Apple Feuds With Movie Studios Over Cost of 4K Movies For years, Apple has insisted it plans to revolutionize the TV business, but year after year these ambitions appear hamstrung by broadcasters wary of giving Apple too much power. Most of them are afraid of Apple doing the same thing to video it did to music, but with so many streaming alternatives now emerging -- and Apple yet to show that it has the competency to truly compete in the space -- those fears seem relatively overblown.

But the Wall Street Journal indicates that broadcasters are still being difficult in negotiations -- this time over Apple's plans to release an updated 4K-capable Apple TV alongside 4K movies. The report quotes insiders who say that broadcasters aren't happy with Apple's plan to try and sell 4K films for $20 each, a price point movie studios want notably higher. The sources say movie studios want pricing to be $5 to $10 higher, likely due to fears that Apple's efforts will hinder 4K Blu Ray sales. “I wouldn’t tell Apple how to price their iPads,” one executives chirped to the Journal. Apple's feuds with broadcasters have persisted for years, with the company seen by the media industry as a disruptive threat to be afraid of -- not to work with. As a result Apple's live TV streaming effort -- which has reached legendary, comical status -- remains nowhere on the radar despite nearly a decade of hype. In this case Apple's on a tight timeline. The company is expected to release its new 4K-capable streaming video player at an event on September 12, where the company is similarly expected to unveil its latest iPhones. In this case Apple's on a tight timeline. The company is expected to release its new 4K-capable streaming video player at an event on September 12, where the company is similarly expected to unveil its latest iPhones.







News Jump Charter Relaunches Free 60-day Internet And Wi-Fi Offer; NCTA: FCC Should Stick With 25/3 Speed Threshold; + more news Comcast Shuts Off Internet for Subs Who Were Sold Service Illegally; AT&T, Verizon Team To Stop T-Mobile 5G; + more news California Defends Its Net Neutrality Law; AT&T's Traffic Up 20% Despite Data Traffic Actually Being Down; + more news Are The Comcast-Charter X1 Talks Dead In The Water?; AT&T May Offer Phone Plans With Ads For Discounts; + more news Europe's Top Court: Net Neutrality Rules Bar Zero Rating; ViacomCBS To Rebrand CBS All Access As Paramount+; + more news Verizon To Buy Reseller TracFone For $7B; 5G Not The Competitive Threat To Cable Many Thought It Would Be; + more news MS.Wants Records From AT&T On $300M Project; Google Fiber Outages In Austin, Houston, Other Texan Cities; + more news States With The Biggest Decreases In Speed; AT&T Hopes You'll Forget Its Fight Against Accurate Maps; + more news AT&T's CEO Has A Familiar $olution To US Broadband Woes; EarthLink Files Suit Against Charter; + more news 5G Doesn't Live Up To Hype, AT&T's 5G Slower Than Its 4G; Cord-Cutting Now In 37% of Broadband Households; + more news ---------------------- this week last week most discussed

Most recommended from 45 comments



SuperSpy

join:2012-06-15

Coldwater, MI 16 recommendations SuperSpy Member How long before Apple gets too frustrated and just says 'Fuck it' and buys a controlling stake in one of these companies? They probably have the cash to do it to nearly all of the major studios. At once. Thistool

join:2013-12-05

Auburn, WA 5 recommendations Thistool Member haha when will content producers learn. If they continue to keep trying to milk every revenue stream at new and absurd rates. Legacy business model is already seeing real world being crushed. When will they learn ?? jastastic

join:2014-04-23

East Palestine, OH 5 recommendations jastastic Member Digital Movies I like renting and purchasing movies with my Microsoft Account. I usually rent for the $6 when available but have made purchases at the $14.99 (deal) and $19.99 price points. I started looking at 4K and noticed on MS/Xbox SD is $14.99 / HD is $19.99 / 4KUltra is $29.99



I WILL NOT pay $30 for a 4k movie. EVER.



My take on this is they all gouge the newest tech. I mean... I'm still being forced to pay DirecTV a $10 monthly HD fee!? I do think the prices are just too high on this stuff, which is why I usually rent. I reserve the purchasing for the shows that I really enjoyed and know I would watch multiple times down the road.



Just my take. ILikeTech

join:2015-03-09 4 recommendations ILikeTech Member People actually buy movies still? I can't even remember the last movie I actually purchased a hard copy of, how often do people actually watch the same movie enough times to justify the cost of purchasing? Other than kid movies/shows (which netflix is full of), I'm thinking that business model is already on its way in the grave.



Regarding the streaming prices. 20 bucks is still quite high, if a hard copy is 25 and a stream is the same cost. Do they just pocket the additional profits that would profits go to production, shipping, store profits, etc? tmc8080

join:2004-04-24

Brooklyn, NY 4 recommendations tmc8080 Member greedy the kind of content that is currently available in 4k is really not all that high quality.. especially not the right movies that NEED to be in 4k, but somehow aren't yet. hollywood needs to get their act together and get REAL on prices since they already have to compete with piracy. there's no going back to the physical media prices of old ($25 - $100+). the physical media markets are where they can squeeze for money--collectors market where consumers want box sets of a series / movie because they want to play those movies or episodes over and over. most millennials' are beyond this collection-ism.

