Make no mistake about it, folks. The next five years is going to see dramatic changes in how you watch TV.
What with Facebook lining up its own brand of TV content, and stalwarts such as Netflix and Amazon Prime battling it out, another competitor is readying itself for battle. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has set aside $1 billion to begin acquiring television shows and films for its own streaming service.
While a name like Apple is obviously enough to frighten would-be competitors in the realm of phones or technology, TV is a different landscape altogether. Microsoft, Google and Yahoo! have all tried to force their way in, and all have failed. Yahoo! Screen even resurrected cult TV series Community, but that wasn't even enough to keep it going.
What Apple has, however, over the likes of Yahoo! and Microsoft is a near limitless supply of capital and the ability to outspend just about anyone in the process. Netflix is currently something close to $20 billion in debt, and with Disney pulling out of the streaming service in the US from 2019, the streaming service's position as market leader looks set to be challenged.
Ultimately though, what wins out in the end is content - and if Apple comes up with a hit series or movie, Netflix has a serious threat on their hands.
Via WSJ
