previous findings in relation to the device. The iPhone SE 4, known by its device identifier D59, is expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14. Partially assembled prototypes of the next iPhone SE have been ...
airpods pro bulbs

Black Friday Prices Return for AirPods Pro 2 With USB-C, iPad, and More

Tuesday December 5, 2023 7:30 am PST by
Today we're tracking a collection of deals that are matching - or nearly matching - the same all-time low discounts we saw during Black Friday. This includes the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, 9th generation iPad, and M1 MacBook Air. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the ...
instagram messenger

Instagram and Facebook Messenger Chats to Disconnect This Month

Tuesday December 5, 2023 1:57 am PST by
Meta has revealed plans to end Instagram users' ability to chat with Facebook accounts later this month, rolling back a feature that it introduced over three years ago. In September 2020, Meta (then Facebook) announced it was merging its Facebook Messenger service with Instagram direct messaging, allowing Instagram users to chat with Facebook users and vice versa using the same platform....