New AppleTV to Feature iTunes TV Subscriptions?

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Posted August 20, 2009 at 1:48pm by iClarified

Research analysts Gene Munster believes a new Apple TV will arrive in the next several months. He also speculates that an Apple Television will launch as early as 2011.

According to AppleInsider, Munster suggests that the new Apple TV would be used to boost iTunes video purchases via a subscription model.

"Apple could leverage its deep library of content with many network and cable channel content owners to provide unlimited access to a sub-library of its TV shows for a standard monthly fee ($30 or $40 per month)," Munster writes. "Such a product would effectively replace a consumer's monthly cable bill (~$85/month) and offer access to current and older episodes of select shows on select channels."

Munster believes that the timing for this update is based on negotiations between Apple and the content providers.

The "Apple Television" is believed to be a long term goal for Apple. It could be released in the next two to five years and may have DVDR and media center functionality built in.

"The device would push apple further into the digital living room with interactive TV, music, movie and gaming features (with the iPhone or iPod touch as a game controller)," Munster states. "Such a device would command a premium among the competitive field of budget TVs."

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New AppleTV to Feature iTunes TV Subscriptions?

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distortedLoop - August 20, 2009 at 7:14pm

Should have researched a bit before my first comment. There's more on iTunes than I thought, and even at what seems like exorbitant prices, all the must-see TV shows I currently watch could be grabbed with season passes for almost 25% of what my FIOS television package is costing me. Throw in Netflix Watch It Now and I'd be pretty well covered. The only issue with ala-carte for me is that I'm a channel surfer by nature, and have found many shows I never would have heard of just by flipping channels. That's a hard one to get around with trying to dump the cable bill for older folks like me. Still, with my FIOS tv, I get something like 200+ basic channels, and it's always funny to see that there's nothing on tv of interest.

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