Apple ‘planning’ autumn web TV launch

Apple is reportedly planning to launch an online TV service this autumn in partnership with broadcasters including ABC, CBS and Fox.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Apple is in talks with US programmers and plans to offer a “slimmed-down” cable-style bundle of roughly 25 channels that will be available to view across Apple devices.

The report, which cites people familiar with the plans, claims that Apple’s talks do not currently involve NBCUniversal due to a “falling-out” between Apple and NBCU parent company Comcast over a previously discussed joint streaming TV platform.

However, Apple is said to be in discussions with The Walt Disney Company, CBS Corp. and 21^st Century Fox and aims to offer well known channels as part of the service such as CBS and ESPN.

According to the WSJ, Apple aims to announce the service in June and launch it in September for an expected price of US$30 to US$40 per-month, in a bid to appeal to ‘cord cutters’ or those unwilling to pay for a full cable subscription.

The service will reportedly be available on iOS devices including iPads, iPhones and Apple TV set-top boxes.

The news comes just a week after HBO announced that it would launch HBO Now, its now OTT subscription on-demand service, in partnership with Apple in the US in April.

Apple has not publicly announced any plans relating to its reported web TV service.