Hastings noted during the Netflix’s quarterly conference call on Monday that he’s not interested in acquisitions like Paramount or Starz because that’s just not the way his company does things. Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune ‘s technology newsletter. There are a number of large acquisitions that Google and Apple could make if they wanted to, including a stake in the Paramount movie studio, which troubled owner Viacom is reportedly shopping around, or the Starz TV distribution business. It’s not just a case of buying the rights to a specific show or film, either. But Apple and Google don’t have to create everything from scratch in the way Netflix is trying to-they can acquire it. It takes more than just money thrown at the problem to make that happen on a consistent basis, and so far Netflix has a pretty great track record of success. But there’s no question YouTube has much broader ambitions than that, and Google has the ability to fund those projects at a level that would make Netflix’s investment pale by comparison.Ĭreating original TV shows and movies is not easy, obviously. Netflix fans are unlikely to see a show featuring video gamer PewDiePie as a threat to Netflix’s slate of programs like House of Cards or Narcos. These initial efforts don’t really look like much at first glance. Google (GOOG), meanwhile, has been making inroads into the digital TV business via YouTube with the launch of its YouTube Red subscription business and the creation of several TV-style streaming shows built around YouTube stars. The iPhone maker has also become a trusted name in entertainment circles thanks to its years of investment in iTunes. Those discussions are reportedly in the early stages, and some insiders say Apple is “a bit disorganized.” But money speaks volumes in Hollywood, and Apple has about $200 billion in cash that it can bring to the table. Some followers think it might even buy HBO.Īccording to a number of reports, senior Apple executives like Eddy Cue have been meeting with various Hollywood players in an attempt to either license or create several potential blockbuster TV show pilots. Owning its own content is going to be a crucial step. But that’s unlikely to be the company’s only goal in streaming video or TV-style content, especially as it is trying to make Apple TV a leader in the digital set-top box business. Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it has expanded into more than 130 countries, also helping to push the stock up.įor now, at least, Apple’s (AAPL) efforts seem to be primarily designed to market Apple Music and iTunes. The company’s share price climbed by more than 130% last year, making it the top performer in the S&P 500 thanks to enthusiasm about for lineup of hot TV shows and movies. In that sense, Amazon is only the tip of the iceberg-and it’s also a competitor that Netflix has more or less been prepared for because the prospect of a standalone Prime Video seemed fairly obvious.Īt the moment, Netflix (NFLX) is the market’s favorite streaming player by far. That competitive pressure is only going to intensify, however. We are seeing growth in the overall Internet TV market that is displacing linear TV, so it’s natural that everybody is coming in as they realize that the future is Internet TV.” During its latest conference call, CEO Reed Hastings said, “There are so many competitors, and everyone is working hard to build the best content. Netflix isn’t unaware of this, of course. Each one is approaching that goal somewhat differently, but regardless, they will inevitably cross paths with Netflix as the disruption of the video industry continues. They have names like Apple, Google and Facebook, and they all have their sights set on the future of streaming video. You may have heard of some of these companies.
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