Apple Could Offer HBO, Showtime, and Starz Channels as 'Premium TV Bundle'

Apple is considering offering HBO, Showtime, and Starz television channels in a combined "premium TV bundle" to be delivered to viewers via Apple TV and iOS devices, according to a new report on Sunday.

Apple already enables users to buy the named channels individually, but according to a source who spoke to Recode, Apple has approached the three networks about rolling them up into a single paid package similar to how conventional TV operators market their channels.

apple tv westworld
However, unlike paid TV operators like Charter, which usually require consumers to subscribe to a basic range of TV channels before offering a premium bundle, Apple wants to provide the package as an upfront standalone option for all its consumers.

Apple has yet to nail down a deal with any of the networks, according to industry sources, while representatives from HBO, Stars, and Showtime declined to comment on the report. Apple also didn't respond to requests for comment.

Apple currently offers HBO for $15 a month, Showtime for $11 a month, and Stars for $9 a month, but Recode had no information on the price of any possible bundle package.

Apple's attempts to set up a traditional streaming bundle of TV channels have come to nothing in recent years, despite rival companies like Google and Hulu announcing plans of their own.

In 2015, Apple was in talks for a streaming television service that would bundle several popular live channels and on-demand television at a price point of approximately $30 per month, but Apple canned the project after being unable to establish the necessary deals because content providers were reluctant to unbundle their channels.

The company's assertive negotiation tactics with cable providers have also been blamed, with Apple executives accused of making demands networks aren't prepared to meet. Content providers meanwhile have been reluctant to agree to Apple's terms for fear of potentially compromising their traditional revenue streams.

Apart from its TV subscription service ambitions, Apple is said to be building a "significant" business centered around creating original, scripted television shows and possibly even movies, for a possible launch by the end of 2017.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

tennisproha Avatar
87 months ago
What puzzles me is how Apple is sitting on a gold mine with the virtually complete collection of TV shows and movies they have in iTunes. They could just renegotiate those contracts and offer iTunes as a monthly subscription. It's the motherload of catalogues. They could wipe the competition clean, except for Netflix and Amazon original programming.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
87 months ago
Another story about plans that Apple has but no deals in place. Why does Eddy Cue still have a job?
[doublepost=1491173887][/doublepost]
What puzzles me is how Apple is sitting on a gold mine with the virtually complete collection of TV shows and movies they have in iTunes. They could just renegotiate those contracts and offer iTunes as a monthly subscription. It's the motherload of catalogues. They could wipe the competition clean, except for Netflix and Amazon original programming.
Can you imagine what that would cost???
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
87 months ago
All these companies are seemingly hellbent on recreating the failing cable TV business model...
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stevez67 Avatar
87 months ago
Bundle = cord and I cut the cord. So how is paying for a "bundle" of garbage channels different just because it's delivered over the internet? No thanks.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
furi0usbee Avatar
87 months ago
I would hands down pay for this.
Yeah, you would be giving your hands, and maybe an arm and a leg... so you would pay $30/mo for this *new* Apple plan, plus $9.95 for that, plus $8.95/mo for that, plus $19.99/mo for that....... paying for all these services just to get half the channels you really want.... stick with the bundle dude.... it's cheaper.

All you are doing is paying more money to more companies to get the keys to the walled gardens. And you end up paying more than you would because ISPs are going to up their prices for stand alone internet access, then reduce big time bundled packages with TV and internet.

We are just chasing different methods to pay the same (or more) to the greedy media companies. Just different ways for them to get our money, just thinly disguised as the future.

Now, if there were an open standard where all channels could submit their content, and we can purchase just what we want, well that would be the future of media. As it stands now, these are all just bundles and junior bundles and light bundles, but bundles none the less.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sfwalter Avatar
87 months ago
Great a bundle of channels I have no interest in purchasing.
Score: 7 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 ...
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...
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 UPC differs from a typical front ...
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....
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 ...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Event Still

Apple Pushes Back Against iPhone USB-C Regulations in India

Tuesday December 5, 2023 4:18 am PST by
Apple has asked the Indian government to exempt existing iPhones from new rules that require smartphones sold in the country to have a USB-C charging port, reports Reuters. India wants to replicate an upcoming European Union rule that requires all smartphones to implement the USB-C charging standard. However, according to a new report, Apple has told India its local production targets will...