Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is said to be working to launch a premium TV bundle, according to a report from Recode.
According to the report, the Cupertino-based tech giant is planning to sell consumers a premium TV bundle, which combines HBO, Showtime, and Starz.
“Apple already sells each of those channels individually. But it has approached the three networks about rolling them up into a single package, as conventional pay TV operators sometimes do,” Recode reported.
Unlike traditional pay TV operators that consumers to subscribe to a basic level of TV channels to get a premium bundle, Apple plans to sell the bundle as standalone product, delivered via its iOS devices and Apple TV set-top box, the report said.
Citing industry sources, the publication reported that the iPhone maker does not “have a bundle deal in place with any of the premium networks.”
Currently, Apple offers HBO for $15 a month, Showtime for $11 a month, and Starz for $9 a month. It is clear yet what price the company is seeking for its proposed premium bundle.
Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Internet Software and Services at Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), has said that traditional TV networks are not “willing to make the concessions he wants to sell a TV package.” However, “a premium bundle would be much easier, since he already sells those networks individually. The main question would be the price and the percentage of revenue the network owners would want,” Recode reported.
Meanwhile, Shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) closed 0.19% down on Friday. The stock is up more than 24% year-to-date, versus a 5.53% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period. During the last 12 months, AAPL has gained 30.61%.
In other Apple news, the tech giant is said to launch a completely new iPhone model in September this year. Dubbed the iPhone 8, the premium handset is rumored to come with revolutionary features.
