Tag Archives: amzn

Roku Sides With Cable TV Partners In FCC Set-Top Box Brouhaha

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposal to open up the TV set-top market does not have the support of one of the biggest video streaming set-top makers, Roku, which has partnered with cable TV firms. “We have not been advocating for a rule making in this area at this time,” Tricia Mifsud, a Roku spokeswoman, told IBD. “While we are known for selling streaming players, it is only one area of our business. Customers also access our platform through smart TVs and streaming players that operators deploy.” Comcast ( CMCSA ), Charter Communications ( CHTR ) and Time Warner Cable ( TWC ) are among cable TV firms that could be affected by Wheeler’s proposal. AT&T ( T ), which provides U-verse pay-TV service, also has protested Wheeler’s set-top box rules. The Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote on whether to move forward with the set-top box initiative on Thursday. The agency could adopt new rules by year-end. Alphabet ’s ( GOOGL ) Google has drawn the wrath of cable TV firms in the wake of the Wheeler’s proposal because it may target the TV advertising market.   Tivo ( TIVO ) is another company that could take advantage of new set-top box rules, analysts say. Wheeler aims to make it easier for consumers to switch from set-top boxes rented from cable TV companies to devices sold by consumer electronics or Internet companies. The FCC says making programming bundles sold by pay-TV companies accessible from a wider range of devices is not a threat to copyright protections . Roku recently raised $45.5 million in a funding round and appears to have shelved plans for an initial public offering. Critics say the FCC’s proposal is not needed because of technology and marketing shifts already underway.   Time Warner Cable in New York City is testing a cable service that doesn’t require a set-top box. Its slimmed-down programming package is available through a broadband connection and Roku’s streaming device. “In addition to Time Warner Cable, we also have a similar arrangement with Charter where they are buying streaming players to offer in a bundle,” added Roku’s Mifsud. “Overseas, we have partnerships with Sky in several countries and Telstra where we have licensed use of our platform and they have deployed their streaming video services to co-branded streaming players.” Amazon.com ( AMZN ), Roku and others sell Internet sticks, or dongles, that provide access to Web video. Some cable firms still do not provide access to Netflix ( NFLX ), or YouTube apps on their Internet-ready set-top boxes.

Apple Music Has 11 Million Paid Subscribers; Pandora Boxed In

Apple ( AAPL ) Music has 11 million paid subscribers, senior vice president Eddy Cue said Friday, confirming that the streaming music service is showing rapid growth and pressuring rivals. Apple Music had 10 million paying customers at the beginning of the year, the Financial Times reported last month. SVP Cue, speaking on John Gruber’s “The Talk Show” podcast released Friday, said Apple Music has quickly moved beyond that benchmark. Apple Music began in June for iOS users with 3-month trial subscriptions, expanding to the Alphabet ( GOOGL )-owned Android operating system in November. Apple’s growth may be coming at the expense of rivals such  as Pandora Media ( P ), Amazon ( AMZN ), Alphabet’s YouTube and privately held Spotify.  Pandora Media late Thursday said that its listener base fell to 81.1 million in Q4 vs. 81.4 million in the prior quarter and 81.5 million a year earlier. Pandora also missed earnings estimates. Pandora stock fell 12% on Friday, nearly undercutting its all-time intraday low set in 2012. Pandora shares rose 8% on Thursday ahead of results on a New York Times report that the company is mulling whether to put itself up for sale, hiring Morgan Stanley to help hold talks with potential bidders. Apple, Amazon, Facebook ( FB ) and Spotify are potential suitors, FBR & Co. analyst Barton Crockett said. Apple announced Friday that it will stream its first original series starring Beats co-founder Dr. Dre . The semi-autographical 6-episode Vital Signs may be streamed on Apple Music as another way to boost the service. Apple Music charges $9.99 a month, while Pandora has a $5 ad-free premium service. Spotify has 20 million paying subscribers — $9.99 in the U.S. — and 75 million who listen for free. Apple makes the bulk of its revenue from the iPhone. But with iPhone sales likely falling in the current quarter, the iPad steadily declining and the Apple Watch not a blockbuster, Apple increasingly is relying on services for growth. Services revenue rose 15% vs. a year earlier to $5.5 billion in Apple’s Q1. That compares to overall revenue growth of 2% to $75.9 billion.

Apple Pulls Trigger On First Original TV Show, Starring Dr. Dre

Apple ( AAPL ) is getting into the TV-show business, starting with a dark semi-autobiographical drama starring Beats co-founder and rap legend Dr. Dre. Dre, aka Andre Romelle Young, became an Apple executive after the Cupertino, Calif.-based consumer electronics giant bought Beats for $3 billion in August 2014. The Hollywood Reporter said Friday that Apple is backing a six-episode series called “Vital Signs.” The series likely will be distributed on Apple Music, the company’s subscription streaming music service, THR said. It’s also possible the show could turn up on iTunes or a rumored Apple streaming-TV service. Apple has been poking around the pay-TV business for years, trying to put together a skinny bundle of TV channels to market to cord cutters and cord nevers. Executives from CBS ( CBS ) and Walt Disney ’s ( DIS ) ESPN have spoken recently about their as-yet-fruitless talks with Apple. Apple Music would be an obvious outlet for the Dre show because it already includes some video, such as a recent exclusive Taylor Swift concert performance. But some analysts have speculated that Apple might go the route of subscription on-demand video and compete with the likes of Netflix ( NFLX ), Hulu and Amazon.com ‘s ( AMZN ) Amazon Prime Video. RELATED: Netflix Scores Big At Screen Actors Guild Awards With Four Trophies Apple M&A speculation continues with Time Warner chatter .