Apple and Comcast have been in talks lately to enter into an agreement for a streaming-TV service over the web, Wall Street Journal reports. These streams will be delivered over the Comcast's network which solves the last-mile problem through superior quality of service.
Apple's streaming-TV service will use an Apple set-top box along with Comcast cables to ensure it bypasses congestion over the web for easy streaming.
While the discussions between the two corporate giants are still on, there are many significant implementation hurdles signaled at the onset. If the deal is sealed, this will mark a new level of cooperation between the technology giant Apple and the cable provider Comcast to enter into a completely new unexplored arena of modernized television viewing.
Apple intends to allow users to stream live using on-demand TV programming and digital recordings will be stored "in the cloud." Apple would significantly get the "last-mile" advantage of inking deal with a Cable partner because the tech-giant wants this TV service to be separated from the public internet traffic.
Apple also wants its users to get no hiccups in streaming web video with the unmatched quality of Comcast video transmissions to normal set-top boxes.
According to sources, Comcast would like to retain significant control over the customer data, while Apple would like them to sign on to the new device using Apple login IDs.
Meanwhile, acquiring significant programming rights from the media seems to be a challenge for Apple at the moment as Comcast would want Apple to pay for the acquisition rights. Comcast would also not like the services to be priced higher than the traditional pay-TV service.
Representatives of both companies failed to comment on the current status of the deal, but one of the executive said, "Everybody is afraid to make a bad deal, so the deals are very slow to be made."
To conclude better: the WSJ report acknowledges that Comcast and Apple aren't exactly "close to an agreement." Now that leaves us to wait and watch for the next revolution in television viewing.
