Coming Attractions: How Apple Can Take A Bite Out Of The TV Business

Apple has dominated several product categories such as the smartphone, the smartwatch and the portable music player when it has been the founding member of the market or has joined at a preliminary stage.

- Benjamin Kerry & Gavin Lenaghan

UNCERTAIN PICTURE OVER APPLE’S EMERGING ‘VISION’ FOR TV

However, results have been more mixed when it has joined a more crowded marketplace, such as TV and streaming – so what are the Cupertino firm’s chances of success in this notoriously well-contested industry?

The Apple TV is a great case in point of the company’s mixed success in this arena thus far. Yes, it is a great device, but it doesn’t necessarily compare as well as it could against such rivals as Android TV, Google Chromecast, Roku and even Amazon – and it’s the lack of native content that is largely to blame.

Apple decided to rectify this in June 2017 when it hired Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg from Sony Pictures to head up its original programming team.

Early results have been mixed to say the least. Two shows released by Apple last summer, including app development reality show Planet of the Apps, starring Will.I.Am, and Carpool Karaoke with breakout British star James Corden, have generally been well-liked and watched. However, the touted big-budget urban drama series Vital Signs – a semi-autobiographical version of the life of hip-hop legend Dr Dre – was pulled by Apple CEO Tim Cook due to its scenes involving drug use, guns and other adult situations.

Apple has already pledged to invest approximately $1bn to set up its slate of shows for 2019, although this is modest compared to the $8bn Netflix has reserved to maintain its online streaming dominance.

COMING ATTRACTIONS