FCC Rule Change Could Finally Pave the Way for a Real Apple TV
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Posted October 29, 2014 at 7:01pm by iClarified
FCC chair Tom Wheeler has asked the commission to start a rulemaking proceeding that would make Internet TV finally happen, paving the way for a real Apple television.
Wheeler says that similar to how Congress mandated access to cable channels for satellite services, it should extend the concept to providers of Internet-based services.
Consumers have long complained about how their cable service forces them to buy channels they never watch. The move of video onto the Internet can do something about that frustration – but first Internet video services need access to the programs. Today the FCC takes the first step to open access to cable programs as well as local television. The result should be to give consumers more alternatives from which to choose so they can buy the programs they want.
In 1992 Congress realized that the then-nascent satellite industry would have a hard time competing because much cable programming was owned by cable companies who frequently kept it from competitors. Congress mandated access to cable channels for satellite services, and competition flourished. Today I am proposing to extend the same concept to the providers of linear, Internet-based services; to encourage new video alternatives by opening up access to content previously locked on cable channels. What could these over-the-top video providers (OTTs) supply to consumers? Many different kinds of multichannel video packages designed for different tastes and preferences. A better ability for a consumer to order the channels he or she wants to watch.
Specifically, Wheeler has asked the Commission to start a rulemaking proceeding in which the term “multichannel video programming distributor” (MVPD) would be modernized so that it is technology-neutral. The result of this technical adjustment will be to give MVPDs that use the Internet (or any other method of transmission) the same access to programming owned by cable operators and the same ability to negotiate to carry broadcast TV stations that Congress gave to satellite systems in order to ensure competitive video markets.
If implemented this would clearly be of great benefit to customers and companies like Apple who have had a difficult time getting content deals in place. Imagine an Apple Television that let you pick and choose the channels you wanted to subscribe to, offering a nice clean UI, iCloud-based DVR, and more.
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Hopefully it wi be as stable as cable because the other options out there are crappy and I've tried a few. Also I hope they don't go over board and charge a first born like apple usually does for things. I have iPhone and iPad which I love by the way. Hopefully you can get a bunch of channels you want for affordable prices like Netflix and Hulu and stuff like that. Real live channels I mean and a should include the local programming. Then go up from there based on number of channels. Whatever, it should not be expensive.
He meant Apple is very expensive. You can't argue with that. Look at iBooks for instance to see how Apple plans their pricing models for content, he's hoping TV won't be the same way, and I agree.
my name isn't what it's looks like pointing out here or what it seems to be but dirsregarding that, Apple will change the game for television and that will make a huge approach to a new way of having Apple TV since TV remotes have lots of button and how they make newer versions of what people made before (phones, music players, now watches). Maybe he also meant Apple can do the same for a TV. For every TV out there, hd TV has noticeable pixels. I'd like to see Apple up the game on that.