Apple is reported to be in talks with British Telecom (BT) to help kick-start its pay-TV plans in the UK. The Telegraph reports that the deal is designed to be a win-win for both companies.
BT would get extra customers for its own pay-TV channel, while Apple would not only benefit from extra sales of its Apple TV box, but would also have a larger audience once it’s ready to move ahead with its own subscription television service.
BT currently offers its own set-top box, but had a rethink earlier this year.
BT’s EE subsidiary was said to have been chosen because of the brand’s demographic.
There has been much speculation about Apple’s long-rumored plans to launch its own pay-TV service. One recent report suggested that the company was aiming to compete head-on with Netflix, with a business that could be generating over $4B by 2025.
Apple is known to be continuing its moves into original TV content for an over-the-air pay-TV service, recent reports covering a climate change series, a comedy series based on poet Emily Dickinson, a documentary called The Elephant Queen and a miniseries Defending Jacob.
Apple was also said to be shopping for movie deals at last month’s Toronto International Film Festival.
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