Apple TV to Stream 99 Cent Shows, Sources Say

The Apple TV set-top box will suggest 99 cent TV episodes that can be streamed, not downloaded, according to sources. If true, Apple would be wounding the price of TV episodes in half and competing extra squarely with rivals such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon's Video on Demand. Currently Apple TV merely allows you to download TV episodes from iTunes and charges a regular of $1.99.

According to reports from NewTeeVee Apple TV's restrictions on content would be like to current iTunes rentals; you would have 30 days to view your television incident and then have unlimited access to the affair for 24 hours after you start viewing it.

Hollywood Onboard?

It's not clear if some content producers are by nown board with Apple's rumored streaming plans, and that may be the largest hurdle for Apple to conquer. Right now, television networks and specialty channels similar to NBC, ABC, Showtime and HBO sell entity episode downloads on iTunes for $1.99-$2.99, depending on whether you purchase standard or high-definition videos. Entire past seasons and passes to current television seasons are as well available, and typically choice in price from $10 to $40.

It's not clear how profitable television content sales on iTunes are--

Apple lately reported $1.1 billion in net sales for the iTunes store during the second quarter of 2010--but I have to wonder how enthusiastic content producers would be with this plan. Especially when you think Apple's past fights with television execs over pricing, most particularly the temporary split between Apple and NBC in 2007.

Then once more, with the proliferation of other television streaming services the time may be mature for an iTunes rental deal. In fact, Apple's entrance into streaming individual television episodes could assist the industry conquer a growing problem with piracy.

Could iTunes Rentals Defend against Pirates?

Alongside the increase of legitimate streaming services such as Hulu and AOL TV, pirate streaming sites have also been gaining in fame. Pirate sites often have a far improved television episode catalog than their legal counterpart’s thankfulness to users who record the shows at home on their DVRs and then upload those videos to places similar to Megavideo and zSHARE. Other sites then index the videos on Megavideo and zSHARE and create the links available to users.

Streaming piracy is becoming so wide increase that in late June, federal authorities shut down some pirate streaming sites including TV Shack and Movies-Links.tv, according to The Wall Street Journal. The problem is, law enforcement and the courts would be about as unsuccessful in combating pirate streaming as they have been in disappointing file sharing. But it's completely possible that nominally priced a la carte television streaming could make paying clients out of current pirate site users.

Just the Latest Apple TV Rumor

Speculation over Apple TV has been a frequent theme in recent months. In August 2009, rumors circulated that Apple was looking to offer a television subscription service to struggle directly with the cable companies. More recently, rumors leading up to June's Worldwide Developers Conference suggested that a refreshed Apple TV was on the method and would come with smallest internal storage and store all your Apple TV purchases online in its place of on the set-top box's hard drive. The rumored Apple TV would be based on iOS 4 and cost just $99--Apple TV's current base model costs $230.