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Standalone ‘Showtime’ streaming service debuts on Apple TV for $10.99 per month

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 7, 2015

After CBS announced a month ago that it would soon appease cord-cutters by rolling out a standalone video-streaming service over the Internet, Re/code revealed Tuesday that the network's premium cable television service called Showtime is now available through the Apple TV, no cable subscription required.

The standalone video-streaming service is available on Apple's $69 media-streaming box in exchange for a flat monthly fee of $10.99 with iTunes billing. A free 30-day free trial is available provided you have set up a valid payment method in iTunes.

A matching iOS app is coming at a later stage.

Apple requested 4K video content from Sony Pictures in 2013

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple requested 4K video content from Sony Pictures back in 2013, according to recently leaked documents. WikiLeaks on Thursday dumped another 200,000+ documents stemming from last year's staggering Sony hack, and so far at least one Apple-related story has been uncovered.

AppleInsider points to a materials access letter from Culver Digital Distribution, an entity associated with Sony Pictures, that serves as a formal agreement for "testing and/or preparing" 4K film and television content for non-exclusive distribution. And it has Eddy Cue's signature on it.

NYT: no new Apple TV at WWDC

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple has apparently decided to postpone the announcement of a new Apple TV at WWDC next week, according to The New York Times. In a sweeping report on what to expect from the annual developer's conference, the publication says the highly anticipated refresh of Apple's set-top box is no longer in the cards for Monday's keynote.

Showtime confirms online-only streaming service, launching next month on iOS and Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 3, 2015

Showtime, a CBS-owned premium cable television service, has taken the plunge and will offer a standalone video-streaming service over the Internet with Apple as its first partner, the company confirmed Wednesday.

Simply called Showtime, the service will cost $10.99 per month and will be hitting the Apple TV, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad on July 12 ahead of season premier of several shows such as Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex.

A free 30-day trial will be available to new customers who sign up through Apple in July. Like HBO Now, Showtime's new service will be an Apple exclusive at launch.

Apple confirms Apple TV’s role as a hub for remote HomeKit functionality

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 3, 2015

We've known since CES 2015 the Apple TV would play a central role in Apple's HomeKit ecosystem, dating back to October 2014 when HomeKit support first surfaced in an Apple TV Software beta.

Wednesday, a newly published Apple support document has acknowledged that the streaming box acts as a bridge between HomeKit devices and your mobile life.

NatGeo TV now available on Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 2, 2015

Apple's $69 set-top box has just gained a new channel from National Geographic, as first noted by MacRumors. The new 'NatGeo TV' channel, now available on the device's Home screen, includes streaming content from National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild, as well as current show episodes available for streaming the day after they air on television.

In addition to these shows, the new channel gives you on-demand access to past episodes of popular National Geographic shows. Some content is free, but on-demand streaming requires authentication with a cable TV provider.

Apple to live stream this year’s WWDC keynote

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

It looks like Apple is going to once again be providing a live stream of its WWDC keynote this year. On Monday the company updated its Events channel on Apple TV with a new program labeled "WWDC 2015 Keynote - LIVE."

There's no word on Apple's website yet regarding streaming to other devices, but the company typically offers live video on both Macs and iOS products via its Safari web browser. It's set to begin at 10am Pacific Time on June 8.

Apple not expected to unveil rumored TV service at WWDC

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple won't be announcing a new subscription TV service at WWDC next week, reports Recode. According to its sources, the Cupertino company has told network executives the unveiling will be postponed until the proper licensing deals are in place.

The holdup seems to be with negotiations over financial terms and new tech that would be required for broadcasters to deliver local programming. Apple is hoping that offering local stations will differentiate its service from Dish's Sling and others.

CBS will ‘probably’ sign up for Apple’s TV service

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

CBS CEO Les Moonves says his network will “probably” sign a deal with Apple for its upcoming streaming TV service. Speaking at the Code Conference on Wednesday, Moonves told Recode's Kara Swisher that he met with Apple's Eddy Cue last week to discuss the service.

“The talks are still early, but we’re very excited about it,” he told Swisher. The executive went on to say that he believes the age of the 200-channel universe is slowly dying, and if companies like Apple are going to offer trim 15-20 channel packages, CBS has to be included.

Apple’s rumored TV service to include local stations, likely won’t launch by early fall

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 22, 2015

Apple's rumored television services hinges on the company's ability to sign complex agreements that would permit it to include live programming from local stations, Re/code reported Friday.

Persuading broadcasters to back Apple's $30-40 per month service with local news and sports content has proven a much tougher nut to crack than originally thought, mostly due to complicated local broadcasting market structure, meaning the service is likely to be delayed.

“Industry executives familiar with Apple’s plans say the company wants to provide customers in cities around the U.S. with programming from their local broadcast stations,” author Peter Kafka wrote.

Gene Munster gives up on Apple television dream

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 19, 2015

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has become something of a joke in the broader analyst community. Arguably the most vocal proponent of a fully-fledged Apple television set, he's been predicting the imminent arrival of a 50+ inch TV with the shiny Apple logo on it for years now.

He wasn't alone in his predictions. Most recently, noted activist investor Carl Icahn put much faith in the mythical Apple Ultra HD TV set in a yet another letter to Tim Cook yesterday.

But as a new report by The Wall Street Journal alleged that Apple has indeed axed the project after researching it for nearly a decade, Munster was quick to admit that he's been wrong all along.

WSJ: Apple shelved plans to make a 4K TV set last year

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple quietly shelved plans to make an ultra-HD TV set with video calling and other features last year, reports the Wall Street Journal. The report follows an open letter to Tim Cook from activist investor Carl Ichan, published earlier today, which pointed to Apple releasing a 4K TV set in 2016.

Apparently, Apple was working on a full-blown television, and had been researching the project for nearly a decade. But Apple executives didn’t feel like the product or its feature set was compelling enough to enter the cutthroat market, which offers small margins to even the largest competitors.