Apple is already working on a TV-streaming service to rival the likes of Netflix, and it’s a solid bet that its upcoming special event will feature a revamped Apple TV set-top box. As if that weren’t enough, it looks as though the company is now looking into producing its own original shows.
Sources told Variety that Apple has been eyeing a “move into original programming,” meaning it would make TV shows and films in-house. This would be a big move and rival similar original productions from competitors like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant Video.
After recruiting some big names – like Zane Lowe from BBC’s Radio 1 – for its Apple Music project, the company is reportedly looking to bring in some key players from the showbiz industry to help with original content creation. Sources say that Apple already made an “unprecedented bid” for the former stars of the BBC’s Top Gear, although the presenting team eventually wound up at Amazon.
Making its own TV shows and films would mean that Apple owns the content outright and wouldn’t have to pay for the streaming rights. It would also mean some exclusive content for its upcoming streaming service in a marketplace where exclusivity is one of the key differentiators between rivals.
Although Apple is unlikely to officially comment at this early stage of talks, we may be able to infer the company’s long-term ambitions from the kind of focus it puts on the expected Apple TV relaunch later this month.