With the Apple TV Upgrade, is this a New Direction– Or Too Little, Too Late?

Following reports of Apple TV’s September relaunch with its new, upgraded system, Apple is now reportedly planning to begin independent production of its own independent movies and shows, as Netflix and Amazon have been doing over the past year or two. There are precious few details of it all, save for a failed negotiation with the hosts of the show Top Gear (the proposed show was swooped up by Amazon). But the timing of the announcement is no coincidence. Since Apple has had original movies on iTunes before, is this the moment that they move into Netflix’s space and try to take over?

The honest answer is that it’s almost impossible to tell. Apple has been known to make big moves before, and they certainly have the capital to follow through. The real question is how the market will bear out towards yet another online streaming service, and this one largely tethered into the iOS ecosystem. Apple is betting that there are a lot of fans ready to make that commitment if they choose to pursue a subscription model– and the success of iTunes may well prove them right. Still, this isn’t iTunes but a very crowded online entertainment space. Without even some specifics of what they’re planning, we have precious few indicators of how it would succeed.

Verdict: Apple movies and TV shows? Sure. The real question is: shouldn’t the service be popular first? We just have no idea what the plan is in this case.