Tired of hearing rumors about Apple products? I didn’t think so. The iPhone 5 isn’t the only Apple product (or potential product, I should say) getting some attention from the press. There is speculation going around that Apple may be looking to launch a Netflix competitor.
Before we get into the sources of such speculation, let’s just acknowledge that the concept itself makes a great deal of sense. Netflix has built a very solid brand for itself over the years, despite a bit of tarnishing in recent weeks, but it’s already getting competition from major web players like Amazon and Google. Apple, with its popular devices, operating systems, and iTunes store, as well as its existing competition with Amazon and Google seems like an ideal candidate for such a service. Let’s not forget about Apple TV and its rumored foray into actual televisions.
Jay Yarow at Business Insider reports on a note from Peter Misek at Jeffries, who says, “As part of Apple’s roll-out of cloud video services (and eventually an iTV), we believe Apple has unannounced deals with all/most of the studios/TV networks that are similar to the subscription streaming deal between Amazon and CBS.”
He also points out that Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer recently said that “some neat stuff is coming” for iTunes movies and TV content.
Meanwhile, AppDevice is running a story today called “Exclusive: Apple to Launch iTunes Replay in the COming Weeks,” which says the publication “has been told and was able to independently confirm that Apple is on the edge of finally launching a full fledged re-downloading and possibly streaming service named iTunes replay.”
This would reportedly include re-downloading and possibly streaming of not only music, but TV shows and movies.
Don’t forget that Google is now renting movies via the Android Market (not to mention YouTube) – the prime competitor to Apple’s App Store.
Either way, it looks like consumers are going to have more and more options for renting streaming movies from various devices, including the desktop, moving forward. Facebook movie rental appears to be on the rise as well.
